"Nudes": A study in human form

Artists have long appreciated the beauty and symmetry of the human form. Since Michaelangelo's "The David," our own natural beauty has captivated us.

Sarah Kaufman's "Nudes" exhibit is currently on display at the University Gallery in Boland Hall.

"This series offers a view of the body in terms of form," said Kaufman. "I am interested in the skin's surface, the dark lines created when bodies touch and bend, and the mutability that can occur when two figures become one composition."

Certainly, the "selenium tone" (grayish blue color) of the prints accentuates the lines created between two models as they fold over each other, but the significance of their poses is open to wide interpretation by the audience. They fit together, in many ways, like puzzle pieces, with the curve of a hip or arch of a back being exploited to provide a resting place for the model's counterpart.

There are no dominant figures in Kaufman's works; sex makes no difference. Prints that involve a male and female in interlocking form remain just as neutral as those involving two models of the same sex. Sometimes her subjects are even portrayed androgenous, graying the lines between our conceptions of man and woman. It is sometimes impossible to tell just which sex is being perceived.

Even for a community of students that may not be so used to such a raw art form, the artistic merit of this exhibit is easy to see. The eye wanders beyond mere "body parts" and learns to appreciate the geometry of the body. "Perfect" form, to this artist, is natural form. She does not always choose the most flawless subjects, but rather attempts to capture a spectrum of different body types. In some prints, more Rubenesque models are juxtaposed against lithe and skinny individuals, while the two may be part of the same form in another. She continues to experiment with these varying forms throughout the exhibit, constantly shuffling combinations of sex and shape to achieve varying results.

Two become one seamlessly and effortlessly. You'll find yourself wondering which model is which, and pondering the absence of form in one instance, and its excess in another.

There is nothing to be preconceived about Kaufman's work, and it is ripe for a specific interpretation by any viewer. This, ironically, is nothing new, as the same can be said for most art. Since there is no particular pattern in this exhibit, though, perhaps this ambiguity is just her point.

The exhibit will be on display until March 28. Even if it takes you a bit to get past your initial impressions, please give this a chance. These prints exude creative energy, and must be taken at more than face value.