AIGA Eye on Head to Toe

"In the new book Head to Toe: Nudity in Graphic Design, Mirko Ilić and Steven Heller chart the history of designers using the naked body as a graphic device. The book documents hundreds of examples, from the overt to the subtly suggestive. And in the process, it explores how public perception of the nude body has evolved from a bold provocation to an established marketing tool. We asked Heller and Ilić to choose five of the most significant uses of the nude body in recent graphic design history, and explain, in their own words, how it’s changed the way we think about nudity, and by extension, ourselves." –Liz Stinson

"In 1968, Rolling Stone featured Yoko Ono and a nude John Lennon from the rear (the famed full-frontal image from the Two Virgins album was shown inside). This nudity was not new to the underground press of the ’60s but it was the first time actual celebrities appeared in birthday attire on the cover of a national publication. It was a shock—the magazine and the album. But this was an era of shocks. Once the first jolt of surprise was over, it became part of the cultural flow.”

You can read the whole article at AIGA Eye on Design.