Obscene Bodies
Obscene Bodies by Kim Benabib, published by HarperCollins in 1996, is a novel that explores the intersection of art and personal relationships in the vibrant backdrop of New York City. At twenty-eight, Stuart Finley is the youngest assistant curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, living comfortably in his family’s rent-controlled apartment. His life takes a turn when he meets Claire, a figure from the SoHo art scene, who introduces him to a world where the definition of “art” is fluid and the lines between personal and professional relationships blur.
As Stuart becomes more involved with Claire, he navigates the complexities of her life, which includes her ex-lover, the renowned artist Miles Levy. The narrative delves into the intricacies of their relationships and the chaotic environment of celebrity culture, where social status can dictate access to exclusive experiences. The story unfolds with unexpected events, including a shocking incident involving Miles, pushing Stuart to confront the fragility of his previously secure existence. This edition spans 245 pages and is presented in English, offering readers a glimpse into the tumultuous dynamics of man-woman relationships within the art world.
Official synopsis Publisher
Stuart Finley lives in a pristine world of scholarship and refinement: at twenty-eight, he is the youngest assistant curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, specializing in Old Master drawings, and the proud occupant of his family’s rent-controlled Gramercy Park apartment. Stuart feels safe and a bit smug amid the chaos of New York City until he meets Claire, a denizen of the SoHo art scene, who lures Stuart into her world – where “art” is a matter of opinion, and creative geniuses are as likely to be publicists as painters.
In an uncomfortable arrangement, Claire lives in a sprawling loft with her ex-lover, Miles Levy, an artist of rising, well-cultivated renown. As Stuart’s relationship with Claire becomes more intimate, he gets to know this complex and eccentric creative master, and he gets to taste the delicacies of celebrity, in restaurants so of the moment that they have no telephone number and, of course, have no tables available – unless you are somebody, or about to be somebody. When Miles “somewhat accidentally” pushes his assistant down an elevator shaft, when his dealer and publicist show up to “take care” of things, and when Stuart doesn’t mention it to the police, he begins to feel his world turning irrevocably upside down and learns that nothing in life is safe, not even the standards he thought he held so dear.
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