the naked dublin - spencer tunick experience

DotOrg

thought it would be only right to start a new thread for all the people who were out in dublins docklands this morning in the cold naked light of day

it was a great experience seeing a photo shoot on that scale. The first minute or two being buck ass naked was obviously a little embarressing but seeing another several thousand naked people all around soon relaxed everyone i think

anyone care to share their experiences?

mr.bovy

Its was amazing! increadible feeling of great connection between all the people.

Especially during the second take on the beach!
that was just ridiculous! i really loved it

interesting... the fact that all people were nude wasn't really the the most important thing about the event. I was greatly surprised...


check out this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TIRjuFhwNg

im dying to see any shots taken, even those unofficial/draft ones...
and more than anything else... videos made by people aproahi9ng dublin port on ferry....

Fionn

on the subject of the photographer and his pictures - when i saw them at first i was impressed but as time goes on and having seen more and more there is a sameness about them that for me, is boringly inescapable!

mr.bovy

Fionn wrote: »

on the subject of the photographer and his pictures - when i saw them at first i was impressed but as time goes on and having seen more and more there is a sameness about them that for me, is boringly inescapable!

I know what you mean,,,
True, its always the same theme (for over 10 years in this case - more??)
it is odd... whats the point of reproducing thesame thing for such a long time...

To have full idea I will need to check out his official printed releases. (resources on the internet are rather compact and brief...)

I have learned from the event yesterday that there is so much more behind those pictures...

Its my personal interpretation - I wouldn't call it "installation" actually as he does - but "happening"
Its amazing how all that is managed and played out
Incredible are relations between participants...

DotOrg

part of the art is the experience for the thousnads doing the event and that is still just as powerful to the participants, even though it's been going on for years

looking at small web sized versions of his images don't do them any justice. he makes images that you need to see printed big so the scale of it can be seen.

In his big prints you can see hundreds or thousands of individual people, all th same and all different. One reason why it works doing the same thing over many years is that people are the same naked today as they were in the shots from when he first did it.

Fionn

so would you say that it was more for the participants rather than the viewer. I heard from reports on radio etc. that everyone found it liberating and provided a positive experience.
Maybe its just me (short attention span :rolleyes:) I appreciate that there is a great deal of planning and marshalling to compose these photographs, but if i make a photograph of a subject be it a naked person or a flower or lots of people or flowers or whatever no one sees or knows about the logistics and preparation of the shot. I dont doubt for a moment that the photographs are excellent although i haven't seen any high res copies but i'm really just commenting on the sameness - personally I'd be bored of doing the same thing over and over.
But well done to all that took part

DotOrg

some of the best artists do one thing and do it really well. it's about perfecting an art. he's not trying to develop something new doing these shoots, the sameness is part of what makes it an interesting project

Ninja_scrotum

any hot ladies?

Hugh_C

Ninja_scrotum wrote: »

any hot ladies?

none that'd look at you twice, scrotes

DotOrg

loads and loads of hot ladies wearing nothing at all but the whole thing was amazingly unerotic, being cold and naked surrounded by men and women of all ages and shapes didn't lend itself to sexyness

i was there with my naked wife and neither of us felt that anyone was looking at us in any erotic way and we were too chilly and amazed by the event to be looking for hot men or ladies

mr.bovy

Fionn wrote: »

so would you say that it was more for the participants rather than the viewer. I heard from reports on radio etc. that everyone found it liberating and provided a positive experience.
Maybe its just me (short attention span :rolleyes:) I appreciate that there is a great deal of planning and marshalling to compose these photographs, but if i make a photograph of a subject be it a naked person or a flower or lots of people or flowers or whatever no one sees or knows about the logistics and preparation of the shot. I dont doubt for a moment that the photographs are excellent although i haven't seen any high res copies but i'm really just commenting on the sameness - personally I'd be bored of doing the same thing over and over.
But well done to all that took part

I think important question is: Would his contribution to art photography would be any smaller if he quit this project some time ago...

Its probably risky statement, as I said - I know his work only from the internet (so I might be missing some pieces of information) ...but as we speak about quantity vs. time - answer is obvious I think...


by the way: I wonder what was the budget for this event (wondering just out of curiosity)

arybvtcw0eolkf

Discussion and photos in THIS THREAD

Including this shark attack on the participants...





Btw, I think the vast majority of people done this for the whole experience of it and not because they believed it was art.

Rojo

I spotted you and Shawna, James!!!!!










....before we got naked!


I bumped into soooo many people I knew there - was hilarious! The experience was absolutely amazing, although, I'm a shell of a person now (so wrecked). I'll post more about when I don't feel like a lemming.

flo8s967qjh0nd

Well done to everyone who did this in Dublin.

I did it in Blarney Castle (Cork finally get in ahead of Dublin

Was anybody at both? How did they compare?

Does anybody know how long we'll have to wait for our limited edition print? I heard anything up to a year!

venuscryflap

So many funny moments of this morning. Saying cheeeeeeese even when we had our heads down facing away from the camera. I cracked up when we were all 'getting into first position A' by doing the shape of the letter?! And the guy who shouted at Tunick when we were in the water 'It's the big red button on the top!' Class. I am now contemplating part-time streaking and looking ahead at the Ashes next year in the UK - will bring my own helmets just in case?!

mr.bovy

venuscryflap wrote: »

So many funny moments of this morning. Saying cheeeeeeese even when we had our heads down facing away from the camera. I cracked up when we were all 'getting into first position A' by doing the shape of the letter?! And the guy who shouted at Tunick when we were in the water 'It's the big red button on the top!' Class. I am now contemplating part-time streaking and looking ahead at the Ashes next year in the UK - will bring my own helmets just in case?!

lots of memories indeed
unforgettable. Im so amazed how pleasant community we have all build there...
i liked more "freeeeeeeze" instead of "cheeeeeese"
i was lucky to wear the motorcycle helmet - quite handy to protect from rain

venuscryflap

Helmet would also come in handy incase of facial recognition?!

The second shoot was definitely the best as it really brought home the enormity of what we were doing as you could actually see numbers. My favourite moment is when we were just larking about in the sea like a load of kids but naked?! Just being there and feeling so comfortable in our skin. Definitely the best experience of my life!!!

silverapples

I agree with you, it was the best experience. I guess I thought it wud be more 'arty' but it was a humourous and levelling experience, no way of telling 'the haves and the have nots'. I loved the sense of madness, the lack of interest in the usual body bits - just people connecting into a great and happy lemmingness. The beach was joyful abandon. I loved the sitting down shot on the jetty, the comment about the Irish sunbathing at the first sign of sunlight...........hello Stena Line....Well done brave and free spirits

gollywogsuper

It was fantastic! Kind of liberating.
Can anyone say what the fourth shot was? We were freezing and longed for our beds. Taking our clothes off again didn't seem so attractive.

I think the pier shot will look amazing - one of his finest.

Well done us.

silverapples

fourth shot was in the sea, just up to our ankles, so aside from the splashing and the pouring rain and the waves, we hardly got wet at all! It was a standing, with heads down facing Spencer and then a reverse, heads down facing out to sea - all with the same hilarity and sense of oneness as earlier shots.

JoGirl

What an extraordinary experience. Great sense of fellow feeling, all very life affirming. We might grunt at each other on the dart, jostle to get head at the bar, roll our eyes at each other's driving every other day, but it seemed like for just a few hours, on a mid summer's morning, citizens of Dublin really loved each other underneath it all. Underneath it all.

No heed to 'boys' nor 'girls' neither, just 'people' and warmth and joy all around.

Thanks everyone. I had a great time.

MooseJam

isn't it illegal to run around starkers ?

bradnailer

Did all you guys get a e-mail with event details this week ? I got nothing thought it was canceled, I feel so rejected

YogiBear

Spencer Tunick Creates Body Sculpture in Düsseldorf

corkonian1

venuscryflap wrote: »

So many funny moments of this morning. Saying cheeeeeeese even when we had our heads down facing away from the camera. I cracked up when we were all 'getting into first position A' by doing the shape of the letter?! And the guy who shouted at Tunick when we were in the water 'It's the big red button on the top!' Class.

In Blarney, I think the corresponding comment would have to be a man who asked loudly, just as Spencer was about to shoot: "Does my ass look big in this?" We cracked up so visibly that Spencer commented on the shaking shoulders in one section of the crowd.

lilli_bud

Anyone find the getting dressed bit to be the only kinda embarassing bit?
The nakedness- grand, waiting to get naked with a couple o thousand people- grand, getting back into clothes and remembering that hey aren't we meant to have these on all of the time- a lil embarassing

Valentia

Good man Spencer! You've done more than anyone in history to increase the membership of Boards. I can just imagine everyone running around, wanting to talk about their "experience" and , for some reason, ending up here.

It certainly seems like a worthwhile experience for the participants but I tend to agree with Fionn. A bit like the Irish version of basketball. Great to play but boring as **** to look at. Spencer's creativity could do with a jab methinks.

YogiBear

Does he do any other photography work or is he on a bit of a roll with this travelling around the world giving folks a nudist experience in their home environment? I think I'll try out a nudist beach sometime.

MartMax

google.ie search on spencer tunick brings this thread in the first 10 results...

AlanMooneyPhoto

That Dusseldorf shoot is a bit close contact for me... would want everyone hosed down first!

mr.bovy

so did anyone go for 2nd shooting today ?
how and what was it ?

decko11

hi, just did this mornings one

it was very different - a small group of mainly 20 and 30 something couples

the poseing was on the balconys of a tall block near bolands mill.

very different than Saturday - high ratio of staff to us , and we were way more self conscious being asked to embrace on a balcony with lots of traffic going by in broad daylight

lilli_bud

Yup,
about 150 people dragged themselves out of bed again. It was done in a new residential block down on grand canal dock. It was way quicker this morning but far windier.
Still worth the torture of leaving my bed at three in the morning when my body was screaming no!

gollywogsuper

I didn't realise there was another shot - was this the 'surprise' one? I don't remember reading about it in the documentation we got. Didn't stay for the fourth shot on Sat morning; am guessing it was given out then?

Damn I feel neglected.

striderswoe

Fionn wrote: »

so would you say that it was more for the participants rather than the viewer. I heard from reports on radio etc. that everyone found it liberating and provided a positive experience.
Maybe its just me (short attention span :rolleyes:) I appreciate that there is a great deal of planning and marshalling to compose these photographs, but if i make a photograph of a subject be it a naked person or a flower or lots of people or flowers or whatever no one sees or knows about the logistics and preparation of the shot. I dont doubt for a moment that the photographs are excellent although i haven't seen any high res copies but i'm really just commenting on the sameness - personally I'd be bored of doing the same thing over and over.
But well done to all that took part

I think "sameness" comes into it only if you constantly need to re-invent yourself to succed in the artistic fraternity, which honestly can bore me at times. we all repeat daily functions such as, eating, sleeping, dressing without context or comment. Spencer is doing this as a modus operandi (quoting brian cowen here) but the context differs, ie, passing ships, the docklands, mexico, etc.
I can agree that it might bore me similarly but think that by photographing nude people in dissimilar situations does in fact proffer spontaniety (to a lesser degree) of course.
the sense of community which I felt and an almost "bringing down to basics" message clearly shone through the monotomy and the cold.
I can't help but think that his work has a larger place in life and we will begin to see this as the years progress, so I do agree with you that the event was more for the participant. I met 2600 friends that day, each of whom were willing to converse to me without branding, attire, or a gendered clothes screen.

bolddoyler

Well I was one of the mad bangers who thought It'd be a good Idea to go out clubbing in Q&A in St Andrew's lane and then scoot down to the Docklands for a bit of mass nudy action. It was brilliant... freezing but brilliant.

I took part in the first set, which involved about 30-40 mins in the buff doing various poses. There was a lot of messing, which although hilarious made the shoot a bit longer than it was supposed to be. Then we were told to get dressed again, however we weren't finished. It had started to rain pretty heavily at this stage, and a lot of people headed home. There were way more people than they had anticipated so that was still ok.

Due to the poor conditions they skipped the second setup and went straight to the finale which involved everyone heading out into the shallow water and standing there. I bowed out at this stage as I was starting to get hypothermia but my best mate and my fiance had the attitude of 'in for a penny in for a pound'. So they got them off and ran into the water. I watched from the sidelines, which was great in itself. Then when the last photo was taken, I watched as a couple of thousand naked people charged the beach where I was standing! I have never seen anything like it, and probably wont again. Pure class!:p

Faro

Being naked with 2,600 others seemed normal. What was odd was when most of us were dressed again, the one or two still looking for their clothes bags suddenly seemed very naked. When Spencer thanked us all "from the bottom of my heart" a voice behind me said "and we thank you from the heart of our bottoms". This was only one of loads of laughs and there was not one unsavoury moment. A great experience. I was too cold to brave the sea but now wish I had. Fair play to those who did - especially if you have lived to tell the tale.

Tordelback

Agree with Faro. Absolutely amazing uplifting experience - even seeing my frozen lentil of a willy as I ran back to the beach appearing centre-stage in the Sunday World didn't dampen it. I'm no stranger to mass nudity in a naturist context, but this was something else entirely, as Spencer himself pointed out during one of his nervous-sounding tannoy addresses. The newspaper photos do absolutely no justice to the reality of the event, mostly focussed as they are on titillation, something quite inconceivable while there. Raised all sort of interesting questions in my head about the role and expereince of the participant in art (Does it matter what we were all feeling when the shutter opened? And if not, why not?) that I hope will inform my own work.

While it personally bothers me not one bit, I would question why the press were allowed to take such intrusive pictures when the release form we all signed quite clearly stated that all press photos (although note: not Spencer's own shots) would protect identity. Not surprised, mind.

There was something entirely bizarre about the plight of the lost-clothes people after the first set-up - I saw one poor bloke desperately covering his privates while trying to find his plastic bag amongst the freshly clothed, despite having stood next to all of us for the last hour stark naked. What was more interesting still was the complete absence of that odd desperation after the final sea set-up. Scores of us stood around bottomless with just our coats or jumpers on giddily chatting and trying to get warm in full view of the press before proceeding with the less survival essential matters of applying underwear to soggy arses. How fleeting notions of openness and modesty are!

Note that this has prompted a long-standing de-lurk on my part. Coincidence?

Fionn

what was the equipment set-up during this, what kind of camera(s) lens were used, does anybody know

DotOrg

it looked to me like he was using a canon 1 series SLR and also some kind of rangefinder or panoramic film camera.

i was in the first ten or so rows during the first session so was reasonably near to where he was shooting from

DotOrg

from an interview that relates to some of the posts up here:

What is the final outcome of your work? Is it a photo, a performance, or the community action?
It’s an installation that I document with photography and video. So there’s a projected video installation that’s a loop of of images 3-4 minutes long which is projected in a room, along with the photographs, which I take.

If you are not creating a photo as a photographer would, what role does the resulting photo play in your work? Document, souvenir, evidence, calling card?
No, I make installations and the final result is a video projection and the photograph. If I didn’t make video projections, then call me one thing; if I didn’t make photos, then call me another. I’m in between an installation artist, video artist and photographer. And when you work with nude bodies, you’re immediately called a pornographer or a fashion photographer.

http://www.coolcleveland.com/index.php?n=Main.CoolClevelandInterviewSpencerTunick

rangerbob

I was present for all the installations on Saturday morning and Sunday morning and found the whole experience to be one of the most thrilling and liberting of my life.For the first installation, it was the sheer volume of people of all different shapes and sizes, each one nervous off stripping off.Then the call came and within 1 minute everyone was in the buff.Then the long long walk along the pier. Then the passenger ships going by and the repeated pleas of Spencer to not look at the camera.It was cold and wet but exilerating.Most people left but 500 or so stayed for the second shoot in the water. We had jumping jacks, waterfights, a chorus of Ole,Ole and it was much better craic that the first photo.Again, it was cod and wet and one guy nearby should "Spencer, my knob just fell off" sending everyone into fits of laughter. Those left behind got invite to a much smaller installation the next day in the city centre. This was alot more civilised as only around 150 were there. We were brought to the lobby of a nearby hotel and briefed by quietly without any shouting or megaphones. Spencer answered questions and spoke openly and the whole installation was very relaxed.We posed on the balconies of an empty apartment block near grand Canal Square. The couples went first for a sensual pose then the rest were split up into groups of 6-7 an sent to the various apartments. They were nice warm and clean. We waited, chated, undressed and finally went out on the balcony. I was on the 9th floor and man it was windy. Taxi drivers sounded their horns and the early risers from the adjoining apartment block brought out binoculars and snapped photos. The three different installations provided different experiences for me. I think that when I am on my death bed looking back on life, this is one of the experiences I will cherish and remember. We were part of a unique, unforgettable and worldwide experience and I can't wait to see the photos.

rangerbob

I was present at all 3 installations on Sat. & Sun. I can honestly say that this was one of most thrilling and liberating experiences that I have ever had. Each installation brought something new. The sheer volume of people who showed for the first shot was amazing each person was nervous and excited at the same time about stripping off. The sun came up and the view was breath taking. The call came to strip and within 1 minute everyone was nude. There were all shapes and sizes and after a short time everyone was comfortable in their skins, embarrassment gone and eager to get on. Then the long, long walk down the pier, instructions on postions we couldn't hear, please from Spencer " I'm BEGGING you, don't look at the cameras",two large passanger vessels went by with astonished passengers.Second shoot in the sea was a lot more craic with jumping jacks, handstands, water fights and a chorus of Ole,Ole. One near near me shouted"I'm so cold, my knob has fallen off" sending the crowd into fits of laughter. Those left behind wereinvited to a much smaller installation on Sun morning at an empty apartment block in the center of town. We would split into small groups of 6-7 and sent to an apartment to undress and pose when the call came. There were no megaphones or shouting and it was a more personal affair sitting in someone apartment in the nude waiting for the call. Then it was onto the balcony for 2 poses.I was on the 9th floor and it was very window. Taxi men beeped their horns and resident of a nearby block snapped photos. I think that this was one of the experiences I might remember on my death bed while thinks back onn my life. We were part of a unique experience, well done all

AnimalRights

rangerbob with all respect I would imagine that most people like me wouldn't bother their bums reading posts like yours unless you use paragraphs and sentences, I mean I would need a ruler to even attempt them.

Buzz Lightyear

What was more interesting still was the complete absence of that odd desperation after the final sea set-up. Scores of us stood around bottomless with just our coats or jumpers on giddily chatting and trying to get warm in full view of the press before proceeding with the less survival essential matters of applying underwear to soggy arses.

Hi Tordelback.

I've read through all the posts both hear and on the other side of the board for Dublin http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055311947 and having been one of those brave hearted fools who stayed behind, I completely forgot about the sequence of events back on the beach after the shoot. We were all too pre-occupied with gettin the warmth back onto our skin and have a final banter and laugh, that as you said, we finally proceeded to cover up our arses .

I have to say though it was one of the best days of my life (excluding d wedding and birth of my kids). The press did no justice to the occassion except to get a few shots for titalation. The only picture that I've seen so far that even gives an impression of the crac was in todays Star, page 16. It shows us (yep I can see me ) having fun. For those who missed out on the beach shoot, you missed the best part of the party


We were all part of a great expreience - come back again soon Spencer !

corkonian1

After the Spencer Tunick installations many people have commented about the exhilaration and liberation of being naked with a group of others in a non-sexual setting. I and over 20 others who are linked by this experience plan to repeat it in safety. We are mainly in Munster.
The idea is basically that a group of us stay in contact by email and text, to arrange another event, this time without a camera! If it works well, and people are still interested, we will arrange another. The email is to arrange details, the text to make last minute confirmation that the weather looks good enough to go out for that day. The reason we will not make fixed arrangements too far ahead is that we can not rely on the weather.
Car pooling will be the way to go for 2 reasons. One is the price of petrol, and two (revealing my own insecurity here) is that if we travel in a group it should mean more safety for each other.
IM me if you are interested or if you want to know more.

mr.bovy

how would such meetings look like then ?

eviantwix

corkonian1 wrote: »

After the Spencer Tunick installations many people have commented about the exhilaration and liberation of being naked with a group of others in a non-sexual setting. I and over 20 others who are linked by this experience plan to repeat it in safety. We are mainly in Munster.
The idea is basically that a group of us stay in contact by email and text, to arrange another event, this time without a camera! If it works well, and people are still interested, we will arrange another. The email is to arrange details, the text to make last minute confirmation that the weather looks good enough to go out for that day. The reason we will not make fixed arrangements too far ahead is that we can not rely on the weather.
Car pooling will be the way to go for 2 reasons. One is the price of petrol, and two (revealing my own insecurity here) is that if we travel in a group it should mean more safety for each other.
IM me if you are interested or if you want to know more.

Travelled to Dublin from Waterford, would be interested in what you propose to do. What does "IM me" mean....boards rookie here!!

corkonian1

mr.bovy wrote: »

how would such meetings look like then ?

The people who have expressed an interest are making suggestions right now. The most popular suggestions include beach picnics and swims. The right thing is to find places that will not offend any passers-by and some lovely locations have already been suggested. Now all we are short is a warm weekend!

corkonian1

eviantwix wrote: »

Travelled to Dublin from Waterford, would be interested in what you propose to do. What does "IM me" mean....boards rookie here!!

IM me is short for "send me a note by Instant Message". This is done by clicking on my screen name to the left of the message box. On the drop-down menu that appears, click on "send a private message to Corkonian1" and away you go. An advantage of using the IM is that you can send your contact details without everybody seeing them.

Carrigman

I'm sure all this is of huge interest to a lot of people and good luck to them. But what has it to do with photography?