“Alongside the Iggy Pop Life Class drawings, I have selected some objects from the Brooklyn Mu

“Alongside the Iggy Pop Life Class drawings, I have selected some objects from the Brooklyn Museum’s collection featuring the male nude. The naked form here sometimes appears as an object of worship, sometimes as a disruptive presence. Certain of these objects if made now would be considered shocking or even obscene, but in their original context were seen as devotional. The tension between the sacred and profane has inspired artists and storytellers for thousands of years, including the creators of rock and roll music.” —Jeremy DellerThis gray-black basalt torso of a youth probably represents Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and pleasure. The attribute of the skin of a recently slain fawn worn as a shawl over the god’s shoulder is the indicator of the subject matter. Similarly, the ends of meandering, shoulder length locks of his hair, visible beside the neck, in their length and luxurious disarray also point to the youthful Dionysus. The smooth bodily contours, too, suggest the god’s identity—though one scholar has called this particular sculpture of Dionysus “plump,” with some excess weight gained through overindulgence in wine and sybaritic pursuits. Torso of Dionysus, 2nd-3rd century C.E. Basalt, 29 × 14 ½ × 8 ¼ in. (73.7 × 36.8 × 21 cm). Brooklyn Museum -- source link

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