What makes artists perform nude?

[Ed]

Is it just for the sake of their art or is there an element of exhibitionism too?

[Anonymous]

I guess any artist needs an exhibitionist streak. With a nude performance, I ask myself what the nudity communicates, or what the nudity makes possible. I ask myself would this performance have worked fully clothed? Of course, I can see I’m assuming that being clothed is “normal” and being naked needs some justification, but I suppose that’s the reality we all live in.

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[Martin]

I do a lot of nude film work. I do it because I’m not afraid to see nudity as another costume. So my question is “would the character do this?”. And generally I can accept that they would.

So, for me, performing nude isn’t for any shock value and it’s certainly not to show off a body in the peak of physical condition! But simply because I am comfortable to do so. And want to challenge myself to do so in situations where that comfort level is broken. For example, a recent film required me to be fully nude, feet buried in the ground, wrists tied to two tree trunks whilst fully stretched. The challenge being that any member of general public could have stumbled across the shoot location and I would be fully exposed to them until and unless a member of the crew covered me up. So mentally strengthening me by allowing the release of control to others.

and Ed like this

[Arthur]

<h1 class=”entry-title”>What makes artists perform nude? I’m sure it varies a lot from person to person but I think it allows an artist to expose themselves in a raw manner of totally vulnerability. Once you are naked you’ve let go of basically everything else.</h1>

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[Author]

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