Thousands Of People In Australia Stripped Naked And Posed On A Bridge To Celebrate Queer Art
The installation was directed by US artist Spencer Tunick, known for his 30-year career in creating large-scale nude photography.
A record-breaking 5,500 people stripped naked on Brisbane’s Story Bridge, Australia, on Oct. 27 for a public art installation as part of the city’s LGBTQ Melt Festival, which is running from Oct. 23 to Nov. 10
The installation was directed by US artist Spencer Tunick, known for his 30-year career in creating large-scale nude photography.
Before dawn, participants gathered on the bridge, standing in tight formations for the festival’s centerpiece event, which celebrates queer arts and culture.
Participants posed in a series of configurations, including crouching on all fours with their heads bent into their chests, lying flat on their backs, and turning on their sides to face the person in front of them.
“It’s beautiful to see all the different types of bodies come out and participate,” Tunick said after the shoot. “Different tonalities, different genders—we had trans participants, non-binary people, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, and their allies.”
He added that this was the most diverse work he had ever done. The event drew mostly Brisbane locals but also attracted people traveling from Sydney and Southeast Asia.
Dee Schmidt, a local resident, said the experience pushed her out of her comfort zone.
She suggested future installations could highlight other Queensland landmarks, such as the Gold Coast or the Great Barrier Reef.
For Alarna Hodges, the event fulfilled a personal ambition.
“Being a nude model in a life drawing class has always been on my bucket list,” she said. “It’s very liberating. It’s given me the confidence to just be myself and show myself.”
Despite their initial insecurities, many participants embraced the experience and celebrated the art of their own bodies.
“When there’s nowhere to hide, there’s nothing to hide. All your insecurities go away,” drag artist Zach told Monique Ross, a participant who documented her experience on the Guardian.
Following the Story Bridge installation, participants completed additional nude shots at the Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach in Sydney.
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