Nude body beautiful. (Roundtable).

OUT OF THE DESIRE TO RESPECT EACH others' diversity of cultures, views, ethnicities and religious or moral values, comes the rationale that art that might be perceived as offensive by one person or group should not be shown. But almost any image may be distressing to someone. Should work that is meaningful to many not be shown because it may make a few feel uncomfortable? Should those who find something shameful or embarrassing in the image of the nude body be allowed to brand it as shameful for everyone else?

I have been making a series of paintings of my own body and its skeletal interior as it is deformed by scoliosis, a curvature of the spine. I want my work to be seen by people who may not be frequenters of art galleries or exhibitions, especially those with disabilities or issues concerning their bodies. For that reason, I welcome opportunities to show my work in public spaces and non-traditional settings.

However, along with a growing interest in and appreciation for my work, the presence of nudity appears to present problems for a number of exhibition spaces. In 2001, my work was rejected by the US Senate venue of "eMotion Pictures: An Exhibition of Orthopaedics in Art." Recently, a prominent university medical center told me they had to "operate with care re having works involving nudity in the hospital," and could only exhibit certain of my images, even though "everyone here recognizes the profound beauty and meaning of your work."

The objections to nudity may have their basis in a religious tradition that separates "body" from "soul," finding one base and the other spiritual. But the making, or viewing, of something visually compelling, whole or beautiful enables us to feel wholeness and beauty in ourselves.

Our culture bombards us with images of "perfect" bodies and pressures to conform to this ideal. Those of us with disabilities or unusual anatomies especially feel the pressure to hide or feel ashamed of our bodies. Art is one of the few arenas in which the less-than-perfect body can be portrayed with its own kind of beauty, grace, sensuality, and originality. Most people are not able to visualize the insides of their bodies without thinking of a medical textbook, where everyone looks alike. Yet our bodies are as individualized inside as outside. My images, anatomical but also personal, suggest that viewers perceive the body in a new way, and feel a closer relationship to their physical selves. For the same reason, some of my drawings portray my body in the embrace of another figure or with another's hands touching or holding me. This is the visual language I use to explore the self-other connection, a way of transcending the isolation that differentness can bring.

I suspect it is the combination of nudity and disability in my work that causes the most discomfort. There are those who find it hard to look at people with physical flaws or unusual anatomies. But shouldn't our public institutions be on the side of helping to overcome such fears or prejudices, rather than catering to them? Can we not be open to the possibilities of art to change our perceptions and widen our understanding? Although it may disturb, art can make people think, help them to relate to others outside the boundaries of their own experience and deepen their sense of humanity.

LAURA FERGUSON is a New York artist currently working on a book and a traveling exhibition of her "Visible Skeleton" series. The multi-layered works on paper that make up this series are based on medical images of her own skeleton, including a 3D spiral CT scan, made in collaboration with radiologists and orthopedists. Her website is www.lauraferguson.net.