How many saw Spencer Tunick on HBO?

[RalphVa]

On the way to Oklahoma at one of our motel stops, I watched the special on HBO about Spencer Tunick. Think it was last Tues or Wed night.

They showed everything without blaring out the "private" stuff like they did on the naked program a few nights later on VH1 channel. The HBO special on Spencer's work was really good.

How many others saw it?

Ralph

[RalphVa]

On the way to Oklahoma at one of our motel stops, I watched the special on HBO about Spencer Tunick. Think it was last Tues or Wed night.

They showed everything without blaring out the "private" stuff like they did on the naked program a few nights later on VH1 channel. The HBO special on Spencer's work was really good.

How many others saw it?

Ralph

[mel]

I turned to it the other night and saw the last half hour. I hope it's on again so I can watch the whole show. He did a good job from what I saw.

[beavis]

I saw it on Sunday night on HBO. I had also seen the prior show "Naked States" months ago. The most recent show is a documentary of his international tour, "Naked World", wherein he photographs individuals and groups in both urban and rural settings (even Antarctica!) in several continents - usually large cities.

I urge all to find a way to see these. His work is truly exceptional. He is a genuine artistic pioneer and is serving not only the cause of breaking down barriers regarding nudity, but does so in a way that focuses on the humanity perspective. In this way, his work is gaining acceptance by the general public, as well as those in socially influencial (the authorities???) positions. This was evident, in a scene ripe with irony from Melbourne, Australia. Spencer was organizing one of his group nude scenes for a photo session. Ther must have been over two-thousand people, all nude - except one. As Spencer was getting ready to begin the photo session, a guy in a suit ran up to the front of the naked assembly and began waving hand-made signs about Jesus. And get this, the police had to drag him away.

Let me repeat this...everybody in the area is naked, and police drag away the only clothed person. I had to laugh - this was the first "reverse streak" I had ever seen (or would it be "anti-streak"???). Now THAT'S a switch.

We are definitely making progress in making nudity more acceptable - thanks to Spencer.

[nfstan]

HBO usually repeats its shows several times over a period of weeks, so "Naked World" should still be airing. Of all the locales, Australia seemed the most receptive to Tunick's work, the Irish and Japanese the most uptight about it. The Parisian French were oddly coy.

I felt a bit of sympathy for the lone religious protester at the Aussie gathering, who appeared utterly dejected in contrast to the general exuberance at the end.

I admire the fortitude of the lady who bared it all for the penguins of Antarctica.

Norm

[NudeAl]

I saw it the other night . I really enjoyed the events that got a big turn out. I was rather surprised that the French were so anti nude. I do not know if this was just a reaction to him or if it was because he didn't speak the language or what. I always thought their society was one of the most nude friendly, guess not. I knew Australia was going to do well they are about one of the most nude friendly countries I have ever visited they just don't get all uptight about things like that. I believe they set the record having about 4,000 nudes posing in the picture.

[Jochanaan]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by NudeAl:
I believe they set the record having about 4,000 nudes posing in the picture. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>The last I heard, his Barcelona project held the record at about 6 or 7 thousand.

[Rabbit25]

I thought it was well done. It really did portray the beauty of the naked body amidst the historical and natural beauty of places around the world. I think his work is inspiring.

[bendigonudey]

Re the photo shoot in Melbourne.
The clothed guy probably needed to get taken away by the police. As one of the assembled throng, I can tell you that the protester was not popular, and there was a great roar of support when the police got him out of the way.
Despite appearances, however, don't think this is the land of milk & honey - it is amazing how much more liberal our govts and police can be if the nudity is related to "art". Simple nudity in public will still get you arrested real quick if it's not in a designated legal beach area!

On the positive side, 35 degress celcius here tomorrow, so some nude gardening is definitely on the agenda ( that's about 95 degrees Fahrenheit for those of you still using the old language).

I love summer!!

[FireProf]

Yup, watched again last night at work. I wonder how many of those people were first timers to nudity in public and of those which ones have come over to our side.

/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif

[aunaturelone]

Spencer Tunick is the most spectacular and most successful example of public relations I have yet to see in the naturist movement. If Joe Average natuirist photographer were to try something like this, he'd get swatted down. Spence proves that enough public support can be had in a great many supposedly gymnophobic areas that you can thumb your nose at convention and still get the message out.

To the extent that what he does isn't exactly legal everywhere he does it, (especially his earlier work) it is a fine example of how successful civil disobedience can eventually lead to grudging acceptance by civil authority.

Does anyone have a taped copy I could borrow?

[Aaron Adams]

I also saw the Spencer Tunik show. It was interesting to see how different poeple react to the idea of posing nude. As a relatively conservative christian I felt somewhat sorry for the protester in Australia. I wish I could have been there, nude, of course, to cheer the guy up. I was also rather suprised by the French reaction to nudity. It was a valuable insight into French culture.

[RalphVa]

I recently saw a movie called Swimming Pool that also gives some ensight into French culture. An author gets burnout and is offered her editor's home in the south of France, all to herself she thought until his teenage daughter shows up.

After meeting the daughter, she next sees her the next day skinny-dipping in the pool. Later on, the daughter is shown topless a couple of times, but mostly in a bikini. This is their own private pool, mind you, and she's got a swimsuit on.

Other times, she's nude or topless, but seems mostly to titilate, not just to go that way because of the weather and isolation.

[Rik]

I don't understand. What does that say about French culture?

Rik

[bendigonudey]

A nation that gives us Champagne & Cap d'Agde can't be all bad!

The rest of us have a long way to go before we catch up to the body freedom in most of Europe, although I think in Oz, we're a bit ahead of you guys in the USA (from my observation & reaging - please don't flame me too hard if you disagree!)

[aunaturelone]

I think it implies that French culture sees the nudity of "beautiful people" as acceptable and the nudity of ordinary people to be undesirable.

Still they are light years ahead of the US.

[Rik]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by aunaturelone:
I think it implies that French culture sees the nudity of "beautiful people" as acceptable and the nudity of ordinary people to be undesirable. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>As a regular visitor to France and a French speaker I don't think I'd agree with that.

The French are naturally very 'chic' and design conscious - certainly putting most Brits to shame - but they are very much at ease with nudity, beautiful or otherwise.

There are many nudist beaches in France - we used to say if you want a nudist beach just go to any regular beach, turn left and walk half a kilometre - and even on non-nudist beaches you will often see people naked as they change into and out of swimming costumes. You don't often see the French doing the "towel tango" as they prepare for a day on the beach.

Rik

[NudeAl]

Rik,
I have never been to France but I always thought they were not as hung up on clothes as we are. So I am interested to hear your thoughts on this why do you think they reacted so negatively to his(Spencer Tunick) requests to pose nude? Do you think it was poor planning on his part or misunderstanding or language dificulties or what? They appeared to be soliciting people on the street to pose for them. Most of the persons didn't even want to hear what it was about. I know most of us tend to brush off these encounters as well but it seemed impossible for him to even get his point across. Your thoughts on this?

[Rik]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by NudeAl:
I have never been to France but I always thought they were not as hung up on clothes as we are. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>The French love their clothes but that doesn't mean they're hung up on nudity. <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> So I am interested to hear your thoughts on this why do you think they reacted so negatively to his(Spencer Tunick) requests to pose nude? Do you think it was poor planning on his part or misunderstanding or language dificulties or what? [ <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>I didn't see the TV programme so I can only guess.

Firstly there is very definitely a language issue in France - in particular the French do not welcome the tide of English which sweeps across so many countries and anyone trying to communicate only in English will be considered rude by many French people - even in cosmopolitan Paris.

Secondly it may be that Tunick's work is not so well known in France and therefore requests to strip off may well be misinterpreted.

Thirdly I feel that those countries which tend to embrace Tunick are those who tend to see Tunick style nudity as something naughty or daring. The French, I guess, may wonder what all the fuss is about - "What's the big deal in stripping off for a photo when I can go to almost any beach and do the same thing?"

Rik

[RIVERRAT]

WHO IS SPENCER TUNICK, I wish I could say that with he breath of smoke the caterpiler had in Alice in wonderland. Who are you? Oh Well Iam a little nieve, but nude. ain't it great.

[bendigonudey]

See

www.spencertunick.com (http://www.spencertunick.com)

for examples of his great work.

[Griffin]

Spencer Tunick's "Naked World" is scheduled to show a number of times this weekend, starting at 7:45 p.m. MST Friday (Nov. 21) on HBO-E (Cable Channel 210 on Cox) and at 10:45 p.m. on HBO (channel 200 on Cox) MST. Check your listings. There are probably other times this weekend on other HBO family channels.

[aunaturelone]

Unfortunately I don't get the premium channels, so I'll have to take a pass on it.