Come See Naked People on Display in Salve Regina Hall

An exhibition of Edward Knippers' works, The Propriety of Nude in Biblical Art, housed in the Gallery at Salve Regina Hall, will be displayed at CUA until Dec. 12. A passage from St. Paul's Letter to the Hebrews, "Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do," serves as a foundation and underlying principle for much of the exhibition.

The exhibit is done entirely in oil on wood panel and all painting are centered on visual explanations of biblical occurrences depicted in the nude. The works are in typical Knipper form, with shades of Baroque styling and inspiration, said coordinator John Figura. Figura has shown Knipper's works in several of the previous galleries he has been associated with and is responsible for bringing the Knipper exhibition to Catholic University. There are a number of students studying the painting of the human figure, and they put forth a good show of support at Knipper's opening talk with approximately fifty in attendance, Figura said.

In a statement written by Knipper, he clearly elucidates why he chose to paint an array of biblical figures entirely in the nude. He chose nudity as a form of self-expression to transcend, among other things, the convention of the "cultural trappings of modern or ancient dress." Knipper stands by his resolution to show the human form as it really is without hiding anything in the confines of clothing. "Disembodiment is not an option for the Christian, and clothing is a kind of disembodiment - a way of creating an illusion, a counter image of who we are," Knipper said in his statement.

Knipper is a highly accomplished artist with many accolades, which comes as no surprise after viewing his work. His extensive accomplishments include studies at the Sorbonne in Paris as well as The Academy of Fine Arts in Salzburg, Austria. He has organized numerous one-man exhibitions, including his present show at CUA.

The first room of the gallery is centered on one of the largest works exhibited at CUA, "Samson and Delilah." It features a provocatively posed Delilah in the midst of cutting Samson's hair. Delilah's explicit nudity mirrors Samson's physical vulnerability as he lies draped over the temptress. Though Knipper uses large, visible brush strokes, the faces he paints are extremely expressive. There are no strongly delineated boarders in any of his displayed works, for Knipper believes that "physicality is messy."

Also found in the first gallery room is Knipper's painting of the "Pharisee and the Publican." This, as one of Knipper's smaller works, is an understated painting with mottled colors and blurred images. What makes this painting stand out from the others is the use of nudity to evoke feelings of shame and embarrassment. The cloaked Pharisee is statuesque in his modesty while the naked Publican is exposed, illustrating the effects of class divisions in biblical times.

The second gallery room has several of Knipper's larger works, including "Adam and Eve," "Joseph and the Potiphar's Wife," and "David and Bathsheba." Of particular interest in these larger works, especially in "Adam and Eve," is Knipper's use of light on the human form. The softness of woman and the strength of man are illuminated in the contrast of shadow and radiance.

By far the most emotive piece in the gallery is Knipper's portrayal of "David and Bathsheba." The painting is the most detailed painting in the gallery, which allows for stirring sentiments not expressed in his other works. The image of Bathsheba draped over a corpse is one that is not easy to forget. The painting shows the precarious balance between the lovers' desire and human deception.

Edward Knipper credits the fact that God sent His Son in a "real body with real blood" as proof of the importance of the human form, inspiring him to paint the way he does. In his artist's statement, Knipper clarifies his religious intents. "The human body is at the center of my artistic imagination because the body is an essential element in the Christian doctrines of Creation, Incarnation and Resurrection. In merging Christianity and art, I follow a long tradition of Western painting."