Is Nudity In Music Videos Artistic?
 

I've noticed with pop music lately there are some videos floating around that are using nude ladies. In Robin Thickes Blurred Lines video it seems to be quite fun and it makes sense to me. But Tunnel Vision by Justin Timberlake doesn't really appear to have an need for nudity (to me anyway).

Is this use of nudity, do you think it's artistic? Sexist? Or completely justified and sexy?

Here are the videos (prepare for your boner):



Link to Robin Thicke's Blurred Lines (supposedly banned on YouTube):

Video: Robin Thicke 'Blurred Lines' Dirty Version - Videos - George Drive with Thane Kirby - DJs - George FM

It's natural - not artistic. In a Pointer Sister video she comes out of the bathtub w her soapy beaver showing.

i dont think its sexist at all, and i think people jump at the chance a lot to say 'thats sexist' or 'thats racist. i dont really find it artistic either, but i think 'art' can be pretty stupid in general. i think its just sex appeal and that Emily girl in robin thicke's video is damn sexy. i dont think any artist needs to justify sex or nudit yin their videos either, they can do whatever they want.

i agree that the Timberlake video seems somewhat senseless....but is done with a certain amount of class

i certainly think that the human form is very much artistic....look at Maplethorpe and Man Ray

banned from youtube huh?

^prepare to lose that boner

I don't see the issue with the nudity in Justin's video. It was tastefully done. I envisioned a different treatment for that video though and it doesn't mesh with what he released.

As far as the Robin Thicke song goes, I have more issues with the lyrics than the video but having that girl naked along with those lyrics just don't work for me.

Also sure those women were beautiful in their own way but not boner material at all.

I think those models are smoking. So beautiful! They were very cheeky.

As with all things, context is everything.

Agreed. Depends completely on the context.

Though I have to say when I see nudity in most pop videos today, I usually find it pretty objectifying to women.

Nudity can be artistic if it's done tastefully and with class. I'm not saying it can't be offensive. Some people just can't handle seeing someone bare it all. I agree with Lateralus that most music videos with nudity tend to objectify women. They serve more as stimulating eye candy instead of three-dimensional characters.

Vagina @ :56
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-LbvFckptY

You see nothing.

It's all about context, I think.

I'm not a huge fan of Alanis Morissette but I like this song and the video that goes with it:



Her being naked here is really an understatement, though, as I think the nudity is really an allegory that represents how naked and exposed the lyrics make her.

I like that video clip/song, too BD :)

I definitely think it's all about context. The nudity in that Morissette clip is clearly not objectifying to women. The Thicke and Timberlake clips are a little different... however I guess the JT clip is a little more tasteful than Straight Lines, which I utterly hate.

I agree with the others. Context, context, context. I think it all depends on what they try to do with the nudity. It could be almost purely sexual, suggestive or erotic, humorous, or symbolic. You can tie it to freedom, maybe tie it to a feeling of vulnerability, or perhaps in some weird avante garde way that you just wouldn't understand.

I think there will always be an element of sexuality, which is kind of unavoidable since it's rooted in our basest instincts, and even then I still think you could tap into that and still pull something off without being flagrant or tasteless. And to be honest, I haven't seen all that much nudity in music videos, outside of a Matt & Kim one I saw ages ago. I'm just saying things.

I think you and others are making very good points about context. :)

Well it's what people wanna see..they like nudity around them so these artists are taking advantage of that fact..they make more money and your craving for " " is also curbed..so i guess it is a two way thing and not to be much worried of...

I don't see why objectifying women necessarily has to be degrading and sexist. If a girl did it to me I'd be damn flattered. Granted, much of this time it is sexist, but I think it's ridiculous to say that objectification is always sexist or wrong.

The music industry has been using sex to sell records for decades. If you get offended by that then be offended about that as a concept, not just about one gender and not the other.

I watched the vids on this thread and i don't see how any of them could be classed as artistic. All three are vids for second/third rate pop stars that will be instantly forgotten as soon as their hype machine stops, the naked people in the vids aren't there for artistic reasons, they're there for cheap publicity.

I'm a little bit surprised that anyone could be dumb enough to think there was any genuine attempt at being artistic.

The lower league, bottom feeder type pop stars will all be at it soon, Gaga will be next.

If the songs good you don't need naked people in the video, its pretty much as simple as that isn't it.

I wasn't offended in any way by any of it, i just saw it for what it is, a cheap way of promoting your new substandard single.

I liked that video too, although I also saw it as AM was meeting her God, as it were

Just like sexy ladies, or mandem for that part, it just covers/makes up for the ****e song itself really. There are artistic ones for sure, but if we're talking Timberlake/Thicke then meh...Not that i'm complaining.

Sex and art have always coincided, and the human body isn't meant to be ashamed of. Nudity in music videos to me represents a sort of rebellion against the very kind of people who view the body as shameful thing.

I think this is the perfect time to post DICKPIRATE

I disagree with everything you said in your post but specifically this part.

You are blinded by your hate of those artists to actually see the videos for what they are.

Having naked people in a music video has nothing to do with how good or bad a song is. The song exists long before the music video's treatment is even thought about.

I'm glad that you disagree with everything I said, I would have had to have said exactly the opposite of what I actually did say for you to agree with me, and then we'd both be wrong wouldn't we.

At least this way one of us is right.

If it goes with the song and the artist then yes........
If not, then it's out of place.......and then it's tacky

The bottom line is...Sex sells.........and every artist knows this and wants their song at number one no matter how they get it there.........
Any publicity is good publicity........

There is no right or wrong when it comes to opinions. Exactly the reason why I said that I disagree with you. My opinion happens to differ from yours and I explain why.

It's no big deal to me, honestly. I much prefer nudity over "bitches" dancing around in mini-skirts and pretending that their ass holds some sort of power inside of it. Props to you if you know how to dance but I just can't dig that.

Otherwise, yeah. I think nudity is an art form for the most part and it also helps express the meaning of the song better in some cases. Others, unfortunately, they just know that it's what the public want. America is in a comfortable place right now, anyway with nudity and I say hell yeah, because being sexual used to be so shunned upon.

To me, the human body isn't sexual unless one makes it sexual and I personally think that no one should be offended by seeing naked bodies (we all have bodies and they're just bodies and idk it just like doesn't matter to me)

You aren't the target audience for that so of course you won't be able to feel the power that IS inside of their booties.

Somewhere in America Miley is still twerkin'

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Too many people sexualise the naked body and it's ridiculous and unnecessary, it just perpetuates the notion that nudity is shameful and that being nude is not for yourself but the consumption of other people when you sexualise it.

Do you blame them though? It's something ingrained in society for so long that it's hard to buck that trend.

It's the reason that breast feeding gets looked down on so much because of how much society sexualizes the human body when the breast feeding process is so natural.

For not stopping to question why we sexualise things like naked bodies and breastfeeding? Uh, yes. Definitely.

Especially breastfeeding, because it's creepy as hell that people sexualise a mother feeding her child. The breastfeeding panic is ****ing absurd, it's like people have seriously forgotten what tits are for in the first place.

It's a progressive idea that I don't really blame people for feeling the way that they do but I understand why that they feel that way.

Understanding is fine but why be lenient when so many people insist their opinion in regards to nudity/breastfeeding are the end all and be all opinion and if you disagree there is something wrong with you?

It doesn't matter if you are lenient or not, it's their opinion and they will be stuck in their ways about it.

You know nothing, Jon Snow :laughing:

They'll learn the right opinion

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lt...9cepo1_400.gif

hahaha but but but it's like talking to a wall and they won't ever learn

Nah but they're probably useless anyway if they can't listen to basic logic

Sounds like a typical Republican