Naked in New Hope 2025
by Gwenn Seemel
The iconic show of nude art that graced the walls of Sidetracks Gallery from 2007 to 2018 is back, and it’s on display at New Hope Arts.
This year’s Naked in New Hope features more than 120 works by over 90 artists. Though the exhibit is in the New Hope Arts space for the first time, this 2025 revival stays true to its origins, with Paul Murphy, co-owner of the late Sidetrack Gallery, selecting the art. When Murphy’s gallery closed in 2020, it had showcased the work of hundreds of contemporary artists over the course fifteen years, and it had held its annual nude art exhibit twelve times.
The 2025 iteration of Naked in New Hope features a wide of range of media and styles. For those who prefer more traditional work, there are many charming nude model images, rendered by painters whose deft hands are a pleasure to behold.
And for those who, like me, appreciate the surreal, James Feehan delivers one of his characteristically whimsical figures, caught up in a delightfully enigmatic narrative.
Jennifer Rubin Garey takes the uncanny in a different direction with her Flesh as Clothing, a stunning reflection on the way we too often view our bodies as separate from ourselves.
Carol Hall’s Childless Cat Lady must be seen in person to be fully enjoyed. The subtle gilding as well as the three dimensionality of the piece each provide an additional depth to this artwork, which, at first glance, can seem simple even though it captures complex feelings.
Meanwhile Christian Kowalchuk’s Depth of a Sketch #1 steals the show with its unusual construction. It’s reminiscent of Marchel Duchamps' painting Nude Descending a Staircase, which was famously ridiculed when it showed in New York in 1913, but which is recognized today as a classic for its groundbreaking depiction of movement.
Kowalchuk’s nude is also descending steps, albeit shallow ones that the artist has specially laser cut to hint at the way the figure he’s depicted moves back in space. He explained that this piece began as a sketch made in one of the live model sessions Figure Drawing at New Hope Arts, which are facilitated by Christina Galagarza multiple times each month. He digitally manipulated his original sketch on paper, designing these intricately cut wood pieces to hang together as a three-dimensional drawing. The work maintains the raw beauty of a quick sketch, while simultaneously giving the image a new solidity. It may be small, but I love the way Kowalchuk’s work takes up space.
Don’t miss this magnificent celebration of the human form on display through June 15th, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from noon to 5 pm at New Hope Arts, across the river from Lambertville at 2 Stockton Ave, in New Hope, Pennsylvania.
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