the mind of a model

I'm not sure if French prostitutes glorified Impressionist painting or did Degas glorified French prostitutes by picturing them taking a bath. One thing I know: today in museums we can admire only women, who knew how to use their bodies.

Model for the first female nude in history was Phryne, Ancient Greek courtesan. Maybe it was the beginning of mixing art with sex and life modeling with shamelessness. Then La Belle Epoque came, and established the connection between bohemians and places like Moulin Rouge for good. Even now, when a life model is a person that sells the view of their body to someone who wants to picture it, it may still seem confusing.

After all, pure vanity, stripped and commanding to admire it, can't deny it's origins: high self esteem and awareness of one's advantages. It's about natural shamelessness or overcoming one's shyness. And being prepared for total submission to the process of creation. Dehumanization stroke me at the first art classes that I've ever posed in. While a piece of art is being born you're nothing more than an element. Canvas, paints and brushes are equally important as the sight of your body. However, your responsibility is much greater than yours. They don't have emotions, they don't feel cold or don't get tired. Your mission is to overcome those factors and allow the artist to work. Let him create something amazing, unique. And seeing it happen, being an essential part of the process would be your reward. As well as the final result: completed work.

In my opinion, the sense of eternity is the greatest feeling in the whole world. Every day we get older and uglier, but image pictured on a painting or one's shapes exposed in sculpture stays forever the same as in the moment it was seen by an artist. It is made immortal. Immortality is a feature of truly beautiful women through ages. Phryne, Pepita Tudo, lover of Goya's patron or Elizabeth Siddal. The last one had short but intensive life, letting Pre-Raphaelites use her look as an image of their woman keeps her alive on every piece of their work. Isn't it the best reward of all?

by Marek Lalko