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Escondido prepares for 'The Naked Truth'
By: DAVID FRIED - Staff Writer | ∞
Kellene Richetts-Nguyen, volunteer coordinator for the Escondido Arts Partnership, holds a black and white photo titled 'Green Cave' by Skip Middleton, which received a honorable mention at the 'The Naked Truth' art exhibit. The show opens Aug. 10 in Escondido.
WALDO NILO Staff Photographer
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ESCONDIDO ---- In some ways, the naked truth about Escondido is that it has had an uneasy relationship with the idea of nudity.
Last year, one councilwoman pushed for the city to bar a group of nudists from holding their regular swimming event at the city's ice skating rink. And in January, a small brouhaha erupted when one of downtown's many galleries placed a portrait of a male nude in the window.
Now, the Escondido Arts Partnership, a publicly funded gallery, plans to launch its summer exhibit, "The Naked Truth," a collection of 44 paintings, sculptures and other pieces that show distorted newsprint, painted faces and, well, flesh.
Victoria Huckins, executive director of the partnership that put together the exhibit from more than 120 submissions from regional artists, said focusing solely on the images of naked individuals in "The Naked Truth" would miss the point of the exhibit.
"Art through the ages has had (the natural) form in it," Huckins said. "And it's not up to us to censor our artists."
Others in the city have had different ideas.
When Councilwoman Marie Waldron worked to ban Naturally California from the city's Iceoplex, the nudist group decided to stop holding its private events there.
Earlier this year, one local mother demanded that a gallery on Grand Avenue remove a nude portrait, which it did, only to replace it days later. The ensuing ruckus drew considerable media attention locally.
Huckins, whose gallery receives $76,000 from the city, or about 40 percent of the gallery's annual budget, said the partnership had come up with its theme last summer, well before the controversy.
"A lot of the submissions, almost half, did not use the literal figure (of nakedness)," Huckins said. "There are a lot of messages about society."
One figure features a wooden cutout of a plump, elderly woman staring into a mirror that reflects an image of a sultry, busty blonde in a Playboy bunny outfit.
Another work is a painted door with collages of multihued faces cut from fashion magazines pasted on the panels of one side, and portraits of indigenous people from around the world on the other.
Can you mail that?
The exhibit does face some practical challenges.
The first place winner in the jury selection was a piece entitled "Mysteries of Rebirth," a portrait painted in a range of pastels depicting a longhorn skull atop a crouched, clearly female figure with her hands clasped, as if in prayer.
Valley Center artist Raina Colvin said her piece is similar to a Sheela Na Gig, a traditional carving that adorns some Irish churches and whose origins are debated, although it's often said to represent a pagan symbol of fertility.
Huckins said she is working with Colvin on how to handle mailing the announcement postcards for the exhibit. Traditionally, they would feature the first-place work, but in this case, "Mysteries of Rebirth" might not pass muster with the U.S. Postal Service, which prohibits mailing images that may be deemed obscene.
To ensure there are no problems, Colvin said she agreed to crop the figure for the mailing.
"I was really surprised when my piece even got accepted," Colvin 46, said. "That they were having a show about nudity. I was really surprised, because I always thought Escondido was kind of conservative."
Other artists said they didn't think so.
"Escondido has been much more welcoming of unusual, avant-garde art than most places," said Karen Langer Baker, a Fallbrook artist whose collage of images and poetic phrases depicting the fear of aging drew second place. "I'm quite happy to put things there that I couldn't put in Fallbrook."
Still, Baker and her husband, who created the door with faces on the panels, said that they also will understand if the partnership's exhibit keeps some of the edgier works away from the entryway.
Because the gallery is at street level, that might be a good idea, said Mayor Lori Pfeiler, adding that the partnership should be mindful not to hang any pieces in the window that would clearly make most people uncomfortable.
But neither, she said, should it worry about causing a stir in a city that has vehemently supported the arts, including staking much of its marketing of downtown on the 25 art galleries and studios that line the streets of quaint shops and restaurants.
"Art is thriving in Escondido," Pfeiler said. "And the best thing about art is that it gives us new ways to think, to challenge our minds and broaden our lives in a lot of ways."
"The Naked Truth" runs Aug. 10 through Sept. 6. at the Escondido Arts Partnership, 142 W. Grand Ave.
Contact staff writer David Fried at (760) 740-5416 or dfried@nctimes.com.
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Is God Naked? wrote on Jul 19, 2006 11:14 PM:If God had wanted us to be seen naked in art galleries, he would have made us that way! ;-)
Clotheshorse wrote on Jul 19, 2006 11:51 PM:That photo at top is the reason people wear clothes. Why would anybody want a photo of some fat butt? Worse yet, who would want to model for it? Buy some nice clothes and glam it up!
Owner of an older birthday suit wrote on Jul 20, 2006 4:05 AM:Just another reason to be up at 4AM watching those "Body by Bowflex" infommercials. The issue was put forth to me in a time long ago and far away that you weren't to be considered to be a serious 'artist' until you had done your first nude. Since Escondido is on the list of best places to retire, and also covets its place as an artsy friendly destination, I will suggest that we make the most of this and publicly sponser a nude seniors art exhibit. Done tastefully, of course.
gimmeabreak wrote on Jul 20, 2006 7:08 AM:Let's give Councilman Waldron a real stroke-out. Have someone paint a naked illegal immigrant - posing in a stray shopping cart!!
Tax Payer wrote on Jul 20, 2006 8:08 AM:"Esco" has potholes, hordes of illegals complete with their ensuing crime wave, no code enforcement, free lunches for illegals, but can waste $76,000 of taxpayer money every year on a business which can't support itself. Don't bother to mention the big suck from the loser art's center! Mayor Pfeiler - art IS NOT THRIVING, or it would be able to support itself!
Circling the bowl wrote on Jul 20, 2006 9:33 AM:The content of this show aside, here we clearly see Mayor Pfeiler’s priorities. Escondido is turning into a ghetto, the streets are falling apart and the Police don't arrest illegals who throw rocks at them - but we have this low quality art show - wonderful.
Harry wrote on Jul 20, 2006 10:57 AM:Love it gimmeabreak! how about a naked illegal immigrant posing with a shopping cart, reading the For Rent magazine listings at a day labor pick up location.
Observer wrote on Jul 20, 2006 12:33 PM:Hey, are "Tax Payer", Circling the bowl" "Harry" and "Clotheshorse" all the same person? Sorry to here that you are so unhappy with your life...;(
To Observer: wrote on Jul 20, 2006 1:35 PM:No, we are not the same person. Maybe you should consider most people believe you need to support yourself, and not be a leech off of society. Art is fine with me, and is what you make of it - I just don't want MY money being wasted on frivolous BS! TAXPAYER
Paint it on velvet wrote on Jul 20, 2006 1:53 PM:Paint it on velvet, like TJ artists do. Then it would be a better fit for Escondido. Real artists? Yeah, gimme a break. Maybe they can do one of the Mayor for city hall gallery. Nah, she's gonna lose the next election anyway.
Clotheshorse wrote on Jul 20, 2006 3:24 PM:To Observer: I am not the others, its just me. And I am not unhappy with my life just because I don't want to see a photo of your butt hanging in a window. Playboy considers their photo's artistic too. I bet sells would take a boost if the store owners posted the "artistic" centerfold from Playboy in their windows. But oddly, they have to keep the magazine behind counters away from under 18 year olds. And the difference is art? According to whom?
Harry wrote on Jul 20, 2006 4:20 PM:To Observer: Just me, and I am not at all unhappy--in fact quite the opposite! You call yourself "the observer" hmmmmmmmmmmm? there is absolutely nothing in common between my political philosophy and those you lump me with. Sorry to see you are so bitter and so confused! See you at the gallery. TTFN
Tye wrote on Jul 20, 2006 5:07 PM:I find it an interesting commentary on society's standards, or at least of some of the citizens of this fine city, that the photo in the article is criticized for the apparent weight of the model, not for the quality of the image. And others feel qualified, without seeing the artworks in question, to say that it is "low quality art." You all, especially "Clotheshorse" (whose screen name say it all), should be ashamed of such a knee jerk response.
to: "IS GOD NAKED?" wrote on Jul 20, 2006 6:25 PM:Yoo hoo! He DID! WE ARE BORN INTO THIS WORLD BUCK NAKED!! Did you think otherwise? And, who taught YOU the facts of life?
Circling the bowl wrote on Jul 20, 2006 7:04 PM:It is interesting that there are those who question the City of Escondido expenditures on this show and those who criticize the questioners. If the show is such a great idea then please tell us why – this tendency to, “Shoot the messenger,” isn’t very informative, productive or convincing.
ToTaxPayer wrote on Jul 20, 2006 7:19 PM:Please provide an example of a non-profit arts organization that "thrives" without government support. Just because you don't like to go out of your trailer at night doesn't mean the rest of us live like you do.
Eye of the beholder wrote on Jul 21, 2006 4:28 AM:I'll check it out. I have to agree with Tye. Why would any rational observer confuse the quality? of the art with the subject matter? I'm assuming that there are no submittals from the likes of Robert Maplethorpe. That's where I would have to draw the line.
Vista Granny wrote on Jul 23, 2006 8:56 AM:Not really my town, but I must say that some people have narrow minds and odd ideas. My children used to complain that I drug them from one art gallery to another museum during their childhood. We didn't miss and old castle or fine arts museum in Europe or on the East Coast. They now realize that they learned a lot from visiting those places, and have beautiful wives, children and homes. Perhaps they developed "good taste" through osmosis by spending so many hours in beautiful places. One last thought, God probably is naked, where would he buy clothes?
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