Karina Radionova talks nude art, faith and self-expression
“I used to be very self-conscious about the nudity in my pieces before because of other people’s reactions,” senior advertising major Karina Radionova said. Her artwork is now part of a bigger conversation surrounding nudity in art.
Photo by Taylor Baker, Staff Photographer
Amidst an internship, a job and a full-time class schedule, senior advertising major Karina Radionova sets aside time to produce artwork, specifically paintings.
Radionova said she experimented with art for her entire life until she quit altogether in high school due to personal struggles. In the summer of 2017, she picked up a paint brush for the first time in years. Her comeback creation? A woman standing still, eyes closed, fully nude.
Since then, Radionova has produced a plethora of paintings featuring nude models in various positions depending on what she aims to express. She said that because she grew up in a conservative community, creating nude figures was taboo.
“I used to be very self-conscious about the nudity in my pieces before because of other people’s reactions,” Radionova said. “I knew that, since I was living in the Bible Belt…a lot of people wouldn’t understand it, and a lot of people would immediately take one look and be like, ‘Oh, this is scandalous. This is offensive. I don’t want to look at that anymore.’”
She was right. Once people saw her work, she was hit with a number of critical remarks.
“People from my church asked questions like, ‘Why do you keep painting naked people?’ or remarks such as, ‘I can’t believe you’re putting that out with your name on it,’” Radionova said.
For those holding a differing opinion, like senior music major Kristi Edwards, nudity is something deeply private and personal. Edwards said she believes that the inclusion of nudity is an inappropriate application of intimacy.
“Nowadays, because of sin, things that God intended to be beautiful, like nudity, can lead people astray and cause sinful desires within us,” Edwards said. “In light of this, I feel that art should stay away from perverting God’s precious creation. Our bodies are sacred, and nudity should be reserved for intimacy and marriage.”
In acknowledgement of differing viewpoints, Associate Professor of Art Mary Mathias-Dickerson said artists should be open to criticism and prepared to explain the motives behind their art to those who might not agree with them. However, she said she would also caution artists to maintain a degree of cultural sensitivity.
"Artists should ask themselves if it is necessary to use nudity. Is there an alternative way to accomplish the same goals, or is the nude figure an essential part of the message?" Mathias-Dickerson said. "If it is essential to the message of the artwork, then I would encourage the artist to be open to criticism and to be able to explain their concept. In a culture that does not readily accept the use of nudity, people might need an explanation to be able to understand what the artist hopes to achieve and why. That might make all the difference for someone."
Radionova said she is aware of opposing beliefs but is prepared to stand behind her artwork, defending it as a form of self-expression.
“I think that the common opinion about nudity is that it should be saved for your significant other. I understand that,” Radionova said, “but I also think that you can be of faith and you can look at art as art. Whether it’s a nude person, a dog or a flower, art is art—and you shouldn’t disqualify somebody’s talents just because you disagree with what’s on their canvas.”
In her art, Radionova said that she uses nudity not to offend others with opposing views or to make anyone stumble but in order to express vulnerability among her figures.
“I think the human body is beautiful, and it portrays much more than sexuality,” Radionova said. “Every expression in my art is something that came out of my life personally, and I’m trying to portray it onto canvas.”
One of her paintings depicts a woman sprawled out on a bed with her back facing the viewers. Looking tired and sad, she represents the heaviness and need for rest that Radionova said many of us feel in daily life.
Throughout her pieces, Radionova displays different themes of emotions that she hopes resonate with viewers. She said that some private feelings cannot be remedied by the consolation of others and are better left unsaid and made into art.
“My advice is that, when you do come to a place that you cannot put your problems into words and you cannot find energy or the strength to find help elsewhere, take whatever it is that you’re feeling, and throw it down onto a canvas, onto paper, onto a song. Just create,” Radionova said. “It’s as if whatever feeling or pain you’re going through comes down onto the medium you’re using.”
