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Is This Art? Artist Juxtaposes Her Nude Image Against Urban Landscapes

Is This Art? Artist Juxtaposes Her Nude Image Against Urban Landscapes

The massive framework of New York’s abandoned subway stations, tunnels, sewers, catacombs, factories, hospitals and shipyards, have served as the backdrop for Manhattan artist Miru Kim to photograph herself nude.

metro New York:

“She inserts her naked body into the ‘organism’ of the metropolis, producing ethereal landscapes that explore the interaction of classic femininity and twenty-first century urbane.

‘I have always been fascinated by living beings reclaiming the urban ruins,’ said Kim.

‘Envisioning imaginary beings that could dwell in these spaces, I began to occupy them myself.’

Her artwork has been heralded internationally, though she has gotten into more than a few scrapes with local law enforcement, she says.

She’s been chased by police officers, encountered a violent homeless man in an abandoned Hell’s Kitchen tunnel, and eluded NYPD helicopters for the sake of her art.”

Kim was featured as one of America’s Best and Brightest 2007 in Esquire magazine. Her work has been spotlighted in international media such as The New York Times, TED.com, The Financial Times, ARTE France, Ovation TV, Time Out New York, NY Arts Magazine an among others. Kim’s self-bio describe herself as “an avid cook and a rat lover.”

The New York City project is titled “Naked City Spleen.“ Kim previously produced a series on ”The Pig That Therefore I Am:”

Is This Art? Artist Juxtaposes Her Nude Image Against Urban Landscapes

Many of her photos, including this one below overlooking New York City from the Williamsburg Bridge, are pretty breathtaking. One wonders why she needed to put her bare skin in the photographs. Kim explains what she was doing towards the end of her statement on the “Naked City Spleen:”

“I have always been fascinated by living beings reclaiming the urban ruins, having come across more than just rats: wild dogs, cats, birds, and bees nesting in sugar barrels in abandoned sugar factories. Envisioning imaginary beings that could dwell in these spaces, I began to occupy them myself. I became an animal or a child interacting with the surroundings. As I momentarily inhabit these deserted sites, they are transformed from strange to familiar, from harsh to calm, from dangerous to ludic.”

Is This Art? Artist Juxtaposes Her Nude Image Against Urban Landscapes

Comments (54)

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  • Lesbian Packing Hollow Points
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 8:42pm

    Okay. It’s all photographic processes. She’s not ACTUALLY nude in those… disgusting locations. In that case, it’s art. If she were actually going to these places, setting up photography equipment, and stripping naked, then I would call it insane.

    This is entirely art in any number of ways. The urban decay noir of real city life juxtaposed with the soft, natural femininity of the human form. And then, there‘s the technologic artistry of seamlessly blending the two so the casual observer can’t tell that anything’s been processed at all. Absolutely art.

    Report Post » Lesbian Packing Hollow Points  
    • Huguenot Descendant
      Posted on July 13, 2011 at 3:08am

      She actually did go to these places get naked and take pictures of herself. It’s in her presentation on when she took these pictures.

      Report Post » Huguenot Descendant  
    • FoundingFather
      Posted on July 13, 2011 at 7:49am

      I work as a photographer, and in examining her work, it all appears to be legit. If you look at the lighting, the shadows all align properly with the environment. You may need to visit her site to see other pieces to see what I’m talking about.

      Sure, it can be faked, but if so, then this woman is EXTREMELY talented. It takes a good eye and a lot of work to do that. These are definitely not faked though.

      As for the environments she’s working in: Given the lighting in place on these images, it did not require or use any type of heavy equipment (studio strobes, etc). All it required was a camera and either a tripod and/or a silent partner triggering the shutter (probably both).The lighting is all environmental…it was already there.

      I have a lot of colleagues that do this sort of work, on both sides of the camera. Urban Exploration type work, wherein a model and photographer get access to an abandoned industrial property or somesuch and make images like this are fairly common. Personally, I have no interest in trespassing, or taking myself, my expensive equipment, and a model into an environment like that, out of safety and legal concerns, but that’s just me.

      But, it does happen, and to return to my original point, these are legit. Also, to point out something else on the subject of Natl Arts Endowment grants and such. Very few artists actually get anything of the sort. Typically funds of this kind are reserved for galleries, museums, etc.

      Report Post »  
    • Libertyluvnmomma
      Posted on July 13, 2011 at 9:10am

      NARCISSISM is the highest form of “Art”.

      …a lover of herself….or self loather!

      Report Post » Libertyluvnmomma  
    • Libertyluvnmomma
      Posted on July 13, 2011 at 9:12am

      Nice lighting as yes artful however I am uninspired.

      someday i would just love to see something awesome

      Report Post » Libertyluvnmomma  
    • nuttyvet
      Posted on July 13, 2011 at 9:26am

      I think they are great shots. As a conservative, I hate it when my fellow conservatives are afraid to respect anything from anyone who might be against their beliefs. Yes, she’s an artist, yes she’s nude (gasp) but she took some amazing shots here and they got us thinking. We are all adults here, take a second to get out of your comfort zone.

      Report Post » nuttyvet  
    • Czar Casm
      Posted on July 13, 2011 at 10:51am

      Go to her web site. She has video of her actually crawling around and lying down in the pig pens.

      Report Post »  
  • Hyena
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 7:49pm

    The female form IS art, in and of itself.

    BooYah to this gal!

    (the pig thing was right at the line of provocative)

    Report Post » Hyena  
    • Pastor Ray
      Posted on July 13, 2011 at 2:57pm

      Hyena
      Posted on July 12, 2011 at 7:49pm
      The female form IS art, in and of itself.

      BooYah to this gal!

      (the pig thing was right at the line of provocative)

      She’s right where she belongs with the PIGS!!!

      Report Post » Pastor Ray  
    • Chet Hempstead
      Posted on July 13, 2011 at 6:44pm

      I may not know art, but I know what I like. You go girl!

      Report Post »  
  • suz
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 6:45pm

    uhhh…i think they call this kind of art exhibitionism.

    Report Post » suz  
  • Ham
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 6:16pm

    Is that a train behind the pigs?

    Report Post » Ham  
  • TrueLiberal
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 5:48pm

    Why are there people bothered by this? If she can earn a living (and a quite good living at that) selling her photos to people who want them why should any of us care?
    Perhaps it’s art, perhaps it’s not. So?
    If she is not living off the government then more power to her! However, if she is paid by the National Endowment for the Arts that would be a different story. All government subsidies of artistic work should be abolished.

    Report Post » TrueLiberal  
    • Paradigmm
      Posted on July 13, 2011 at 11:54am

      Your absolutely right, creativity the development of one’s imagination and the advancement of our culture should be stopped at all cost’s!

      Report Post » Paradigmm  
  • Cat
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 5:17pm

    No … These are pictures of things, and a nude female.

    Report Post » Cat  
  • Roberto G. Vasquez
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 4:35pm

    Why am I thinking about Obama? Give up? Hint Hint: “Lipstick on a pig…” !

    Report Post »  
  • wolfmanradio
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 4:14pm

    Look, that pig is sniffing her butt! She can come over to my house and pose in the nude anytime.

    Report Post » wolfmanradio  
  • Midwest Blonde
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 4:01pm

    Interesting but not “earth shattering” beautiful…… I don’t understand the nudity either – what’s the point??

    Report Post » Midwest Blonde  
    • MicahJank
      Posted on July 12, 2011 at 4:05pm

      Well lets face it…..if she wasn‘t nude the story wouldn’t have been posted on here….so i guess she succeeded lol.

      Report Post » MicahJank  
  • HuskerDave
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 2:44pm

    I think the pics are beautiful. I do hope they aren’t taxpayer funded though. Art should be funded commerically, or though the donations of art lovers, not an “endowment” of confiscated taxpayer money.

    Report Post »  
  • Arc
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 2:28pm

    Gotta admire anyone who “ Thinks outside the box and in your face at the same time ” Rock on Kim

    Report Post » Arc  
  • betterthantv
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 2:25pm

    Wow. Pretty girl. But I don’t get it?

    Report Post » betterthantv  
  • MONICNE
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 2:16pm

    We need to put Michelle and Sarah into shots like those. We could distribute them over the Blaze for free, and all Americans would download them. Sarah and Michelle are so beautiful that everyone would finally be at peace .

    TEA

    Report Post » MONICNE  
    • String Bean
      Posted on July 12, 2011 at 3:25pm

      You know people like Olberman, Maher, and Maddow would have prints of each hanging in their special private wank rooms.

      Report Post »  
  • aae
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 2:06pm

    im wounder if she gets a grant for this maybe ill quit and take naked pic to we should all do this every thing will be better

    Report Post »  
    • Czar Casm
      Posted on July 12, 2011 at 5:59pm

      If I used grant money to take naked pic’s of me then all grant money would cease. Even big government types would think “this waste of money has got to stop!”

      Report Post »  
  • the_zazzy
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 1:56pm

    Art sucks…do something productive!

    Report Post » the_zazzy  
  • cranberry
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 1:50pm

    She loves herself too much. Women don’t want or need to see her, it’s all for the guys, and then it’s called PORN. Come on, get a life and a real job! Sheesh.

    Report Post » cranberry  
  • loadingmyclips
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 12:51pm

    she better watch out for those pigs… she’ll be ate -up!!

    Report Post » loadingmyclips  
  • Paula
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 12:07pm

    Interesting….not offensive.

    Report Post »  
  • Tiny280
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 11:56am

    Pretty good as modern art goes. Evocative yet inoffensive…and probably doesn’t require taxpayer funding.

    Report Post »  
  • Furious American
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 11:42am

    This is better art than a crucifix in a bottle of urine. These 3 pictures, which is all i have seen so far, are not offensive. The shots are taken of her from the back or side. There is no pornographic posing. It is not offensive, at least to me. She is very attractive in a “normal” sense and not some anorexic model.
    Yes! I would call this art!

    Report Post »  
  • harumph
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 11:27am

    Whatever. Yet another paid exhibitionist.

    Report Post » harumph  
  • Jennine
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 11:25am

    Is it art? Yeah, I think it is. It’s not offensive nudity (seriously, is she someone a perv would want to see naked?) But I think she missed the point. It doesn’t look like someone “reclaiming urban ruins”— her nakedness makes her appear vulnerable to the harsh urban environment. It looks more like a statement of humanity’s complete exposure to harm in urban society. And the pig thing– yeah, she just looks like she dropped her clothes and she’s trying to get them out from under the tromping pig feet. Either way, I don‘t think it’s offensive, but I wouldn’t leave my house to see it. Or look it up on the internet, or…. it’s not my style.

    Report Post »  
  • romadave
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 10:10am

    The pig shot was pretty brave! Those critters don’t fool around.

    They will go through bone like butter. You need at least sixteen pigs to finish the job in one sitting, so be wary of any man who keeps a pig farm. They will go through a body that weighs 200 pounds in about eight minutes. That means that a single pig can consume two pounds of uncooked flesh every minute. Hence the expression, “as greedy as a pig”.

    Report Post »  
  • mutslie
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 4:39am

    I like the one with the pigs, looks like she dropped somethinng & is looking for it’…… h’mmmmm er…’while ya down there….‘dont think she’s a muzslum……………………………. (muslim)

    Report Post »  
  • NewAmericanist
    Posted on July 12, 2011 at 1:19am

    Nice.

    Report Post » NewAmericanist  
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