5,000 naked Australians (NSFW)

For his latest art project, photographer Spencer Tunick convinced 5,000 Australians — including babies — to pose completely naked in front of the Sydney Opera House.

Five-thousand bum salute (via Art News Blog)

• [anansi133]

  I like it, it’s inspiring. Yet… I wonder what it would be like if this video was somehow SFW. Spencer Tunick might well become irrelevant, and we’d have to look elsewhere for art that made a statement.

  I think I’d like that world better.

• [netsharc]

  0:54-1:01, bottom right, girl closest to the camera and the one next to her: wow, they’re pretty fit! (To use the british expression). There was even a guy 2 rows inside checking one of them out!

• [kmoser]

  If you worked in a nudist colony, clothes would be NSWF.

• [Cactaur]

  Spencer Tunick

• [phlavor]

  A friend did one of his Manhattan shots 10 or 12 years ago and spoke with him after about doing some solo modeling with him. He invited her to dinner at his apartment where she posed on the table surrounded by the food and then they sat down and ate. He has an incredible ability to make people feel at ease. I’ve seen some interviews with some of his subjects who had serious body issues going into it (scaring, rape, obesity, ect.) and they all spoke of how freeing it was to bare all to the camera and then go and see themselves in a gallery. Their internal and external shame was washed away.

• [Anonymous]

  I wonder if the problem here is that some folks don’t recognize “NFSW” as an acronym for “Not Safe For Work.” Like, I wonder if “NFSW” has taken on a life of its own, where people not keyed in to its origins take it to mean ‘sexual’ or ‘distasteful’ or ‘offensive’?

• [DelicateFlower]

  The artist is actually named Spencer Tunick, but I think Stanley Tunick sounds like a nice portmanteau of Stanley Tucci and Stanley Kubrick.

• [Phikus]

  This was also done by this artist at several events of the band Phish, as far back as the mid 90′s.

• [voiceinthedistance]

  He must be very persuasive to have talked those babies into this.

• [funkyderek]

  @1. That’s what I was going to say!
  I was also going to say that it’s not really his latest art project, it’s the same one he’s been doing for the last few years. Get loads of naked people together in one place, take their photo. But that would be churlish of me.

• [phlavor]

  I found the video that I was thinking off. It’s a documentary of his work across the U.S. called Naked States. It’s available on netflix.

• [efergus3]

  5,000 naked Australians: Unsafe at any speed.

• [cymk]

  Isn’t this the same country that outlawed (or at least wanted to) small breasted women (images of/ looking at)? All under the false assumption that it would specifically curb perverts predilections towards young teens (its cool if you like the grannies, just not the teens).

• [Anonymous]

  What’s worth mentioning is that this shoot was commissioned by the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras – with one of the intended focusses being equality. Interestingly enough, a lot of the mainstream media coverage of this shoot seems to omit this important fact.

• [brownhb]

  I got to hear Spencer Tunick talk on a group panel at the Center for Creative Photography, where several of his works were on exhibit. He’s absolutely marvelous – talked about how he’s the nicest person, but when it comes to the day of the shoot and wrangling thousands of volunteers he kind of goes out of his mind. I think his work is great and really examines our perception of architecture and created spaces, along with the mixing of the natural (human bodies) and the created (buildings and structures).

  If you go on his website you can put in your name, contact info, and location so if he’s ever shooting something in your area you will get contacted to be in it. If you participate in one of his projects you get a free 8×10″ print of the finished work. Everyone I’ve heard from who’s participated has absolutely loved and been moved by the experience and recommends it! I know he was trying to organize a desert shoot or one at the Biosphere 2 just outside of Tucson, so hoping it becomes a reality.

• [arikol]

  NSFW ???

  What country do YOU live in?

  • [gobo]

    Hey, if your workplace is cool with you looking at naked people in the office, congrats! Most places, not so much. Telling your boss “It’s okay, it’s art! Be open minded!” doesn’t hold much weight, no matter what country you’re in.

  • [Viadd]

    Yes NSFW. Where did you think the F*cking Sidney Opera House was? It’s in New South F*cking Wales. Australia.

• [Antinous / Moderator]

  How come the fat, saggy people don’t get close-ups or interviews?

• [Anonymous]

  I hope all had breasts that were big enough in order to mach the Australian Censorship for adult video xDDDDDD

• [Red Leatherman]

  Towards the end of the clip the man comments about how with everyone naked your not so out of place.
  Several years ago I was doing some work at a nudist camp and after I was through and sitting in the shade talking to the owner, he walked off leaving me alone, suddenly I felt out of place as the 2 dozen or so people hanging around the nearby swimming pool were naked and I discovered me to be the odd one out and I shucked em. suddenly I didn’t feel so out of place and soon like the song says everyone one the group w bench was smiling patting fannies and generally having a good ole time.

  • [SamSam]

    As an attendee of many of Wesleyan’s naked parties, I can tell you for sure that once everyone has their clothes off, the only ones feeling out of place are the saps with their knickers still on.

• [Halloween Jack]

  I wonder if there was anyone from Abby Winters here. Just another day at work for them…

• [daen]

  “NSFW” … well, I guess it depends on your country. Politiken, a mainstream Danish liberal newspaper, regularly tackles some … um … hairy issues (NSFW outside of Denmark, this link, for sure … http://politiken.dk/kultur/tvogradio/article913469.ece, but that’s Denmark for you … :-)

  • [daen]

    Apologies, link got munged … http://politiken.dk/kultur/tvogradio/article913469.ece

• [jjasper]

  Boy howdy, I bet they could sure cause a heap of trouble for all concerned.

• [arkizzle / Moderator]

  My sister is in there! :D

• [theLadyfingers]

  Hands up if you leaned in and squinted.

• [dbarak]

  Sounds like the beginning of a joke:

  Q: What do you call 5,000 naked Australians lying down?

  A: ____________________________________________________

• [Callipygos]

  I agree – I don’t think this post is NSFW! There is nothing remotely sexual or distasteful in it! It’s a sad thing when all nudity is considered offensive.

  • [zikzak]

    Unfortunately, you are not the employer of everyone who reads Boing Boing.