This paper examines the controversy over an exhibition survey of the male nude in art that opened in the autumn of 2012 at the Leopold Museum in Vienna. Controversy over “Nude Men from 1800 to the Present Day” focused not on the content of the exhibition but rather the promotional posters designed to advertise it – a photograph of three male soccer players wearing nothing but socks and cleats. Museum officials, citing a storm of public complaints, modified the content of the posters, applying bands of paper to cover players’ midsections. This act of self-censorship proved to be an astute move in conjunction with museum statements that implicitly characterized the protests as a form of provincialism. In the end, the exhibition would become a contemporary succés de scandale with high attendance rates, an extended run, and overwhelmingly favorable media coverage in more than sixty countries. The case of “Nude Men” illustrates that provocative exhibitions can be effective marketing strategies for art institutions seeking to expand their audience base, draw in new attendees, and generate public interest. The analysis presented here focuses on the special problem posed by the male nude in matters of representation and the importance of both social and aesthetic factors in the face of challenges to institutional legitimacy.
About the presenterAnne E. Bowler
Anne Bowler is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice at the University of Delaware. Her research interests include the sociology of art, cultural theory, and gender.