Hockey Legend Bobby Orr and Fellow Players in the Flesh

Must be the month for nude hockey players. Earlier in the month Toronto Maple Leaf Jiri Tlusty flashed his bits over the internet, and now a NYC exhibition is making headlines for its paintings of hockey players in the buff.

Kurt Kauper's exhibit "Everybody Knew That Canadians Were The Best Hockey Players" features portraits, some entirely nude, of former Boston Bruins players Bobby Orr (above, and pictured here, back in the day), Derek Sanderson, and others.

Of the paintings, Kauper told the Boston Globe: "Inspiration struck after a visit to Paris. There, Kauper saw one of his favorite works, a 19th-century image of Napoleon ascending to heaven by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres. In the work, the French general is nude. You certainly couldn't do that nowadays - represent a cultural icon in the nude as a gesture of adoration and immortalization," said Kauper. 'That gets to how nudity is perceived today. It occurred to me that it would be interesting to try to make a painting of an icon in the nude and see what kind of response I got from viewers.'"

The reaction from players has been mixed. Said former Bruin Brad Park: "I see a picture of Bobby with some genitals, and a picture of Turk with some genitals. That's hard to take. I definitely would think Bobby would be uncomfortable with it. Derek, in his heyday, would have posed for it."

Discomfort is part of the point, however, said Deborah Kass, a curator who has worked with Kauper: "He takes these people we identify and idolize and presents them at their most stripped down, and because it's a male nude it makes people incredibly uneasy. I really don't know anybody else who is doing that."

The installation can be viewed here. See the full Bobby Orr, after the jump...

The show runs through December 15th at Deitch, 76 Grand Street, New York.

In artist's vision, an icon in the flesh [boston globe]
Deitch Gallery [official site]

Toronto Maple Leafs and Jiri Tlusty Respond to Nude, 'Gay' Photos

Nineteen-year-old Toronto Maple Leaf rookie Jiri Tlusty, who told a Canadian gossip site "I am not gay or bi nothing" after the site published photos of him tonguing a companion alongside nude photos taken with a camera phone, issued a statement late Tuesday.

Said Tlusty: "I used poor judgment in this instance last season and I have learned a valuable lesson. It will not happen again and I have no further comment."

Maple Leafs general manager John Ferguson issued a statement as well: "Photographs were posted recently on the Internet without Jiri's knowledge or consent. He made a naive mistake as a teenager. It's a lesson in how something private can easily become very public in the Internet age. Hopefully it's a lesson that other people will learn from as well."

Maple Leafs coach Paul Maurice told SLAM Canada: "(Jiri's) handled it as well as anyone could handle it under the circumstances. It's an excellent learning experience for a young man. There has to be a new awareness (about new media). When you're in the public eye, you have to guard how you behave. I hope this young man can put this behind him quickly. I hope he has already."

NHL Toronto Maple Leaf Rookie Jiri Tlusty: "I am Not Gay" [tr]

NHL Toronto Maple Leaf Rookie Jiri Tlusty: "I am Not Gay"

Following the publication yesterday by a Canadian gossip site of photos of 19-year-old Toronto Maple Leaf rookie Jiri Tlusty tonguing another man along with a provocative suggestion that he was ready to come out of the closet, the Czech ice hockey player wrote into the site saying he thought the post was "funny" and he didn't care.

Said Tlusty: "I am not gay or bi nothing."

Tlusty says he was just having a bit of fun with a friend after his birthday and a night out on the town. Of course, that didn't stop the site from pursuing their investigation a bit further (NSFW).

The whole incident should serve as some sort of guerilla tie-in with the upcoming movie Breakfast with Scot. After all, actor Tom Cavanagh had no qualms about kissing a man. Given that they allowed their logo to be used for the film, the Toronto Maple Leafs are, unofficially, the most gay-friendly team in professional hockey.

JIRI TLUSTY SPEAKS TO ITH... [is this happening?]
Welcome To The NHL, Kid [deadspin]