World Wide Naked Art Frenzy
N*des-of-the-Month for March 2007 on barebrush.com: 28 artists, 31 artworks selected by guest curator, Bob Hogge. Website hits in 2007 exceed 600,000 with 70,000+ page views.
New York, NY – February 27, 2007 – Site traffic continues to grow and takes on an international flavor as website, barebrush.com announced N*des-of-the-Month March 2007, its seventh virtual calendar and art show. Chelsea gallery director, Bob Hogge, of Monkdogz Urban Art curated the show of 28 artists working in NY, around the US and in Canada, Mexico, UK, Denmark, Netherlands, New Zealand and Thailand. Over 60 artists submitted more than 350 entries. N*des-of-the-Month March 2007 is in previews to members only and viewable by the public beginning March 1, 2007 at www.barebrush.com .
There is a great variety of art on the site– sexy, edgy, contemplative, impressionist, expressionist, abstract, academic, provocative and some just simply beautiful. There are oils, watercolors, pastels, drawings, sculpture, photography, collage, illustration and experimental media. There’s only one rule: it must be a nude. Attitudes toward the nude are sometimes ambiguous, often hostile, but almost always culturally charged and significant. There is taboo and controversy.
“I look at every piece,” says CEO Ilene Skeen. “With the range of technique, intent and spirit in the work, it’s exciting to see the art come it, like every day is Christmas. I want people to know that it’s okay to enjoy the art of the nude.”
barebrush.com is a start-up website dedicated exclusively to the art of the nude. Membership on the site is free, and listing art on the site for 30 days is also free. The N*des-of-the-Month is a virtual juried exhibition of the art selected from the entries in the “Art Log” by a different guest art professional each month. The exhibition is presented on the web in a unique calendar format. Also on the site is an “Events & News” blog which presents opportunities, events and news in the world of the nude in art.
The N*des-of-the-Month exhibition series began in September 2006 with an exhibition curated by Brigitte Saint-Ouen, founder and director of Gramercy 32 Fine Arts. All previous calendars and the details of the art represented are still live in the archives of barebrush.com.
About Bob Hogge and Monkdogz Urban Art:
Robert Hogge, "an irrepressible enthusiast who resembles David Carradine with a Jean Genet prison haircut, does most of the talking for the two, while Hadley, an attractive and fashionable model of British reserve, twinkles elegantly and occasionally interjects a wry witticism that is always right on target. Typically, she will list her partner's assets, saying, “Bob is a man of great compassion, heart, honesty and integrity. He believes in art and artists with a fierce passion and wants to provide the necessary encouragement to all artists who believe in the integrity of their own work. The fact that Bob is an artist himself means that he really understands the forces and pressures that affect the working artist." (Ed McCormack, Gallery & Studio Magazine).
In the March call for entries, Bob Hogge wrote:
The nude’s relevance to the history and future of art.
Could be compared to the essential need of oxygen and water to mankind.
In this arena both of the above statements share a common purpose. Keeping the human body alive.
Monkdogz Urban Art Gallery is an International platform designed to showcase artists from around the globe based on their commitment, talent, imagination, and the integrity of their work. What I am looking for in evaluating work: Excellence in structure and imagination.
The call for entries went to barebrush.com members, was posted on the website. Bob also sent it to his huge contact list. When asked what he thought of the selection process for the calendar, Bob said:
“You know, you can always second guess yourself. If I went back again, I might choose differently. There was so much great work – it was difficult and you can’t second guess yourself, you just have to go with it.”
“This calendar is very strong, very impressive. Bob’s selection is outstanding and I’m grateful for his energy and enthusiasm,” answers Ilene Skeen. “I know it is getting more and more difficult for the curators to be able to chose the art, but the upside for the artists is that the next contest is getting ready to roll – new curator, new sensibility, a new opportunity to showcase their art of the nude.”
Art can be uploaded to barebrush at any time. Art uploaded now will be automatically in consideration for the N*des-of-the-Month April 2007. The official “Call for Entries” along with the announcement of the April guest curator will be released Monday, March 5th at the website.
About the Artists:
March N*des-of-the-Month artists (with day of the month): Michael Apice (24), Oudi Arroni (14), Annette Ashton (8), Deborah Jane Batt (17), Amit Bar (27), Donna Cleary (19), Frank Cordelle (21), Sylvia Hennequin (1), Paul Herman (6, 7), Kristopher Johnson (9, 10), Mollie Kellogg (5), Francien Krieg (4), Jean Marcellino (16), Lenny Moskowitz (18), Frank Olesen (20), Héctor Olvera "Etor" (22), Kathy Ostman-Magneusen (12), Richard Pitts (28), Joost Remeeus (3), Chanit Roston (15), Anthony Santella (23), Charles Schindler (29), Martina Shapiro (31), Ilene Skeen (13), Suzanne Stacy (25, 26), Haydee Torres (2), Lauran Van Oers (30), Marcus Van Soest (11).
Contact information:
Ilene Skeen
372 Fifth Avenue, Suite 7D
New York, NY 10018
Phone: 917-806-7992
Email: iskeen@barebrush.com
www.barebrush.com
dedicated to the art of the nude