Sam Francis

Untitled, 1984

106.7 X 73 inch

What is a body print?

What is a body print?

A body print is an art technique where the artist uses their body as a printing plate. This can be done by smearing grease, margarine, or oil on the skin, hair, and clothes, then pressing the body against a surface like paper. The oiled imprint is then dusted with pigment. Unlike a self-portrait, a body print explores two competing concepts of identity rather than capturing a likeness of the artist. The method emphasizes the physicality of the body while questioning the boundaries between self-representation and abstraction.

Queer aesthetics

Queer Aesthetics refers to an art movement that emerged in the 1980s, focusing on themes of homosexuality, lesbianism, and broader issues of identity and gender. This movement gained momentum in the context of the AIDS crisis and the feminist movement, challenging traditional representations of sexuality and gender. Queer Aesthetics often explores the fluidity of gender and identity, as seen in the works of artists like Nan Goldin, who is known for her photography of individuals with ambiguous or non-conforming gender presentations.

Arte Povera

A movement and style in art that originated in Italy during the 1960s. It integrates elements of minimalism, performance art, and conceptual art by using everyday or seemingly worthless materials, such as newspapers, stones, or rags. The goal was to challenge and subvert the commercialization of art.

Funk Art

In the 1960s, Funk Art emerged as a reactive movement against Abstract Expressionism. It was widely known as an anti-establishment movement, with the name derived from the jazz term funky. This term carried both positive and negative connotations: in the jazz world, it described passion, quirkiness, and sensuality, but it could also refer to a foul odor. Funk Art was particularly popular in the California Bay Area. While the artists of the Funk Art era shared similar attitudes and styles, they did not see themselves as part of a formal group or movement.

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