In another life, we were Greek sculpture models. It’s the only justification we can comprehend for our current physical incarnation’s flabby abs, lady boobs and chicken legs.
But that’s ok. Starting this Sunday, we can hit the Dallas Museum of Art for The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greece: Masterworks from the British Museum. It’ll be nice to catch a glimpse of our former selves, but also explore the human form through marble and bronze sculptures, fine painted pottery, jewelry and other body-adorned treasures.
The exhibition is divided into 10 different thematic sections, from prehistoric (and decidedly unsexy) Cycladic figures to the hubba-hubba realism of Roman genre sculptures.
Perhaps the coolest part is the display of Diskobolos (discus thrower, above), one of the most famous statues in the world, on tour for the first time ever in the United States. There’s also a model of Ancient Olympia circa 100 B.C. and a video installation that brings it to life in a whole new way.
But most of all, we’re just excited to see the most chiseled physiques in Dallas this side of the weight room at Equinox.
It’s just too bad these hunky male specimens are always stoned. Being made of marble will do that to a fella, though.
The Body Beautiful in Ancient Greece: Masterworks from the British Museum
Dallas Museum of Art
May 5 – October 6, 2013
www.dma.org
Marble statue of discus thrower (diskobolos)
Roman period, second century AD, after a lost Greek original of about 450–440 BC, from the villa of the emperor Hadrian at Tivoli, Italy
66 1/2 x 41 5/16 x 24 13/16 in.
GR 1805,0703.43 (Sculpture 250) AN 396999
© The Trustees of the British Museum (2013). All rights reserved.