In the contemporary world, the female body in art has become one of the most complex and potent subjects in the field. Historically, the female nude has symbolized beauty, desire, and vulnerability, but in today’s hyper-visual culture, the ethics of depicting the female nude are under increasing scrutiny. As a female artist who works with the female body, I often find myself questioning whether my practice contributes to the overconsumption of pornography and the commodification of female sexuality in media, or whether I am creating art that redefines the way women are represented.
There are many ethical and philosophical concerns when using the female body in art. Is painting the nude inherently objectifying, or can it be reframed as an empowering collaboration between artist and subject? Historically, many nudes were created with the male gaze in mind, where women were portrayed as passive objects of desire. However, in my practice, I view the act of painting as a liberating process. As a female artist who paints nude women, I see the process as an exploration of the body and how we come to view ourselves and women. My aim is to create portraits where the female subject is an active participant, not a passive object.
My studio 2025
One key issue in contemporary art is the overrepresentation of the female nude. Why are most nude model's female? This is partly due to historical trends, where the female body has long been a symbol of beauty and desire, while the male body has often been viewed as more functional or heroic. In today’s media, female sexuality is overexposed and often commodified. Platforms like Instagram are flooded with images that reduce women to their physicality, objectifying them for mass consumption. While art can certainly explore and express sexuality, it’s essential that these portrayals go beyond shallow consumption of the body. Art, unlike pornography, has the potential to add meaning, reflect identity, and convey power in ways that transcend objectification.
There is undoubtedly a fine line between art and pornography, especially in an age of instant digital gratification. However, I believe that art has the potential to reclaim the female form in a way that pornography does not. Art allows for complexity, agency, and emotional depth, while pornography often strips these elements away for the sake of visual stimulation. If we approach the female body in art with care, respect, and intention, we can create representations that are meaningful and contribute to a richer understanding of identity and sexuality.
In contemporary art, the female nude can no longer be reduced to mere titillation. I strive to paint women in ways that emphasize their complexity, celebrating their agency, strength, and vulnerability. Cindy Sherman’s series of sex images featuring prosthetic dolls posed in sexual acts explores themes of identity, sexuality, and objectification. By using life-like dolls, she critiques the artificial construction of gender roles and the commodification of the female form in media and culture. This resonates with my own goal to portray women with depth, not simply as objects to be looked at. In my work, the body becomes a site for expression, not just a vehicle for sexual desire.
Cindy Sherman ‘untitled’, 1992
However, depicting the female body as sexual does not mean that the portrayal lacks meaning. Lucian Freud’s raw nudes, for example, capture not only the physical body but also the emotional and psychological complexities of his subjects. Sexuality, when treated thoughtfully, can be an integral part of that exploration. But it must never be the sole focus or context of the work.
‘Lucian Freud, ‘Sleeping By The Lion Carpet’, 1996 & ‘Lucian Freud, ‘Irish Woman On a Bed’, 2003-04’
While we can’t completely stop the sexualization of the body, we can shift how it’s viewed by offering agency to the subjects, promoting diverse and inclusive portrayals, and encouraging deeper engagement with the artwork. Artists must take responsibility for ensuring their work challenges traditional objectification and invites meaningful dialogue, rather than reducing the subject to an object of desire.
