As an Art Educator who has been living in the UAE for around ten years and has been working with Talents UAE, at an international Art Museum, for more than 3 years, I would like to share my experience and thoughts regarding a sensitive topic: “How to Talk About Nudity in Art to Children”, especially in this region- the Middle East.
Avoid, if possible
The first thing I do whenever I give tours to school children is to connect with the accompanying teachers and ask them, “Are there any specific artworks you would like to see, Or any category of artworks that you would like me to avoid?” During this interaction, if it is a religious school or group with more traditional values, they will let me know that I should avoid artworks with nudity. In these cases, I diligently make it a point to skip galleries or rooms that have nude artworks in them.
In fact, even if the teacher does not explicitly ask me to avoid nude artworks. I try to avoid taking the children to such artworks and talking about them during the tours. The only exception is if the teacher specifically requests to see specific artworks, that may have elements of nudity in them because the children are studying about those artworks in school (Ex: Greek and Roman history, Renaissance Art, etc.)
Be mentally prepared for reactions
Sometimes, I have to pass in front of artworks that have nudity, as I walk through the museum with school groups. In such cases, children might start giggling and asking questions. At a couple of instances, I have even had groups of children pointing fingers at such artworks and saying “Haram, Haram (forbidden).”It is necessary to accept that you might receive strong reactions, and it is equally important to be mentally prepared to deal with them.
Remember to be kind and understanding
However, the most important thing to remember in such cases is that these children might not be acting out just because they want to be silly or disruptive. They might be coming from a place of confusion, embarrassment, and deep discomfort. As educators, we must deal with such situations with compassion, understanding, and patience.
Different strokes for different folks
I have noticed that different approaches work best with different age groups. With the younger ones, the best thing to do is to distract them. Draw their attention away from the artwork with nudity, either by pointing out something interesting about another work or by playing a quick game. Personally, I have had great success with games like ‘Simon Says’ or ‘Stand like a Statue’.
With children and preteens, it is important to not completely dismiss their questions. Give them short answers without going into too many details, and then move the group away from the artwork to continue with the tour. I usually tell them that different cultures at different points in time had different value systems and to some, nudity represented the truest and purest form of nature. Also remember to maintain a professional ‘matter of fact’ tone, without taking sides or contradicting any opinion that your audience might voice.
With teenagers, I usually navigate the group away for the artwork to a neutral space and then open up the floor for a discussion. You can even have a short debate where they talk about the pros and cons of censorship in art. I move the group away from the artwork while having such discussions because there might be a few students within the group, who find having to look at such artworks genuinely offensive. However, by giving the students the opportunity to voice their concerns and opinions, I can usually turn an “awkward encounter” into a “learning moment.”
Cultural Sensitivity
“Maturity is the ability to relate appropriately to other realities.”
As a museum educator, it is vital to possess the skills to read your audience properly and adapt your approach accordingly. However, always remember to be respectful towards people’s religious sentiments and cultural norms, with both children and adults, and never mock or preach to your audience.
These are just a few of the tips and tricks that I have picked up while working as an educator in a museum and during my training sessions with Talents UAE. To know more about Talents UAE please visit our website www.talentsuae.com