An art teacher has caused a stir by taking all his clothes off in front of a
class to make a point while giving a lecture.
Mo
Xiaoxin |
Mo Xiaoxin, an assistant professor of
art at the Teachers' University of Technology in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province,
stunned 30 students by stripping naked.
The teacher said he wanted to emphasis the power of the body and "confront
taboos."
Mo was teaching a class on physical art and humanity culture studies, the
first course of its kind to be approved by the Ministry of Culture. It has been
running for six years.
Mo's action, which was not expected by his students, stunned all those
present, and has led to heated debate after being reported on Tuesday by a local
newspaper.
"Mo's nudity might have disgusted many students who weren't prepared to see
the unattractive body of an old man," said Wang Xiongjun, a college student in
Beijing.
However, people in art circles say they can understand Mo's action.
According to Zhuang Tianming, dean of the Art Research Institute under
Nanjing Museum, teaching with nude models is common in the art world, with
teachers themselves sometimes acting as nude models.
"In Mo's case, the motivation for his action should be considered before any
judgement is made," he told China Daily.
"The action is excusable if it was part of the lesson," said Zhuang, adding
that nudity was fundamental to studying physical beauty and sketching.
Zhuang said it is a pity society is not tolerant enough towards the artistic
use of nudity.
However, an official with the Ministry of Culture said Mo's nude teaching was
an improper act, reported Beijing News.
Mo Xiaoxin, assistant
professor of art at the Teachers' University of Technology in Changzhou,
Jiangsu Province, gives lecture to 30 students by stripping
naked. |
"Mo's project on humanity and physical art concentrates on material
collecting, sorting and analysing. It is improper to teach nude for this
research project," Tian Junting, an official with the ministry, was quoted by
the newspaper as saying.
But during an online interview with Sina.com on Wednesday, he denied the
allegation that he took his clothes off just for the publicity.
"It was for artistic research. I would not adopt this method of teaching in
normal classes. The teaching methodology of public classes should be approved by
university supervisors beforehand," said Mo.
Art school heads said the school would not punish the teacher.
"Mo's way of doing research might need modification and we will talk with him
about that. But the school won't punish him for this action. It is not against
any rule," an art school spokesman, surnamed Zhang, told China Daily yesterday.
