Family naked

A family of four, two parents and two children, hold hands standing in a line, all completely naked. The size and shape of the two children is proportional to that of their parents, but their bodies remain true to their age.

The highly realistic sculpture Family Romance (1993) is just as disturbing in its content as in its name. The name implies the notion of a physical relationship between the members of this family, represented at the same size. Charles Ray constructs a critique of the American model of the nuclear family with strong values. Here, modifications of scale imply disruption of the private sphere and the balance of power in the family – the parents become smaller and the children larger, and the romance becomes public.

The artist’s work in the Pinault Collection was shown at the Palazzo Grassi at the “Le Monde vous appartient” (“The World Belongs to You”) exhibition (2011-2012).

Nonetheless I persisted in discussing the issue from time to time, and in running the race when I could–a few more times over the next years. My family always knew about it, and they were by that point used to me being naked around the house when possible. One year, through contacts I had made, I was set to participate as a speaker in a weekend seminar on naturism at the park, but my spouse put her foot down. She said that since it was something that she would be embarrassed to tell our family and friends about, then she was uncomfortable with me doing it. I pointed out that I would not be embarrassed to talk about it with our family and friends, but that made little difference. I decided to respect her feelings and try to adopt a “lose the battle, win the war” approach. I did not attend the seminar.

Every image is created by a pair of pictures shooted at the subjects home: the first picture in full dress, the second one in some way naked. Images are different from each other like families are different for culture, attitude and ambiance. Subjects are not models but friends, acquaintances and my family and me. My intention is to propose again the importance of the family picture nowadays that everybody can take pictures at every moment by any means so we lost the formality of photography. There is an ironic evolution from the family picture in times past: the naked one.

Numerous naked figures laid out in the form of a family tree; advertisement for safe sex by Scottish Aids Monitor. Colour lithograph by J.P.Smith,1992. In copyright. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Numerous naked figures laid out in the form of a family tree; advertisement for safe sex by Scottish Aids Monitor. Colour lithograph by J.P.Smith,1992.