The artistic movement of Metamodernism appears in Nude Art through its use of alternating sincere and melancholic tones which artists apply to their portraits.
We exist during an unusual period of history. Our ability to understand things protects us from being foolish but our exhaustion stops us from developing a negative outlook. We failed to catch the opportunity for Modernist optimism and we exhausted ourselves with Postmodern ironic styles. Where does that leave us?
It leaves us in Metamodernism.
Metamodernism operates as an ongoing system which alternates between two opposing states that first use irony before shifting to sincerity. In nude portraiture, this is the defining mood of our generation. It is the photo that knows it is a photo, but still breaks your heart. The “oscillating tone” represents our desire to establish relationships although we understand that these relationships exist in a state of vulnerability.
The Return of Feeling (But with a Catch)
The 1990s made irony into their leading cultural phenomenon which they used throughout that decade. The sunset photo I took which seemed lovely to me received negative comments from others who labeled it as “cheesy.” The modern photographer Ryan McGinley together with Alec Soth in his personal work create images which show deep authentic moments of beauty.
The current situation lacks the authentic dedication which people used to display in their actions. The expression shows a delicate and sorrowful genuine quality. The models in metamodern nude art often look lost. They are rarely looking at the camera with power (like a Helmut Newton model). They are looking away, or looking through the lens, searching for something.
Melancholy as a Texture
What methods would you use to photograph the experience of being both knowledgeable and unsuspecting?
You achieve this through atmosphere. The Metamodern nudes use gentle unsharp illumination instead of the deep Baroque-style darkness which they choose to use the dimmed light of a cloudy morning. This light doesn’t judge. The object receives complete coverage from this design.
The atmosphere of the scene depicts “Solastalgia” which describes the feeling of missing home while being present in your own residence. The nude figure in nature is no longer a conquering hero (Modernism) or an intruder (Postmodernism); they are a part of the landscape, but a lonely part.
The “As If” Philosophy
Cultural theorists Timotheus Vermeulen and Robin van den Akker explain metamodernism through the practice of pretending life holds purpose although we understand it could be meaningless.
The “staged candid” represents this concept in photography. We know the photo is set up. The model didn’t just happen to be naked in that hotel room. People choose to believe that the sensation they experience is genuine. The viewer experiences an oscillation between their understanding of artificiality and their belief in the authenticity of the scene.
The Brave Vulnerability
To shoot in a metamodern way is to drop the “cool” facade. The model needs to stay in its original position because trying to reach a specific pose would be incorrect. People need to understand that photographs display both unappealing and attractive elements which exist together in each image. The film welcomes melancholy to appear in the scene because it represents the intense emotional awareness of its characters. In a loud world, the quiet, sincere whisper of a metamodern nude is the sound that draws people in.
