100 Women Will Pose Nude At The Republican National Convention
Very NSFW, but very politically important.
100 nude women outside the RNC in Cleveland?
Sounds a little insane maybe, but it's art and political protest all in one place. If there's one thing that's sure to get Republicans in a tizzy, it's women displaying their bodies.
Spencer Tunick is a photographer specializing in massive-scale nude photoshoots.
Since 1994, the American-born Tunick has photographed and filmed more than 75 "human installations" across the globe, mostly in the form of live nudes. His shoots have numbered in the thousands in terms of subjects, and perhaps most interestingly, his models are all volunteers.
In one of Tunick's more recent high-profile shoots, he captured several hundred nude male and female models in Berlin.
The shoot was titled "The Ring," wherein the red and gold models reenact scenes from Wagner's opera, "Der Ring des Nibelungen."
Tunick refers to his work as "installations," because they are so much more than simple photographs.
This is "Dead Sea 6" from the installation "earth/body works."
Tucick's work varies greatly in scale and setting. This is "Burgundy 1," also from "earth/body works."
This is from "A Mass Nude Installation at Grand Central Station."
This is "Melbourne 3," from the installation "urban."
Tunick's upcoming project, however, is one of near-unmatched ambition.
Tunick is organizing a project called, "Everything She Says Means Everything," where 100 women in Cleveland will pose nude and hold mirrors at sunrise during the Republican National Convention. The shoot is scheduled for July 17 and will mostly take place on private property.
As per the project's website, where you can sign up to be a model:
"The photograph will involve 100 nude women holding large mirror discs, reflecting the knowledge and wisdom of progressive women and the concept of Mother Nature into and onto the convention center, cityscape and horizon of Cleveland. The philosophy of the artwork relates to the idea of the sacred feminine."
Though the website doesn't explicitly say as much, it seems the shoot will also be a de facto protest of Trump's inevitable Republican nomination for President.
Trump's had some pretty foul things to say to and about women, and while this project clearly has merit as a stand-alone artistic installation and "reflecting the knowledge and wisdom of progressive women" is a worthy cause at any time, its purpose, place and timing also seems to be a direct response to the patriarchal, oppressive, anti-woman symbol that is Donald Trump.
We're looking forward to seeing the results. You can check out more of Tunick's work on his website.