What If Art Imitated Life?

Please! Let's stop the madness!

I don't know, it seems to me like art has always drawn from the high class of society. It's never really been a depiction of the general public. Back when fluffy and pasty was a trait of the upper class there was a lot of art depicting these types of people. Now, art goes for the high fashioned perfect body, the new traits to aspire to. It tends to be the idealized, albeit, rare body type that is portrayed in art.

Why'd they go and ruin all those famous art figures? I think it's pretty disrespectful. Even the figures like "Venus" that are voluptuous anyway weren't THAT fat. And David just looks ridiculous.

There has always been art that depicts the common people. David and Venus were meant to depict ideals. "The Grecian ideal".

These figurines are therefore pointless.

BTW, ideals, I believe, are still a good thing to have!

Well it worked for Botero :-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_Botero

So are these figurines supposed to be a promotion of health and fitness? There's absolutely nothing wrong (in fact, I believe it's essential) to loving yourself as you are now, but if you do truly love and care for yourself, which includes loving your body, then you will take care of it. Why take better care of your car or pet than you do your own body?

They're funny...

i like them.

Gosh, I think they're just fantastic! Are they expensive? I don't think that they are promoting obesity, they are just nice and funny stuff. Not eveything in this world has to be serious and art certainly hasn't :)
Putting a few kilos on Venus is an experiment, is playing with old icons, not a statment about health and fitness! Since when does art have to be politicaly correct???

i think these are brilliant. i think you all would remember when that saying came out about "if i can't be skinny please make all my friends fat"... this reminds me of that!

I think people will overthink these figurines to death, analyzing how they'll affect people's perceptions and so on. But come on, it's just a bit of fun. If I sketch out a copy of a famous work, but put an afro on the Mona Lisa or something like that, I'm not trying to make a grand statement.

Besides, a quick look at Florence Studio's offerings (sold in shops pushing the finest in ugly kitsch "art") tells me that they are nothing if not entirely un-serious about the figures they design. It's grandma chic all the way, designed to compliment your plastic couch covers.

Never teh bride,
I don't use plastic couch covers and I would love to have that Venus figurine, it's so funny :) It would go with my bordeaux couch and wenge furniture... a touch of color and good humour!

Anyway, I totally agree with you, people tend to overanalize things. Just because most of us have some extra kilos doesn't mean that the figurine makers are making a statment about obesity. We are not the center of the world! :))

These are so funny!

Speaking of all this, there was a good news story on NPR this morning about Leonard Nimoy's new book containing photos from his Full Body series. See his web page for details: http://www.leonardnimoyphotography.com

This bothers me-- a lot. I have a feeling people will take these as a joke, or funny.

Fat is a characteristic-- it is NOT a humor device. Acting like it is, well, is shallow and hurtful.