Spencer Tunick shoot @ Sydney Opera House... I was there!

[noodtoonist]

Title says it all... 5200 nekkid people + Sydney Opera House... AWESOME!
The Base - so glad I finally got to do one of these; it's a few hours later and I'm still on a high.

The start time was 4am...! Arrived a bit before that time, my friend and I caught a cab to the Opera House but had to get out about 500meters away and walk the rest as there was total gridlock. A traffic jam in Sydney at 4 on a Monday morning is highly unusual, and this was over the top.

We were given a large clear plastic bag (for our clothes) and a ticket to the main Opera House stage (which was for later). Then followed a lot of waiting (clothed) as more and more people arrived. Spencer Tunick spoke to us around 6 o'clock to tell us he'd be waiting for the sun to come up but that we'd be shortly moving into place. There were two separate groups, those that were going to move into the forecourt lower steps and those who would be on the upper steps - I was in the upper steps group. The first group started to strip first and then move into place and then we stripped off. If you're familiar with this scene from the Enchanted storyline, it was kind of like that. The rainbow of colours from clothing was, within a minute replaced by various shades of pink and brown.

It was a little cool but not too bad. Funny thing is, if it had been held a week earlier it would have been ideal, last Monday morning was one of the warmest ever in Sydney. The rain held off, so overall the weather wasn't too challenging.

So anyway, the crowd was in very good spirits - waving at news helicopters and passing ferries in amongst the time while were waiting on the steps as Spencer organised everyone. There were various positions, facing full frontal, backwards facing, lying down and even embracing friends/partners, etc. There were all ages, all shapes and sizes and about 50/50 gender split. It had been commissioned by the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras, but there were clearly very many straight people there too. My main intent in participating was to be part of a once in a lifetime experience and, until mass public nudity is commonplace it will be once in a lifetime.

After all the steps shots we grabbed our clothes but stayed nude and went into the opera house for a series of photos inside the theater. It was much nicer inside, mainly because we got to sit down and it was a tad warmer. The whole theater was totally full of seated naked people with naked people lying on the stage - it was great. One idiot was thrown out 'cos he was clearly enjoying flashing himself by sitting on the stage with his legs spread. One idiot out of 5000 isn't bad going!

So yeah, what a great experience. Not just to be part of a such a large art installation, but to be nude for about 2 hours at the Sydney Opera House, an iconic piece of architecture on the foreshores of Sydney Harbour was just fantastic.

Also, for participating I'll get a print of the photo from the forecourt. When I do I'll post it here!
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The Bare Pit - 'cos nudists have adventures too, y'know!
Loxie & Zoot - fun in the sun, au naturel!

[JirkaRybka]

Thanks a lot for sharing your experience! I'm sure this was great - I can imagine that, as I also participated in a similar thing, once, even if much smaller. (My report from that old event, the image). Nice to hear that you had a good time, and similar experience.

[the Foolish one]

WOOT, way to go, and congratulations
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the moment we reach for dreams while letting go of that which holds us back is when we learn to fly

[Mista_B]

Oh wow, that sounds like a fantastic experience, I wish I'd been there!

Makes me curious what and artist would do at the Bare Pit! I know I'd give up a lot to be basically surrounded by near-infinite life-drawing opportunities.
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If God had meant for us to be naked, we would have been born that way.

[noodtoonist]

Here's that Sydney Morning Herald shot with me (approximately). I found this arm raised shot to be very difficult as my right shoulder is still giving me grief... not as bad as in recent months but still uncomfortable to raise it over my head let alone straight up in the air.
Here's more info about Spencer Tunick... which has been updated to include the Sydney shoot.

[Phydeau]

I hope to be a part of a Spencer Tunick photo some day.

[noodtoonist]

I wish you good luck in that endeavor.
_________________
The Bare Pit - 'cos nudists have adventures too, y'know!
Loxie & Zoot - fun in the sun, au naturel!