It's a peaceful picture: around 2,500 people pose stark naked on a beach in Sydney for Spencer Tunick. The US artist is known for his worldwide installations of naked people. This time, too, there is a message behind the project.
Thousands of people have stripped naked for an art installation on Sydney's iconic Bondi Beach, Australia. The surfing beach became a nudist zone for a day when about 2,500 volunteers stripped stark naked to pose for US photographer Spencer Tunick.
The art event was held in partnership with the Skin Check Champions charity, which encourages Australians to get regular skin checks to help prevent skin cancer. The number of participants was roughly equal to the number of Australians who die from skin cancer each year. The organization hopes to raise approximately $250,000 to fund a new research project that will pave the way for a national skin screening program.
77-year-old participant Bruce Fasher said he spent "half his life in the sun" and had "some malignant melanoma" removed from his back. "I thought that's a good thing and I love getting my clothes off at Bondi Beach."
Tunick is known for his artwork featuring nude crowds at well-known landmarks around the world. In 1992 he began photographing naked people on the streets of New York and quickly became famous. Since the mid-1990s he has been conducting his installations worldwide. In the meantime he has realized more than 65 pieces.
In 2010 he held a similar event at the Sydney Opera House. "It's only fitting that I use my platform to urge people to get regular checkups to avoid skin cancer," the photographer said of his current project. As payment, participants will receive a free photo of the installation.
