Outdoor art nude
A lone figure lays out in a leisurely and unguarded manner, facing away from us in this outdoor art nude. Shown in black and white, we are left to decipher where the figure is laid in the context of her surroundings. Her smooth skin contrasts with the rough ground under her. She is at ease in her environment.
The figure has arranged her limbs in a series of angles. However, despite the angles created from her outstretched arms and legs, the viewer can follow a direct line through her body and up through the entirety of the piece. Her legs and torso make up the majority of this line, and her bent arms and pooled hair near the base of the image create a natural landing place for the eye.
Shadow plays a fundamental role in this image. Covering the figure without concealing it, the shadows emphasize her nudity as well as add an intriguing visual complexity. The shadows are cast from unseen plants, hinting at what is above her.
The shadow apparent throughout the black-and-white image also hides the environment from the viewer. By removing any hint of color from the image, the artist is directing the viewer to the figure first and foremost, and the surroundings second. However, the longer the image is observed the more patterns seem to emerge from the shadows, further deepening the complexity of the image as well as the viewer’s understanding of the piece in front of them.
There is mystery throughout this outdoor art nude, largely derived from how the figure shields her eyes from the sun and partially covers her face from the audience. We do not know where she is looking or at what. This mystery encourages the audience to dial in on the natural beauty of her figure and continuously search the image, leaving room for new patterns to emerge to the eye.
