Police Arrest Nude Model at NYC's Met Museum

[steve-o]

This is a silly waste of police time and energy. The cops must have been tipped off.


Naked City: Cops Bust Nude Model at Met Photo Shoot
Model was posing for photographer Zach Hyman
By TOM LLAMAS
Associated Press / NBC New York
Updated 10:35 AM EDT, Thurs., Aug 27, 2009


Police arrested a woman at the Metropolitan Museum of Art for stripping naked in the middle of the Arms and Armour exhibit.

The model was posing yesterday for photographer Zach Hyman who has gained recent notoriety for his photos of nude models posing at New York landmarks, snapping shots of naked New Yorkers (all volunteers) from Times Square to Chinatown for his portrait series.

Hyman gives himself just 30 seconds to take 10 shots of nude models with his Hasselblad 500 C/M film camera and conducts his shoots in all natural light. The pictures typically can sell for anywhere from $2,000 to $9,500.

The model, KC Neill, 26, was charged with public lewdness.

Earlier this week, Hyman said his photo shoots require more precautions than most. Wary of arrest, he keeps bail money handy, takes along a lookout for police and keeps his lawyer on speed dial. Up until today he's never had to use the bail money.

It was on his mind during his last shoot in Times Square.

"I was wholly prepared to be arrested, but somehow managed to walk away with the image and no cuffs," Hyman said of that shoot.

Hyman -- who says he's inspired by Helmut Newton, David LaChapelle, and Guy Bourdin -- wasn't that lucky this time. Sometime you have to suffer for your heart.

Get more information on Hyman's Web site.

Jennifer Millman contributed to this article.

First Published: Aug 26, 2009 4:45 PM EDT

Find this article at:
http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Naked-City-Cops-Bust-Nude-Model-at-Met-Photo-Shoot-55138662.html

[Lord Drakkus]

Anybody else catch the irony of this? A man who takes pictures of what the majority of people would probably consider sexual has a last name of Hyman... Sure, it has an a instead of an e, so it's not QUITE the same. But I wonder if that had anything to do with his decision to do nudes.

[Agde]

Anybody else catch the irony of this? A man who takes pictures of what the majority of people would probably consider sexual has a last name of Hyman... Sure, it has an a instead of an e, so it's not QUITE the same. But I wonder if that had anything to do with his decision to do nudes.

Of course the French would pronounce Hyman as "He-man" and without my glasses his name looks sorta "Human" :) Anyway, his photography style is.. well... very-New-York-City and his website (http://www.zhfoto.com) has many things besides nudes. Bail money is really cheap for this kind of publicity! Maybe he tipped off the police himself?

[Fitz1980]

Of course the French would pronounce Hyman as "He-man" and without my glasses his name looks sorta "Human" :) Anyway, his photography style is.. well... very-New-York-City and his website (http://www.zhfoto.com) has many things besides nudes. Bail money is really cheap for this kind of publicity! Maybe he tipped off the police himself?

Possibly, Spencer Tunick was arrested and had the charges dismissed for basically the same thing in New York City 10 years ago.

[PappaBare]

I think the whole thing is a mockery, I mean anyone could see by where they were taking the pictures, that it was art upon art, a nude in front of painted nudes.

I would have loved to of seen the pictures.

[Naturist Mark]

They could have been arrested for using the Museum property for their professional photo shoot without permission, nudity or not.

Lewd behavior was the wrong charge. Should have been 'trespassing'.

Just because the museum is open to the public doesn't mean I can set up a table inside it selling my art t-shirts. I'd need permission.

Still ... I'm generally in favor of guerrilla art.

[nudeM]

Due to New York's budget mess, I can see where certain local officals would try to boost the city's revenue.:smoking:

[johnniep1]

Whille the entire episode was harmless and posed no threat to the public,
the question of why the Police arrested the model,instead of the photo-
grapher, remains. At the time, the model was, doubtlessly, under the em-
ployment of the photographer, and, as such, should not been considered
the "culpable" party. All the Police had to do was to hand the model in
question a mid-length bathrobe with which to cover herself, not that
there's anything indecent with the nude female body. Unfortunately, contemporary American society is still living in the dark ages concerning
nudism, in general.

[Skinview]

...the question of why the Police arrested the model,instead of the photo-
grapher, remains. At the time, the model was, doubtlessly, under the em-
ployment of the photographer, and, as such, should not been considered
the "culpable" party.

No, it was the model who was breaking the law, although there may also be a law against paying someone to expose themselves. I seem to recall at least one state with a law like that. But I still maintain that people have a Ninth Amendment right to dress, or not, as they please.

[DenitaLC]

Another thought: Could this be a cleaver PR stunt to get him some press? If there was concern over being 'tipped off' and the police getting there so quickly.....it almost comes off as a set up. Perhaps now his photographs will be worth even more???

[RobertL]

... At the time, the model was, doubtlessly, under the employment of the photographer, ....

To guarantee his/her human dignity, a model should not be considered an employee of the photographer, but a specific artist, and a co-author of the photographs.
And not be paid a lump sum, but get part (one third or one half) of the duties / royalties obtained.

[simonsebs]

Charges Dropped Against Nude Met Model (http://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local-beat/Charges-Dropped-Against-Nude-Model-71833007.html)

Here's an update to the story.