There are so many topics that I want to cover - just don't get me started on something. Everything is connected and I might just never quit. This is a multi-topic site with articles on any subject that interests me enough to write about, from the music industry to buying a telescope, from weather modification to the origins and workings of the universe. Why play with pebbles, when you can dance with the planets? - Val Serrie
Monday, December 12, 2005
Naked Art
Most guys are hard-pressed to find a way to get a woman naked. Let alone getting two women naked. Let alone getting them naked outdoors!
Well, here is a man who has found a way to get THOUSANDS of people naked and outdoors and posing for pictures. Most are average-looking people, some are attractive, some overweight, some too skinny, some old, lots are young, but it’s quite a mix.
Meet Spencer Tunick. A 36 year old artist from New York City who has made a name for himself by creating temporary art by having thousands of naked people lie on top of each other on the ground outdoors in familiar public places in various cities around the world.
Imagine the sales job he must do to get people to take their clothes off and bare all in public, in the cold. And they receive no money. They only receive a copy of the picture. This is worth understanding the motivations for. These people cannot be recognized really, because mostly only the ones right up front can actually be seen anyway. So why do they do this? Is it for the sake of the art?
In his art, the human form, taken in aggregate, is used to create a substance, a surface material which is laid down upon famous outdoor locations to create an effect. It is not about sex. The figures are not posed in sexual positions or sexual acts. This is genuinely about art. The advantage of having nude bodies is that it is about humanity rather than clothes, and also, they are all more or less the same color – which means more attention is given to texture and detail rather than color.
Still, I wonder. Where does he find these people? Or where do they find him? Is it that as an artist, you struggle to find enough to make one art portrait. Then after that people see you are a serious artist and they suddenly start lining up to take off their clothes for you? Also, I am curious about erections. How do the men avoid that embarrassment? Given that it’s probably unavoidable in the proximity of lots of naked women (some of whom may be touching you or lying on you even…) That would be a problem for me, frankly. I could not control that, and I couldn’t hide it either!
Here's a question that occurs to me: What do they all do with their clothes while they pose? If four people take off their clothes and go for a skinny dip together, finding their clothes later is no problem. But what about when it's 5,000 people?
Body Painting
And then there are other types of art using the body. Body painting seems to have taken on a real popularity in recent years. Here are just a few samples of this art form. Consider that these people often walk around in public places totally nude, but painted this way, among other normally dressed people. They become a work of art themselves. This is common in New Orleans, especially during Mardi Gras.
There is an interesting psychology around this. What does this tell us about our concepts of privacy? Or public morals? Is ‘art’ merely an excuse to get naked and maybe get laid? No. I don’t think so. The art aspect of this seems to be taken too seriously for that. Besides, there is porno all over the web. It is the largest business on the web now. If people want sex, the opportunities for nudity and sex, etc. are plentiful there. No – this seems to genuinely be about art.
How interesting. I guess I approve of it and accept it as art. ….as long as MY daughter is not part of it that is!!!!
This has to be one of the strangest types of artwork that I have very seen and it IS interesting that he is able to get no many people to do it for no money. Maybe they do it for the bragging rights? I like Spencer Tunick's 'installations' better than the body painting which kind of scares me - for some reason!
ReplyDeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteMy wife and I have taken part in 3 installations in the US and I took part in the one in Lyon, France in September this year. For info on why we do this go to the MSN group
http://groups.msn.com/TheSpencerTunickExperience/yourwebpage.msnw
to read accounts, see photos.
And don't worry erections are not a problem as a rule. It is sensual but not actually very sexy.