The aesthetics/physicality of human relationship

I have started to look at artists who deal with the body and skin as I want to look at the aesthetics/physicality of human relationships/connections other then just mental relationship. I want to eventually look at the images from the two different perspectives of 1) the Jewish law of Shomar Nagia 2) a non religious perspective.

Challenging the law

Tono Stano

Stano was in a group of photographers who's worked dealt with the problem of human relationships and sexuality.

With the mutual interaction of the force of the figures, he achieved atmospheres that were sometimes full of an almost ominous or purely instinctual tension (Adam and Eve, 1984). At other times they are stylized curves of motion, gentle and lovingly fragile (The Kiss, 1986). Or, by contrast, they attain an ironic extremity (Right-angle Flight, 1985–86). By distinctively manipulating bodies and objects, he would partly reveal the story.

I am interested in Stano's importance of human connection with the opposite sex in comparison to the law of Judaism. I am now questioning the different realities in which people live in.

Contact between men and women

I have been thinking about the contact of men and women in Judaism.

Negiah (Hebrew: נגיעה‎) literally "touch," is the concept in Halakha that forbids or restricts physical contact with a member of the opposite sex (except for one's spouse, children, grandchildren, parents, and grandparents). A person who abides by this Halakha is colloquially described as a Shomer Negiah (one who is "observant of Negiah").

The laws of Negiah are typically followed by Orthodox Jews, with varying levels of observance. Some Orthodox Jews follow the laws with strict modesty and take measures to avoid accidental contact, such as avoiding sitting next to a member of the opposite sex on a bus, airplane, or other similar seating situation.

I want to firstly get the opinions of those who are Shomer Negiah. I want to understand the benefits on missing out on human contact. I want to get to understand why they see beauty in not having contact with the opposite sex.

I also want to get the opinions/reactions of those who have never heard of Shomer Negiah before. For people who have been brought up never even thinking about not having contact with the opposite sex. I think to many people, especially because of the society we live in today, it will be a shock and hard to come to terms with.

IDEA

I have decided that I want to look at Halakha (the laws and practices of Judaism). I think that there are a lot of misconceptions about the laws and actions of the Jewish laws and therefore I want to look more into them and challenge them. Some are the laws I want to look at are Kashrut (keeping kosher), shomar nagia (the contact between men and women) and Tznui (modest behaviour i.e clothes worn).

Crucifixion Artist

I have been looking at other religious art. It's claimed Sebastian Horsley is the first Westerner to undergo a crucifixion as part of an annual tradition in the Philippines. He was nailed to a cross for more than half an hour and the whole experience has been recorded for posterity through art. Horsley has produced paintings of his crucifixion.

As a painter he never wanted to paint things as they were, but the way he felt and sensed they were, and the only way to achieve this was to undergo experience. When he painted sharks in 1997, he went into the sea in a cage and looked at them face to teeth. So, when he decided to paint the crucifixion, he decided he needed to be crucified. 'How can you paint the crucifixion without being crucified? To me it makes perfect sense to get close to it,' he argues.

Edward Ben Avram

Most of Ben Avram’s oil paintings and watercolors portray Israeli cities, religious festivals, and Bible stories. He paints in creamy sensual tones incorporating symbols such as doves, a menorah, and Shabbat candles.

In contrast to Bak and Levine, Avram's paintings portray the bible in a lighter, more dream like sense.

Reflective note

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/hide-seek/episode-guide/series-1/episode-1

After watching the documentary above about child Holocaust survivors, I thought about the importance of Jewish identity and how meaningful it is to me.

So far I have learnt so much about both myself and my religion which I have been ignorant to in the past.

It has made me want to look back at Jews during World War II and how their exile has affected the population today.