“Naked Unafraid” Highlights Courage and Honesty Through Queer Nude Portraiture
A man sits naked on the floor facing away from a full-length mirror. His left arm supports the weight of his body while his right rests tenderly on his leg.
Another stands hugging a tree, with his unclothed body reflecting back to the world.
These were the scenes of but two acrylic paintings by contemporary artist Miguel Espinoza on display at the DC Center for the LGBT Community for the last night of his exhibit “Naked Unafraid.”
The series is a vulnerable yet courageous presentation of the self that challenges the viewer to confront art that is created when censorship is disregarded, Espinoza said. As a gay artist, Espinoza wanted to push the boundaries that have been set by a rigid society.
“People, especially in our society, should relax a little bit more about nudity. Why is it such a taboo?” Espinoza said.
The nudes in this series are created with bright colors and quick brushstrokes that capture transient moments that would otherwise be disregarded or left in the dark, Espinoza said in his artist statement.
The moments that are captured in this series are far-ranging. Some of the models featured in the works are as close as Virginia, while others are as far as Australia. He connected with them via virtual drawing classes.
Espinoza would have one- to two-hour Zoom sessions with the models to focus on their position and the composition of the image. Then, he would take screenshots to use as reference for the paintings.
The end result was more than 50 different nude paintings that convey trust, pride, fearlessness and courage. Most of the models on display have their faces in frame, some even looking directly at the viewer with their acrylic eyes.
“I want artists to have the platform and venue to share life stories with the community,” DC Center Executive Director Kimberley Bush said.
Highlighting unique experiences is one of the DC Center’s main goals. It aims to create opportunities for marginalized and underrepresented individuals within the queer community, according to Bush.
A central theme of this series, Espinoza notes, is honesty in oneself and others. This theme seemed to drip from the paintings to the patrons at DC Center as they carelessly chatted about art and life in a space that was as safe for them as those created by Espinoza for his models.
“I really liked the show, but more so that there was an energy—there was a kind of charisma going on,” Bruce Horowitz, an attendee, said.
It’s perhaps because of this honesty and sense of community that Espinoza has a hard time choosing a favorite painting from the series.
“I have a special connection to all of them because of the models,” he said. “It takes a lot for them to strip and pose.”
Those intimate poses and expressions covered the walls of DC Center and revealed to guests various angles of the nude male body. If visitors aren’t comfortable with the art on display, they can talk to Bush.
She’s willing to take full responsibility for any grievances that attendees may have with the exhibits. All of this is so the artists can express themselves in the most authentic way possible.
“I don’t censor my artists. I don’t police them,” Bush said.
As for Espinoza, he’s already busy with his next project. His focus now is to get it all out—or paint it all out, that is—even if the works don’t yet have a home.
