Exhibition

Maya - undressed

13 Feb 2010 – 13 Mar 2010

Event times

Thursday to Saturday 13.00 - 18.00 or by appointment

Cost of entry

Free

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Structure Gallery

London, United Kingdom

Address

Travel Information

  • London Underground Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus or Tottenham Court Road
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Maya - undressed - La Maya Desnuda / Vestida

About

Maya Undressed: An exhibition of drawing and photography at the Structure Gallery, London, by Alma Tischlerwood, Delva Simunovic and Jillian Lochner. The exhibition takes influence from the two Mayas, by Francisco Goya. The two Mayas carry an infamous legacy, one which saw Old Master stripped of his Royal title as Spanish Court Painter. In 1800 Goya finished painting ‘La Maya Desnuda'. It is still speculated retrospectively that Desnuda is the first obvious depiction of female pubic hair in a large western painting. The outrage within the society brought the attention of the Spanish Inquisition, deeming the painting as ‘obscene'. Goya was summoned to dress his nude, to cover her flesh and its obscenity. The master painter refused to cover her delicately painted exposition, and instead produced a second work, choosing to dress Maya on new canvas instead. In 1803 the completed work ‘La Maya Vestida' was hung on top of Desnuda, taking its place in Minister de Godoy's collection. This allowed Godoy to reveal Maya's painterly skin when it suited him, lifting Vestida to uncover Desnuda. There can be many ways of framing the image of Maya in society today. Against the backdrop of commercial image making and advertising, we can find a sensibility of delicate beauty in the crafted representation of Maya's form. The painting appears subtle, or even romantic, in relation to the cacophony of nudity, fantasy, idealism and social distortion apparent in provocative television adverts and mainstream pornography. We are left by viewing Maya in her innocence and naivety, and become detached from the ability to empathise with the outrage, obscenity and shock which she faced within 18th Century Spanish society. We observe her depiction, uncovered skin and pubic hair, bringing our own connotations and subversions. We do not see her skin exposed, rather we see her form dressed up in a jaded idealism. Desnuda becomes Vestida again. This exhibition seeks to undress Maya once more. An investigation through the mediums of photography and drawing, Tischlerwood, Simunovic and Lochner attempt to undress our relationships with image and the exposed human form in contemporary society. Maya Undressed takes place from 13th February to 13th March at The Structure Gallery, 14 Ingestre Place W1F 0JQ. www.structuregallery.com info@structuregallery.com

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