The human body has been one of the major themes in art ever since it first appeared. Cave art, the paintings on the rocks, depicted ancient people and their bodies in motion. Many centuries have passed, and the perception and use of the human body in art have changed, evolved, and expanded in different directions. Today, the works of modern and contemporary art tend to reject the fixed norms and rules that are used to direct classic art. This is the case because the modern understanding of the meaning and purpose of art clashes with any attempts to provide a definition for this phenomenon. Practically, as defined by Merriam-Webster dictionary, art as a concept is tightly connected to the notion of skill and knowledge (“Art” par. 2). However, the contemporary perception of art does not rely on any outstanding set of skills as much as on a unique way of self-expression and communication.
Since art exists without boundaries, its contents can involve absolutely everything. Moreover, the themes and objects used by artists have become limitless; in particular, there are no longer any fixed topics or rules as to how different themes should, can, or cannot be presented. As one of the most common themes in art, the human body is now explored in a wide variety of ways and perspectives. Previously, a human body in art used to be portrayed in a range of ways based on cultural perceptions and values (“Human Form in Art” par. 10). In contemporary Western art, the dominant approach is extremely individualistic; and thus, the depiction of a human body varies according to the unique visions of the individual artists.
