Clothed Artist and Model He is leaning away from her, but only to gather himself for further motion, pulling his body back like a slingshot. In this return—which will never take place—he’s about to push off his left foot, to glide back to her. His gaze intently marks her body, but she, too, is going nowhere, encased in an open robe of plaster. He seems unaware of his own frame, his sad-seeming slouch, his mess of clothes, his slack, crooked chin. In his concentration, he sees all of her, none of himself. With respect to her body, he is omniscient. She is leaning back, luxuriant, letting his omniscience occur. Whether this is a matter of adoration or lust or mere monetary transaction is unclear. You can assume she’s been paid to be his model, a nude figure to be covered in plaster-of-paris. Their intimacy is undefined by language or voice, for they are forever silent. Who are they? What is their story? There are some clues, small details you might consider. Yet these clues are merely things that inform and heighten your subjectivity—any conclusions you make are offshoots of you, the viewer, and your cosmos. The male gaze captured in a museum. Pornography as art. Or is it art as pornography? The female as object to be consumed, to be owned, to be casted in thick, gooey plaster. Iris, retina, lens. Rod and cone. Neuron and synapse. Image written into memory. A work of art of a work of art as it’s being made. Process as product, cast of a casting. How ironic: in its completion, the work is of something forever incomplete. Perhaps this is a metaphor of our lives, how we’re always making ourselves but never really finishing. Our corpus. We concentrate. We try. But in the end we change very little. The zen of sculpture, the forever-frozen moment, the sad and lovely truth of the body—which is the truth of our lives, really—laid bare. The body after it has passed the apex of youth, when cells begin to die away more quickly than they are replaced. The brutal, slothful erosion of time. But these two, they are forever—as long as the museum curators take proper care of them. They are several feet away from one another, and in this space there is loneliness, even though they are intimates and we are intimate with them, in this dark room in a museum in the center of Denver, a bustling, dusty town. The nude: a counterpoint to striptease? The light and dark in the room, the tilting poses of model and artist. Adam and Eve without The Apple or The Garden. Or Eve and Yahweh, Him sculpting her from a single rib, the apple yet to be painted red. His boots, the chair, his pants, all trashed. Her luxuriant robe of plaster. She is cold, her nipples erect. Her mons shaved clean. Her long auburn hair is bobby-pinned into a bun. He must feel some sensuality in all this, artistic vision be damned. His hands hang limp and in his eyes there is not the brilliant flash of desire or creativity, the twin (and perhaps related) lightning bolts of lust and inspiration. This is a messy business, draping plaster on a woman’s body. Worse than spackling a wall before you paint it. Though both are a kind of work. Maybe all art is merely this: work, mess, desire, the loss of self that goes both ways—seer and seen. You see and then you know what you want to know about them, which is perhaps what you want to know about yourself. Not their stories—artist and model, for who could ever know the trajectories and vectors of their hearts?—but yours. The heart you know but often fail to recognize. The one true story that floats like a cloud in your brain, but you never take the time to figure out the denouement. When you’re open, when you allow yourself, art sometimes does that for you. Art shows you your truth, as austere and cold as the empty corners of the museum itself. A shard of knowing, and sometimes, a certainty. Nakedness, sure, but what do you see? The self and making and want laid bare against the grind of time. Michael Henry Michael Henry: "I’m co-founder and Executive Director of Lighthouse Writers Workshop, an independent literary center located in downtown Denver. My poetry and nonfiction have appeared in places such as 5280 Magazine, Georgetown Review, Threepenny Review, Pleiades, and The Writer, and I’ve published two books of poetry, No Stranger Than My Own and Active Gods."
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Hackbarth Charles Halsted Jennifer Hambrick Kim Hamilton Andrew Hanson Richard Hanson Summer Hardinge Michael Harmon Michele Harvey Lisa Hase-Jackson Hilary Hauck Karen Head Roxy Hearn Helen Heery Matthew Hefferin Max Heinegg Todd Heldt Kathleen Hellen Magdelyn Hammond Helwig Nicole Henares Matthew E. Henry Michael Henry David Henson Judith Lee Herbert W.M. Herring Sam Hersh Ronnie Hess Nancy Hewitt John Hicks Anne Higgins Ed Higgins Sørina Higgins Norbert Hirschhorn Matthew Hittinger Ruth Hoberman Paul Holler Margaret Holley Amy Holman Erin Holtz Elizabeth Hoover Steve Hosking Veronica Hosking Juleigh Howard-Hobson Billy Howell-Sinnard Ann Howells Daniel Hudon David Huddle Antony Huen Melissa Huff A. J. Huffman Alan Humason Pat Snyder Hurley Liz Hutchinson Nancy Iannucci Susan Ioannou Jessica Isaacs M.J.Iuppa Christine Jackson Jay Jacoby D.R. James Dominic James Leland James Mike James Michael Janairo Arya F. Jenkins Elizabeth Jennings Nancy Jentsch David Jibson Brandon D. Johnson Leah Johnson Catharine Jones Heloise Jones Kitty Jospé Courtney Justus kab Judy Kaber Gabe Kahan Jen Karetnick Crystal Condakes Karlberg Jayant Kashyap David M. Katz Jurveen Kaur Brendan Kearon Christopher T. Keaveney Collin Kelley Tina Kelley Penn Kemp Mary Kendall Diane Kendig Caesar Kent Lawrence Kessenich Claire Keyes Ken Kibler Olivia J. Kiers Siân Killingsworth Sarah Kilgallon Crad Kilodney Maureen Kingston Steve Klepetar Joseph Kleponis Loretta Collins Klobah Elizabeth Knapp Tricia Knoll Boris Kokotov Kim Peter Kovac Norbert Kovacs Jean L. Kreiling Leonard Kress Sandhya Krishnakumar Jack Kristiansen Judy Kronenfeld Elizabeth Kuelbs Stuart A. Kurtz Tanmoy Das Lala Frank LaLuna Fiona Tinwei Lam Joe Lamport Susanna Lang Jackie Langetieg W.F. Lantry Dorrie LaRue Susannah Lawrence Kyle Laws Hank Lawson Jenna Le Kenneth Lee John R. Lee Philip Lee Dotty LeMieux Diana Leo Kristin Leonard Max Lemuz Clarissa Mae de Leon Ethan Leonard Joan Leotta Christopher Levenson Kat Lewis Terri Lewis Marjorie Lewis-Jones Annie Lighthart Alexander Limarev Carl Lindquist Zach Lindsey Peter Lingard David Ross Linklater Carol Lipszyc Shannon Lise Maria Lisella Dmitry Litvin Christina Lloyd Greg Lobas Ellaraine Lockie Virginia Lowe Gregory E. Lucas Gregory Luce Veronica Lupinacci Joseph Lisowski Kim Lozano Lorette C. Luzajic Darren Lyons M. L. Lyons Ashley Mabbitt Joan MacIntosh Cyndi MacMillan Kate MacQueen Tamara Madison Marjorie Maddox Hannah Mahoney devorah major Jordan Makant Stephane Mallarme Ariel S. Maloney Jonelle Mannion Kim Mannix John C. Mannone Clint Margrave Jennifer Markell Liz Marlow Betsy Mars Jennifer Martelli Carolyn Martin Diane G. Martin D.S. Martin Pam Martin Sheila Martin Joel Martyr Andrew Marvell Grace Massey dl mattila Libby Maxey Jessica Mayhew Dorian Maynard Tim Mayo Bernadette McBride Marilyn McCabe Sarah McCall Mary C. McCarthy Susan McCaslin Mary McCulley Kevin J. McDaniel Paul McDonald Joshua McGarry Ann McGlinn Neill McKee Carol McMahon Lisa McMonagle Meryl McQueen Megan Denese Mealor Nolan Meditz Josh Medsker Ed Meek Rhonda Melanson Priscilla Melchior Mark Melnicove Herman Melville Didi Menendez Todd Mercer Mary Meriam Carole Mertz Jennifer Met Patrick G. Metoyer Ann E. Michael Andrew Miller David P. Miller Stacy Boe Miller Elaine Mintzer Ken Mitchell Mark J. Mitchell Penelope Moffet Rooja Mohassessy Gwendolyn Moon Sharon Fish Mooney Chris Mooney-Singh Hallie Moore Thomas R. Moore Rumi Morkin Cecil Morris Elizabeth Morton Matt Muilenburg Diane V. Mulligan Mark A. Murphy Matthew Murrey Lylanne Musselman Kati Nagy S. Jagathsimhan Nair Bonnie Naradzay Amy Narwocki Lee Nash Jeff Nazzaro Heather M. Nelson Shayna Nenni Robbi Nester Gillian Nevers Casey Elizabeth Newbegin Emily Newman Sarah Nichols James B. Nicola Bruce W. Niedt Baruch November Kim Patrice Nunez Heather Ober M. N. O'Brien Kerry O’Connor Frank O'Hara Susan Olding René Ostberg Marion Oxley Sheila Packa Pravat Kumar Padhy Laura Page Pattie Palmer-Baker Gregory Palmerino Christa Pandey Mary Panke Jimmy Pappas Dale Patterson Elizabeth Paul June Paul Kathryn Paul Gail Peck James Penha Nancy Penrose Andrew K. Peterson Laurel S. Peterson Garrett Phelan Sharon Phillips Amy Phimister Tanya Pilumeli Diana Pinckney Colin Pink Daniel J. Pizappi bart plantenga Sylvia Plath Kenneth Pobo Rich Polanski Adam Pollak Barbara Ponomareff Melissa Reeser Poulin Rhonda C. Poynter Marcia J. Pradzinski Catherine Prescott Mirissa Price Anita S. Pulier Jessica Purdy Grant Quackenbush Philip Quinlan Ryan Racine David Radavich Rajani Radhakrishnan Simeon Ralph Joep Rambouts Jenene Ravesloot Mary Rees Molly Nelson Regan Adam Reger James Reidel Christian Reifsteck Amie E. Reilly D.D. Renforth Noah Renn J. Stephen Rhodes Jon Riccio Adrienne Rich Susan Rich Jack Ridl John Riley M. Riley Martin Rocek Alun Robert Jeannie E. Roberts Vicki Roberts Denis Robillard Julia Rocchi Ralph La Rosa Joanna Rose Gabriel Rosenstock Kimmo Rosenthal George W. Ross Mike Ross Jack Rossiter-Munley Charlie Rossiter Anca Rotar Jonathan Rowe Mary C. Rowin Anthony Rubino Iain Lim Jun Rui William Ruleman Mary Kay Rummell Mary Harris Russell Sarah Russell Janet Ruth Anurak Saelaow Janet St. John Lisa St. John Gregory St. Thomasino Brian A. Salmons Jane Salmons Kelly R. Samuels Austin Sanchez-Moran Jennifer Sanders Christy Sheffield Sanford Rikki Santer Sherod Santos Jo-Ella Sarich Karen Schauber LeighAnna Schesser Peter Schireson Brad Schmidt William Schmidtkunz ginny schneider Tina Schumann Maddison Scott J.D. Scrimgeour Shloka Shankar Pamela Joyce Shapiro Jake Sheff Maureen Sherbondy Beth Sherman Dave Shortt Carol Siemering Neil Silberblatt Mark Silverberg Hannah Silverstein Cora Siré Alifair Skebe David Sloan Barnaby Smith Courtney O'Banion Smith m.j.smith Shadwell Smith Crystal Snoddon Renee Soasey Janice D. Soderling Helen Leslie Sokolsky Charles Southerland K. Srilata Bill Stadick Kathleen Stancik Joseph Stanton Gregory Stapp Anthony Stechyson Eric Steineger J.J. Steinfeld Marjorie Stelmach Michele Stepto Lisa Stice Kathleen Stone M. Stone Ryan Stone Jacob Stratman Lesley Strutt Linda Stryker Nigel Stuart Todd Sukany David Allen Sullivan Anne Swannell Marianne Szlyk Nano Taggart Kim Cope Tait Mary Stebbins Taitt Mary Ellen Talley Charles Tarlton Holden Taylor Jo Taylor Jonathan Taylor Liza Nash Taylor Peter Taylor Alarie Tennille Brent Terry Lindsey Thäden Robert Thiessen Sophie Thimmes t.m. thomson Pam Thompson Zac Thraves J.C. Todd Peter Tolly Mary Torregrossa Juanita Torrence-Thompson Diana Torres Sharon Tracey Jordan Trethewey Memye Curtis Tucker Melissa Tyndall Gail Tyson Rekha Valliappan Michelle Valois Janine Pommy Vega Phil Vernon David Joez Villaverde Honor Vincent Andrew Vinstra Yvonne Vinstra Margaret Wack Hannah Wagener Jeanne Wagner Diane Wahto Sam Waldron Robert Walicki Loretta Diane Walker Sue Brannan Walker Alan Walowitz Holly Walrath Robert Walton Lee Ware Noah Wareness Paul Waring Richard Waring Ryan Warren Bill Waters Mindy Watson David Watt Rhett Watts Tom Wayman Mercedes Webb-Pullman Rebecca Weigold Mathew Weitman Sheila Wellehan Clare Welsh Ingrid Wendt Tyson West Joanna M. Weston Darryl Whetter Harley White Ali Whitelock Nan Wigington Richard Wilbur Dan Wilcox T.E. Wilderson Claude Wilkinson Martin Willitts Jr Jane Williams William Carlos Williams Ernest Williamson Morgan Grayce Willow Shannon Connor Winward Guinotte Wise Lee Woodman Christopher Woods Patrick Wright Gareth Writer-Davies Amy Louise Wyatt Robert Wynne Bill Yarrow William Butler Yeats Mantz Yorke Amy Young Cynthia Robinson Young Kate Young Mark Young Jonathan Yungkans Jeffrey Zable Abigail Ardelle Zammit Andrena Zawinski Shelby Zurcher Archives
February 2019
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