Let's quentin our photos

I don't know much about paintings. But there are some paintings that I like and most of these paintings have nude women in them. It's not because I'm a big fan of nudity. I like those paintings because they're original, different, because they were controversial. They're like still shots of Quentin Taratino's films transposed onto a canvas. I put myself into the shoe of a person living in the era of the painter who saw the painting and I could imagine why the person would be perplexed or angered by the painting. And I think it's cool that a painting could rouse such emotions in people. Nowadays, it's rare that paintings create controversies. Cartoons are doing a better job at that today.

Anyway, one painting that I like is Le déjeuner sur l'herbe by Edouard Manet, a French painter.
















The painting was painted in the mid 1800s. It caused quite a stir then because (I presume) people were less concerned about religions but more concerned about men-women relationships. It was deemed unnatural and unacceptable for 2 men to picnic with a naked woman in a forest. It probably wouldn't be such a hit if they were having their picnic on a beach instead.

Yesterday, I found an article in Lifestyle that featured a photo, which was inspired by the painting above.














No photo has generated such interest in me since I last came across Jan Saudek's works at Prague. If photos with naked women taken with taste and humor are your cup of tea, and you are in Singapore, you can see more of Pan Yue's (the photographer) works at Arts season gallery at 5 Gemmill Lane from 3 Apr to 3 May.

As for me, I'll be content with just the photo above.