The Naked Truth:
Courtney Eichengreen
On Censorship & The Arts
"Art is never chaste. Art is dangerous. Where it is chaste, it is not art."Picasso
(Click Images to Enlarge)
Mint gelato. Musical laughter. Chiffon paisley. These are some of the enchanting images I take away from meeting Courtney Eichengreen—but that's not all. She's also a battle-scarred warrior with moxie far beyond her years, deployed in the fight for the arts against censorship in the conservative Christian metropolis of Colorado Springs.
Her parents, both psychotherapists, were proudly astounded at the scope of gifts she brought into the world: learning to read at age two, academic mastery at math, theater performances and piano virtuosity. At age 17, she was looking forward to graduating from the International Baccalaureate Program for gifted students at Palmer High School, preparing 12 art projects over the span of two years subject to both peer critique and independent judging.
Her art teacher challenged the class: who would like to tackle the 6 foot by 4 foot canvas at the front of the class? In her typical, bigger-than-life manner, Courtney raised her hand. She could envision how a human figure might stretch lazily across its space. It was an innocent beginning to a cultural maelstrom that would indelibly affect both Courtney and the school for years.
The product of her efforts, "Tall Nude" is displayed at left..
Courtney cleared her idea for the canvas—"I wanted to explore the human form"—with her art teacher who simply counseled, "Be careful." A friend and fellow swimmer with whom Courtney shared a locker room, and little self-consciousness, agreed to model. Of course, Courtney avoided frontal nudity, and anything that might be considered in 'poor taste.' What she—and possibly her teacher—did not expect was her sophisticated photorealistic style. She eventually created three acrylic nudes in a burst of creativity lasting only ten days that "stunned" her instructors.
Good thing she can work fast and well. Once her teacher saw them, and enthused over Courtney's technical skill, they were hidden in the classroom's supply room, facing the wall; ultimately, she was denied access to them unless she could finish them when no other students were present, working quickly at night, sometimes until 11 p.m., in the eerily empty school.
Continued