Dear Alan
I'm nearing the end of a PhD on postwar life drawing - in institutional and
extra-mural settings.
Half of my research is based in Australia - but I have undertaken a
considerable amount of ethnographic and historical research on the UK,the
US and parts of Europe.
There is A LOT of material around about various aspects of life drawing -as
both a historical and contemporary practice - so if you could refine your
question maybe I could point you in some interesting directions (apart
from the suggestions already made on this list).
If you want to look at life rooms - that have been in continuous use since
the nineteenth century and earlier - then I'd highly recommend the Ecole
Nationale Superieur des Beaux Artes in Paris. If you speak French then the
head of life drawing (morphologie) Phillipe Comar - is fantastic.
There's an article coming out... soon I hope in an Australian theatre
Studies journal by Jonathon Marshall on the changes in practices in France
in the late 19th century.
within england - apart from the RA - the West England Academy of Art -
still uses the same life room as of old - and its located in queens road
Bristol.
I assume you know about Scotland, of course....
As for the antipodes - Sandra Chesterman published a good history of life
drawing and modelling in New Zealand in 2004. Called "figureworks: life
modelling and hte nude in New Zealand" - its in the british library and
still on sale in places. I assume I'll be filling in the Australian
version of events in the next 12 months or so....
Within the US - places to look are the Philadelphia Academy of Art, the
National Academy of Art in New york, the Arts Students League (as someone
mentioned) and the Salmagundi club. Peter Steinhardt's 'the undressed art'
has a good (if rear-garde) description of the amateur proliferation of
north amerian life drawing sketch clubs - mainly on the west coast .
Good Luck - and it's been inspiring to read all of the interest in the
topic on this list.
Margaret Mayhew
PhD candidate
Department of Gender and Cultural Studies
University of Sydney, Australia
Quoting Alan McGowan <[log in to unmask]>:
> Hi Ronette
>
> Yes it's interesting isn't it how there is a great
> enthusiasm for life drawing at the "grass roots",
> often from people in other walks of life, at the same
> time as it is often being marginalised within
> institutions of art education.
>
> Alan
>
> --- Ronette Pickering <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> > And in Nelson New Zealand too where I have just
> > this minute returned from teaching a 3 hour life
> > drawing class to a group of 18 people who come
> > straight from work (or sneak out on their families
> > at the worst time of the day) for a 5 - 7.30pm
> > class. These people are hooked on life drawing -
> > some are practising artists and others just want to
> > sink themselves into another head space for a bit.
> > I'm willing to bet that there are groups such as
> > mine sprinkled about the globe.
> >
> > Ronette Pickering
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Liz Bryce
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2007 1:36 PM
> > Subject: Re: Historical life drawing studios
> >
> >
> > Kia Ora
> > I dont know if your interest extends to NZ?
> >
> > Life drawing is still taught here in Dunedin in
> > the life drawing room at Otago School of Art.
> > This is part of the Fine Arts degree.
> > The Otago School of Art has been around for nearly
> > 140 years
> > (not in the same building though)
> > which is a long time for European history in New
> > Zealand.
> > In fact Otago is the oldest school of art in NZ.
> >
> > In the design dept of Otago Polytechnic we use the
> > life drawing room for our first year design students
> > as part of their drawing core.
> > It is also used as an elective option for students
> > in Certificate courses.
> >
> > Liz Bryce.
> >
> >
> > Liz Bryce
> > Lecturer Creative Studies
> > Department of Design
> > Otago Polytechnic
> > ph: 03 477 3014
> > email: [log in to unmask]
> > mob: 021 2985 024
> >
> > >>> [log in to unmask] 6/08/2007
> > 11:24 p.m. >>>
> >
> > I'm trying to do a bit of research on the history
> > of
> > life drawing and am interested in places/ studios
> > where it would have been practised and/or taught,
> > especially ones which are still operational. The
> > most
> > obvious example would be the Royal Academy Schools
> > in
> > London.
> >
> > Could anyone recommend others of historical
> > interest
> > especially in Europe or North America? And does
> > anyone
> > have experience of working in them?
> >
> > Thanks
> > Alan McGowan
> >
>
----------------------------------------------------------------
This message was sent using IMP, the Internet Messaging Program.
|