Nude Model (Male) 1977

Editor: This is Andy Warhol's "Nude Model (Male)" from 1977, a Polaroid photograph. It’s strikingly direct; there’s no attempt to romanticize the subject. What do you make of it? Curator: Considering Warhol's body of work, his insistent focus on mass production translates even to what we might consider intimate subjects. The Polaroid as a medium flattens and de-glamorizes. It highlights the disposable nature of both image and subject in consumer culture. Editor: So you’re saying the material, a simple Polaroid, cheapens even the idea of the classical nude? Curator: Precisely. The speed and ease of Polaroid production challenges the traditional labor involved in nude portraiture. The "factory" aesthetic is still in play, undermining traditional ideas surrounding art-making, while nodding towards commodification of the body itself. Editor: That's interesting. How do you think the social context influenced this specific portrait? Curator: In the 1970s, sexuality was becoming more openly explored, but simultaneously commodified. Warhol captured both sides of that coin. Think about how gay culture influenced his vision of art production. Consider, also, what it meant to be photographed during the age of developing celebrity culture, and his career’s reliance on commodifying desire. The use of the Polaroid blurs lines of access, challenging artistic processes tied to value. Editor: It feels like the medium becomes the message itself, pointing towards mass production within both art and desire. Curator: Indeed, by utilizing a quick, reproducible technology, Warhol both democratizes the image and highlights the inherent consumption within our culture. I wonder what Warhol would be making now with Instagram readily available… Editor: Thanks, I learned a lot. I'll definitely think more about the medium Warhol selected for his artworks and the message about production it conveys.