Art and the Silent Killer

Fr. Loya says that pornography is such a serious problem in our culture that statistically it is safer to assume someone is addicted rather than to believe he is not.  Even if a man is not addicted to pornography, he still needs prayers because is constantly surrounded by "soft porn".  The solution to this catastrophic situation is found in art.  Fr. Loya says that to look at the human body as an artist does is to look at the human body as God does.  Being made in God's image means that our bodies reveal something about the nature of God when viewed properly.  In fact, one of the major problems in society is not that we show too much, but that we show too little.

This presentation by a celibate Byzantine priest is one of the best I have seen.  Fr. Loya's keen insight and understanding of John Paul II's Theology of the Body make this a talk that everyone must see.  A little uncomfortable for the viewer at times, Fr. Loya discusses tough issues head-on and answers questions honestly and directly. 

Much of this lecture is devoted to understanding what makes good art and how nudes in art are different from pornography.  He uses large foam board props with images on them to clearly illustrate his point and ground the discussion in actual applications.  (Don't worry, this DVD is safe for mature viewers.)  He has one prop of a nude that he painted.  He first shows it as originally painted in the studio and then covers certain parts of the body, making the "less nude" image appear more scandalous.  He says the reason the first example is better is because the viewer's eyes are moved throughout the entire image.  The little bits of clothing in his second example stop the eyes from moving and focus attention on certain areas.  He says this is exactly what good art should not do as it prevents one from seeing the entire composition. 

The only "negative"  comment I have about this item is that I can't tell how it is different from Fr. Loya's other talk Theology of the Body and Art . The description on both cases is identical.

If you are an artist who has ever had the difficult task of explaining nude figure drawing in art you will appreciate the arguments Fr. Loya uses to defend great art.  This DVD is also appropriate for anyone who finds the naked body offensive or shameful.  The talk is only an hour long but it is packed with thought-provoking information that might just ignite your curiosity and encourage you to learn more.