Showing posts with label Solstice Cyclists. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 18

Sydney Body Art Ride

The Sydney Body Art Ride is a community-driven art event which raises funds for children's cancer research while promoting healthy sustainable living. It is held annually in the middle of February in Sydney, Australia.

Volunteer participants create an ephemeral moving artwork called "The Human Rainbow." which consists of hundreds of painted cyclists riding in groups to form a rainbow that travels through the city to a beach. At the beach the riders march into the sea and wash off the (biodegradable) paint. The event was conceived and orchestrated by Sydney-based artist Jake Lloyd Jones.

The meaning of the artwork is "Hope" which is expressed by individual riders using their personal community networks to raise funds for Children's Cancer Research. 100% of money raised is donated to the Children's Cancer Institute of Australia. The procession also expresses the communities support for the measures City of Sydney Council has undertaken to provide alternative options for the city's commuters.

Sydney Body Art Ride is a highlight of the New Mardi Gras Arts festival and attracts visitors from interstate and all over the world. The event is supported and endorsed by a large number of important Sydney identities including the Lord Mayor and other celebrities. The event is a-political and has the support of people from all sides of the political spectrum.

The artwork

This project gives ordinary members of the community a chance to be part of a unique artistic event. The community creates the artwork itself using their own bodies as the canvas. An annual photographic exhibition is held at the Pine Street Creative Art Centre to showcase the best photographs of the event.

Charity fundraising

Each rider is sponsored by family and friends and a prize is awarded to the person who raises the highest amount. A $2 or more donation is also collected from all participants. All of this money goes to the Children's Cancer Institute of Australia. Funding for expenses associated with the ride comes from City Council grants and the sale of photographs at the exhibition. The event has raised more than $20,000 for the Children's Cancer Institute of Australia.

World records

The Sydney Body Art Ride holds two World records: largest group of fully painted people and largest group of painted people on bicycles.

(source:wikipedia)

World Naked Bike Ride

World Naked Bike Ride,

World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) is an international clothing-optional bike ride in which participants plan, meet and ride together en masse on human-powered transport (the vast majority on bicycles, and fewer on skateboards, rollerblades, roller skates) to "protest oil dependency and celebrate the power and individuality of our bodies and they are supporting local political parties such as the Work Less Party".

The dress code motto is "Bare As You Dare". Full and partial (especially topfree) nudity is encouraged, but not mandatory, on all rides. Requiring partial cover-up is strictly forbidden and is a distinguishing feature of WNBR versus other cycling events.

Creative expression is also encouraged to create a fun and immersive atmosphere during the ride, to capture the attention and imagination of passers-by and the media, and to make the experience more personalized and fulfilling for the riders. Body art (such as body painting) are common forms of creative expression, as well as costumes, art bikes, portable sound reinforcement systems (such as public address systems/bullhorns, boomboxes) and musical instruments, as well as other types of noisemakers.

Pre-ride parties for WNBR have become events unto themselves featuring musical bands, DJs, bodypainting, temporary structures/installation art, political tabling, and catering. In addition to simply being able to ride clothes-free on community streets, some rides have established precedent by having body-painting parties, often involving numbers of naked riders and artists, in high-visibility municipal parks.

This distinctive form of Critical Mass, occasionally called Critical Ass, is often described or categorized as a form of political protest, street theatre, party-on-wheels, streaking, public nudity and clothing-optional recreation and thus attracts a wide-range of participants.

History

London riders.

The first Naked Bike Ride was celebrated in Zaragoza, Spain, in 2001. In 2003 Conrad Schmidt conceived the World Naked Bike Ride after organizing the Naked Bike Rides of the group Artists for Peace/Artists Against War (AFP/AAW) which took place in the early part of the same year, as well as other high-profile political/media events leading to the creation of The Work Less Party of British Columbia.

WNBR rapidly started to come to life through collaborations with activist groups and individuals around the world. The first WNBR event in 2004 was a collaboration between the WNBR group (June 12) and Manifestación Ciclonudista in Spain (June 19), establishing a precedent as a solstitial Saturday observance. Since that time rides have also taken place in February and March (mainly in the Southern Hemisphere). A smaller number of rides have taken place at other times of the year.

Prior to the first World Naked Bike Ride event in June 2004, two independent organizations - AFP/AAW and Manifestación Ciclonudista - had been organizing very similar political events with virtually identical messages of protesting oil dependency. Despite having similar political messages neither of these groups knew of the existence of the other until collaboration began many months before the first WNBR event.

The 2004 WNBR saw events in 28 cities, in 10 countries on four continents.

Issues

Protesters gathered outside a courthouse on 17 Feb 2005 to protest against the arrest of Simon Oosterman (second from left), Auckland's 2005 WNBR organiser.

Sharing the road

Some are opposed to large Critical Mass-type events in general because events may interfere with automobile traffic. Critical Mass participants counter: "We are not stopping traffic, we are traffic." Critical Mass and other "biketivist" groups promote awareness of cyclists, they feel, out of necessity — many cyclists are seriously injured and killed by careless drivers. That includes commuters, students, children and police officers on bicycles. All cyclists are at risk. Participants advocate "living streets" and bicycle-friendly communities.

Health, efficiency and sustainability

Participants believe that many communities were not designed to take advantage of bicycles, which they consider the world's most efficient means of personal transport. Instead, they believe, society has subordinated community values to the requirements of expensive, dangerous, loud and polluting vehicles. Oil has become a treasured commodity despite its inherent evils — the costs of war, climate change, and innocent lives.

Like Critical Mass, WNBR aims to promote bicycle transportation, renewable energy, recreation, walkable communities, and environmentally-responsible, sustainable solutions to living in the 21st century. Participants celebrate the many benefits of a car-free lifestyle: free of emissions, free parking, and an overall free feeling.

WNBR approach

Some cycling activists criticize the event for trivializing the issues of oil dependency, cyclists' access to roads, and car culture. Organizers argue that having fun and doing public outreach are not mutually exclusive. Creative advocacy stimulates people to contemplate the issues. They argue that by occupying lanes intended for cars and not for bicycles, by tossing their clothes and rejecting body shame, they are protesting a way of life which should be abandoned. They believe that getting people to laugh and smile is a great way to connect and share ideas in a non-threatening way.

Body positive values, body image and offense

This section contains weasel words, vague phrasing that often accompanies biased or unverifiable information. Such statements should be clarified or removed. (March 2009)

London riders at Hyde Park.

The ride has been criticized by some because WNBR often involves participants who are naked or topfree. Some people who are offended by nudity or topfreedom believe that it should take place in designated areas or times only. People who feel WNBR participants are going out of their way to get attention by using their uncovered bodies may argue that they are being exhibitionists or even expressing sexually-deviant intent.

Participants claim that non-sexualized, colorful and creative nakedness in repressed societies is a refreshing way to remind people of some fundamental freedoms of life that people have collectively handed over without really thinking of the consequences. They claim that the WNBR is about body-positive values: living a healthy life in tune with, not against, the environment; respecting the natural beauty and diversity of human bodies; establishing and projecting a positive self image; and rejecting shame. Organizers feel that WNBR is not just a ride against oil dependency; it is a ride for self-empowerment.

Legality of public nudity

The policing of the ride varies according to local laws, local police policy, and local cultural expectations. At some events, police support and facilitate the event. A team of cycle-mounted police provide traffic control at road junctions for the London (UK) ride. At other events police take a more neutral stance, and simply monitor the event. In other cases police have attempted to stop the ride or have intimidated riders into putting on some level of clothing.

Arrests and charges

Arrests during WNBR events are rare. There have been arrests in Auckland (13 February 2005), North Conway, New Hampshire (11 June 2005), and Chicago (11 June 2005). Two male riders were arrested during WNBR North Conway 2005 and were charged with "indecent exposure and lewdness". The two riders agreed to having the charges reduced to "disorderly conduct" and pay a $300 fine, a major portion of which was paid for by the WNBR Legal Defense Fund.[5] Six male riders were charged with "public indecency" during the 2005 WNBR Chicago ride and later prosecuted with sentences ranging from fines and non-expungeable conviction to three months of court supervision.

WNBR's successful cultural and legal precedent

A body painted participant at London's 2009 WNBR

The reason the majority of WNBR events have encountered few problems is fairly simple.

(1) The laws on nudity are often vague and difficult to enforce. As WNBR is clothing-optional, organizers urge those who are uncomfortable going naked or who fear legal scuffles simply not to go completely naked. Participants have used body paint, liquid latex, a strategically placed sock, underwear and duct tape to cover "illegally exposed" body parts. For example, flesh-colored bodysuits with exaggerated body parts were used in Seattle in 1999 by Fremont Arts Council members to spoof the Solstice Cyclists in the Summer Solstice Parade in Seattle. Organizers encourage creativity and imagination, whether the participants go fully bare or not.

(2) Some cities have restrictions on nudity in public areas, and some cultures have harsh restrictions on nudity in public (such as Saudi Arabia). However, the laws of most progressive societies are written to discourage activities which are intended to shock or offend. Many laws on nudity hinge on a concept of "indecent exposure". Most participants believe that there is nothing indecent about a naked body and counter that the only thing that is indecent are the laws on indecent exposure. Many contend that the shame is on those who demand coverups, not on those who can go without.

Simon Oosterman, organizer of the Auckland 2005 WNBR, and the first to be arrested during a WNBR event, is credited with going further and refocusing the issue on oil-dependency. He urged: "Stop the indecent exposure to vehicle emissions." Oosterman later defended a charge of indecent exposure in the Auckland District Court in 2006; after hearing evidence, the Judge dismissed the charge.

I have had many fun encounters with police officers; one of the most interesting was when this grumpy police officer came up to me and told me that he thought that what I was wearing was indecent. I looked him straight in the eye and told him that I thought his opinion was indecent. I was right; and no, I was not arrested.

—Conrad Schmidt, Vancouver, British Columbia

Organizers believe that there are many indecent laws that citizens of the world have to stand up to, such as laws infringing on personal freedoms.

(3) Police do not want to be seen confronting a large group of peaceful, naked people. It is too embarrassing. Attempted police/city crackdowns on popular nude events have met with popular backlash. As an example, the City of Seattle threatened to withdraw a permit to the Fremont Arts Council in 2001 for the Summer Solstice Parade due to an increasing number of naked cyclists. The controversy made the cyclists even more popular, especially after they agreed to participate within the spirit of the event with costumes, bodypaint and bike decorations.

(4) Participants who encounter police or other aggression are urged to not reciprocate the aggression, to keep it light, and to use humor as a weapon. It is tough getting angry at a colorful naked person on a bicycle. Anger and aggression only returns anger and aggression.

Riders are encouraged to "ride loud and be proud." Organizers only allow rides to be organized in public areas for maximum outreach, not in established or ghettoized areas such as nudist/naturist clubs. Events are promoted at the grassroots level, often using Internet resources such as discussion groups, web sites, blogs and online journals and also by placing advertisements in local, non-mainstream newspapers and progressive journals.

Making Waves: Backlash vs Blowback

Some believe that public nudity may threaten clothing-optional freedoms such as at-home nudity, clothes-free beaches or naturist/nudist clubs and resorts, or that it may result in legislation further restricting other activities involving nudity or partial nudity. However, there has been no documented backlash due to any WNBR event. Some riders feel secure and empowered in their belief that they are part of a popular blowback effect after living in a restrictive society and feeling that their concerns have not been taken seriously.

This year, William and Edward Stevens participated in the WNBR as part of their Tall Bike Tour Britain ride around Britain on tall bikes. Though the pair were in the Scottish borders at the time they sent a pack of postcards down to the London event illustrating their participation.

Solstice Cyclists

Solstice Cyclists,

The Solstice Cyclists (also known as The Painted [Naked] Cyclists of the Solstice Parade, or The Painted Cyclists) is an artistic, non-political, clothing-optional bike ride celebrating the spirit of the Summer Solstice, and which constitutes an unofficial start for the Summer Solstice Parade & Pageant, an event produced by the Fremont Arts Council in the Fremont district of Seattle.

The loosely organized event was originally started by streakers who crashed the parade, but has changed over the years, as participants decided to emphasize bodypainting and other forms of creative artistry done in the spirit of the host event. The group is now the largest and fastest growing ensemble associated with the parade. The parade, which is put on by the Fremont Arts Council, starts at noon on the third Saturday in June (which is the Saturday before or on the actual Solstice); the painted cyclists typically arrive at around 11:45 a.m. and ride for a little over an hour.

Art bikes are also common during the event, and many different types of human-powered cycles have also been used including BMX bikes, cycle rickshaws, unicycles, clown bicycles, tall bikes, lowrider bicycles, tandem bicycles and tricycles. People have come from all over the country to ride, and all over the world to see the ensemble. Full and partial (especially topfree) nudity is popular, but not mandatory, on all rides.

While the cyclists open the parade by tradition, they are not officially in the parade line-up (with the exception of 2003 when they had a float). Despite this apparent disconnect, there is a considerable amount of collaboration between many local arts groups. Parade participants who want to be bodypainted are often referred to pre-ride bodypainting parties, and some of the cyclists also work in the FAC's Solstice Parade Workshop on their art bikes or on other parade entries.

Participants are expected to abide by the FAC's Parade rules that state "any printed communications, written words, recognizable logos, signage, leaf-letting, or advertising in any form are prohibited on the parade route."

In recent years the event includes three major components: a pre-ride bodypainting party (disclosed only to participants and potential riders), an extended party ride (often indirect) through the city, and then the parade itself starting at noon. Cyclists wishing to get involved in the group who haven't heard about the bodypainting party often meet up at the beginning of the parade route

Controversy

The year 2001 and subsequent years were controversial for the naked cyclists, including several references to cyclists as "parade crashers". In 2001, police and parade organizers posted signs noting the laws against indecent exposure to warn cyclists of possible prosecution. Organizers claimed that the cyclists were getting in the way of the event's true hallmark: artistic freedom.[1] An editorial that same day (May 17, 2001) in The Seattle Times echoed this sentiment: "They have stolen the spotlight on a parade that is supposed to be about art, not about being unclothed. Some Fremonters appear to resent that and do not want the nudists doing this. However, many welcome the cyclists. Neither of them want the cyclists wrestled to the pavement by police, spoiling the atmosphere of their parade."[2]

Sentiments like the above frustrated the cyclists, who were at that time getting bodypainted. They also did not like being labeled nudists, as most of them were not.

[edit] History and media coverage

[edit] 1992

1992 was the first year cyclists are said to have appeared in the fourth annual Solstice Parade. Most likely these were streakers.

[edit] 1993

In 1993 there were 7-10 people in the Solstice Parade cycling naked, maybe three of whom were bodypainted.[3] Reference to the second year of naked cyclists: "It could only happen in Fremont, said one of the coordinators, Barbara Luecke. Only such a rich artistic community could shake off the staid reserve from nearby Ballard to let loose with such creative energy and fun. ... Buck-naked cyclists who streaked the parade for the second year may have crossed the boundary of good taste (would that be Leary Way Northwest?). But one, at least, was wearing a helmet (proof that people in Seattle can get wild, but not too wild)."[4]

[edit] 1995

Eight naked men were reported to have cycled through the parade in the fourth year of the naked cyclists: "All the nudes: Overheard at the Fremont Solstice Parade on Saturday was a woman spectator commenting: "Oh, no. Not eight naked men on bicycles. I hate naked men on bicycles."[5] A separate article about a week before the parade made reference to previous years with naked cyclists.[6]

[edit] 1997

In the sixth year of the naked cyclists, one fast-moving cyclist was reported to have hit a child, resulting in the Fremont Arts Council asking police to be present in 1998.[7]

"Per tradition, there also were naked bicycle riders. They zoomed by so quickly it was hard to tell, um, the type of bike they were riding. 'I wish they had sort of stopped and waved,' said Blue Hesik Lan."[8]

[edit] 1998

The seventh year of the naked cyclists at the solstice marked the year when one of the ride's major organizers became involved in the ride for the first time, and was the only one bodypainted in a group of about six people. Two 28-year old naked parade cyclists were arrested who, according to police, "cut into the marching order" of the parade ensembles. Four police were involved in the effort. The city declined to file charges because, according to the city's prosecuting office: "in order to prove indecent exposure, it's necessary to show the person's intent was to be obscene and cause alarm."[9] Also of note is the sightings of nude cyclists in the Capitol Hill neighborhood this year.

"Crowds booed when last year's naked riders were arrested and handcuffed."[10]

"Bicyclists riding au naturel is nothing new to the quirky parade, which is known for participants in outlandish and sometimes risque costumes. But police say yesterday's arrests were made primarily for safety: The nude bicyclists typically dash quickly in and out of the parade audience."[7]

"So, why is the only focus on the nude bikers? They were only a part of the parade for a few minutes. I did not see them."[11]

[edit] 1999

In the eighth year, a second-time rider (mentioned above) hosted a bodypainting party at her Wallingford residence in response to the previous year's pseudo arrests (nothing illegal here!) and friction between the Fremont Arts Council and the City of Seattle. Twenty-odd friends gathered to get painted and ride together to the parade, including a woman who wore a 3-buttcheek bodysuit costume rather than paint. Members of the Fremont Arts Council launched a spoof of the naked bicyclists as well. Wearing flesh-colored body suits with exaggerated body parts sewn on, they cycled down the parade route while two bicyclists pretending to be police officers gave chase. When the truly naked cyclists showed up, they blended right in with their Fremont Arts Council bodysuit imposters.

"And, of course, there were the infamous and crowd-pleasing nude bikers, a regular attraction eagerly awaited by the parade watchers. ... 'This is not authorized by the organizers,' said Steve Lynch, one of the volunteers responsible for safety and order during the event. 'But it's just for fun, so no interventions.'"[12]

"Here in the self-anointed center of the universe, where the Waiting for the Interurban sculptures wear more clothing than the nude cyclists who grace the annual Solstice Parade, high-tech is moving in."[13]

"Meanwhile, Hadrann says the scent of rebellion is in the air in Fremont - or maybe it's just another rumor. 'Some people in the community are going to get nude if he (Sidran) starts arresting the cyclists,' he says. ... 'First, there was 50, now there's like 100 people. . . . Who knows what kind of chain reaction this is going to bring.'"[14] This article also includes Seattle Police Department Lt. Mark Kuehn's suggestions for safety for nude cyclists such as: "Refrain from trying out saddles in the nude, for obvious sanitary reasons. Hadrann suggests shoppers take along a few pairs of Chinese disposable underwear (made of paper) for saddle-buying expeditions."

* "The council decided this week against posting 'no nudity' signs for the neighborhood's arts parade, where two men were arrested for naked bike riding last year. Police had asked that the signs be posted for this year's parade, set for Saturday. ...Council President Bradley Erhlich said the public nudity might be a form of artistic expression. ... 'If it is art, then the Arts Council should support them,' Erhlich said. ... Crowds booed when last year's naked riders were arrested and handcuffed."[10]

[edit] 2000

In the nude cyclists' ninth year, internationally acclaimed bodypainting artist Steven Bradford [1] joined the bodypainting team and assisted in transforming 4 women into Fire, Earth, Air, and Water at the painting party at Fire's home.

[edit] 2001

In 2001, according to The Seattle Times, there were 50 cyclists, mostly in bodypaint.[15] To the amusement of many, this year an artist had a painting in the parade showing a naked female bicyclist next to a baton-wielding police officer. The pose itself could have either shown the apprehension or the cop gleefully stopping for a picture next to the bicyclist. The panel was put on a small platform on wheels and parade goers were invited to have their pictures taken with their heads poking out of the holes of the naked bicyclists and the officer.

In 2001, the city threatened to withdraw the event permit for the Fremont Arts Council because of the nudity. Signs were actually made warning naked cyclists that they may be subject to arrest. The city ended up backing off before the event day. Fremont Arts Council parade organizers urged riders to participate within the artistic spirit of the event.[1] Many locals were very upset that the city would threaten to arrest one of the parade's most popular and creative ensembles. The blowback effect, as predicted by Seattle City Council Chair Nick Licata, ended up being more publicity and popularity for the cyclists which, in turn, led to more cyclists wanting to join the ensemble.

In efforts to combat this effect, the Seattle City Council was invited by the Fremont Arts Council to participate in the parade. Nick Licata was the only one who agreed and ended up cycling through as the "un-naked cyclist". After jeers of "Take your clothes off" he was met by a parade monitor who told him to get off the parade route, stating "Yeh? We still don't have bike riding in the parade. If one person rides then others will and then the whole parade will have bikes riding all over the place."[16] Licata later lamented in a Seattle Times article, "I was waving to the photographer - smack in the middle of a pack of painted, naked bicyclists."[17]

"There was no better illustration of the fair's quirkiness than in its parade - with its wild costumes, floats and giant puppets - and nude bicyclists, which led to a flap over the permit for this year's parade. ... Before the city issued this year's parade permit, police said they have gotten numerous complaints about the nude cyclists every year. They asked the Fremont Arts Council to post signs along the parade route warning cyclists, who are not a sanctioned part of the parade, about laws against indecent exposure. The council said no, even though members discouraged the nudity. ... In 1998, two bikers in the buff were arrested. None were arrested this year."[18]

[edit] 2002

"What solstice is complete without nude cyclists? To get your annual fix, see the Fremont Summer Solstice Parade and Fair on Saturday and Sunday."[19]

"As has been the tradition, a number of unauthorized naked bicycle riders start the parade. Last year there were 50 — most in body paint."[15]

[edit] 2003

2003 marked the twelfth year of naked cyclists taking part in the Solstice Parade. The parade took place on June 21, 2003. Numbers quadrupled from previous years to between 75 and 80 riders. An internet discussion forum was established for the first time. The bodypainting party took place at the host's house in the Ravenna neighborhood, with a photo shoot at Cowen Park. The procession then began south through the University District on Roosevelt and then on 45th through Wallingford to Phinney Ridge. This is also the first year that the cyclists were officially part of the parade with their Helios-themed float, which several cyclists (partially dressed) climbed aboard after they cycled through the parade. The float featured wispy clouds and gold-painted "chariot" exercise bikes to evoke a sense of pulling the sun through the summer. Ironically, toward the end of the parade, and despite all the "Happy Solstice" chants, the sky clouded over and it began to rain. Two digital video films were produced from footage of this year's event. One is called Painted & Naked: The Fremont Solstice Riders 2003 and is sold to friends and future potential riders with proceeds going to a local charity. The other video was called Solstice: A Celebration of the Art of Bodypainting produced by James W. Taylor/Circle Rock Productions and premiered at Naked Freedom Film Festival [2], held at the Seattle Art Museum on May 15, 2004. Unusually cool weather this year resulting in a number of weather-themed paint jobs.

Also in 2003, much publicity was focused on David Zaitzeff's determination to walk naked through the Solstice Parade. Zaitzeff sued Seattle police Chief Gil Kerlikowske in a federal lawsuit because he "desires to go nude at the Fremont Solstice Parade without fear of unjust arrest". U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik said that because Zaitzeff had not been arrested for indecent exposure, the court couldn't make a prospective ruling on the matter.[20]

Much later in the year there was a suggestion to have the group become part of a larger international naked bike ride, later known as the World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR). The idea was unpopular because the Solstice Parade, unlike WNBR, is a non-political arts event. Secondary reasons for not liking the idea included that WNBR would not be as spontaneous of an event and some may not be as inclined to participate in an artistic way.

[edit] 2004

The parade took place on June 19, 2004. About 116 cyclists participated, setting a new record. The main group started to ride from the pre-parade bodypainting party at the old Segway building in Ballard. (The building was later demolished to make way for Ballard Civic Center Park.) The ride proceeded down NW Market Street to Leary Way to the parade. The cyclists did not have a float in the parade in 2004, but there were more elaborate art installations on bikes. 2004 also marked the beginning of the Synchronised Cycling Drill Team within the group. The year's theme was Noah's Ark animals. One of the cyclists provided rides to children along the parade route in her cycle rickshaw.

A week prior to the event, on June 12, was the first annual World Naked Bike Ride event in Seattle [3] and was the first time a major naked cycling event has crossed the channel into downtown Seattle. This ride featured a pre-ride bodypainting party at Gas Works Park, where the end of the painted cyclists ride traditionally took place.

[edit] 2005

The Synchronised Cycling Drill Team shown performing.

PaintedCyclists2005 1.jpg

PaintedCyclists2005 5.jpg

The parade took place on June 18, 2005. Approximately 138 cyclists leave bodypainting party on the south side of the Lake Washington Ship Canal, and once joined by those waiting at the parade, the numbers probably grew to around 160 cyclists. Part of the ride included going down the Ballard Bridge on 15th Avenue and turning again on NW Market Street. About five cyclists broke off from the group after the end of the parade ride and rode around Green Lake and came back to Fremont.

One of the big controversies in 2005 was the Fremont Arts Council excluding People Undergoing Real Experiences (PURE) (now known as Pure cirkus) from dressing "up as pirates with two people suspended on a pirate ship float from hooks in their skin" as they go through the parade. Much of the media noted that while the naked cyclists are tolerated and widely popular, this has become the new controversial area for the council.[21][22]

A week later, a third painted ride, called the Body Pride Ride, was started by one of the painted cyclists, and took place for the first time in the Seattle Gay Pride Parade on Capitol Hill. A WNBR mini-ride in September marked 2005 as a record-setting year not only for the number of painted cyclists participating, but also for doubling the number of painted naked rides in Seattle to a total of four.

"If bike riders rode nude in a Los Angeles summer solstice celebration, the LAPD would shoot them dead, after a 'slow speed' chase televised on all 28 local channels."[23]

"Really, that's just the crazy naked bicyclists who precede the parade every year. They get all the press, all the hype, all the lasting impressions. People who work on the parade openly despise them. ... The nude bikers take away from all the legitimate art that volunteers spend countless hours creating. With one exhibitional blow, months of hard work by solstice parade artists is knocked from our collective conscious."[24]

[edit] 2006

The 18th Annual Summer Solstice Parade & Pageant, on June 17, 2006, marked the 15th year that naked cyclists have participated in the parade. On March 27, 2006, the Painted Cyclists went public with a public portal website: The Painted Cyclists. KUOW-FM in Seattle did an interview for their program called Weekday with the cyclists at the Ballard neighborhood where the bodypainting party was taking place, taking up at least three residential lots. The interview was reportedly about cycling safety in Seattle. This is confirmed by several cyclists and pictures taken at the bodypainting party. The segment aired on June 22, 2006.

[edit] 2007

The 19th Annual Solstice Parade took place on June 16, 2007, marking the sixteenth consecutive year the painted cyclists have ridden in the parade. 267 cyclists took to the streets at 11:45 a.m. with little or no confrontation, legal or otherwise. The annual painting party took place at a nearby residence on NW 48th Street in Ballard. For the first time, a video presented by a painted inline skater was shot at the painting party and posted to the website of The Stranger newspaper.

[edit] 2008

The 20th Annual Solstice Parade took place on June 21, 2008, marking the 17th consecutive year that the painted cyclists have accompanied. Slightly fewer cyclists than in previous years rode, and tension between both the Seattle police and the Fremont Arts Council was minimal. The painting party took place this time in Belltown, meaning the cyclists had to ride a full three miles through the Seattle neighborhood of Queen Anne to get to Fremont. Painting parties were also going on independently of the main party downtown, so riders had to coordinate meeting up at a common location before entering the parade. After making a surprise entrance by entering through the crowd at the middle of the parade route, on Fremont Avenue (which had never been done before), riders were initially rerouted because of the timing of the permits. They later reentered the parade route closer to the traditional starting point and proceeded through the parade, ending the ride at Gas Works Park.

2009

The 21st Annual Solstice Parade took place on June 20, 2009, marking the 18th consecutive year of the painted cyclists. The painting party took place at Hale's Ales in Ballard, and attracted an estimated 430[25] cyclists, plus painters. After riding through Ballard and watching their numbers swell as riders from independent paint parties joined the group, the riders traversed the parade route in Fremont, ending once again at Gas Works Park. Media coverage included an article and video by the Seattle P-I. Ensembles included the "Stimulus Package" group, appropriate for a year of controversial economic bailouts.

(source:wikipedia)

Tuesday, May 18

Body painting

Body painting,

or sometimes bodypainting, is a form of body art. Unlike tattoo and other forms of body art, body painting is temporary, painted onto the human skin, and lasts for only several hours, or at most (in the case of Mehndi or "henna tattoo") a couple of weeks. Body painting that is limited to the face is known as face painting. Body painting is also referred to as (a form of) temporary tattoo; large scale or full-body painting is more commonly referred to as body painting, while smaller or more detailed work is generally referred to as temporary tattoos.

Traditional body painting

Body painting was very common used in the early 12th to mid 14th century by religious practitioners in rituals. This is an example of Gothic Art. It was common in the areas of countries we now refer to as France and Germany. Examples were displayed on frescoes, but primarily worn by members of the church clergy under robes. Primarily symbols on the arms, chest and back, these forms of identification led to Dalecarlian form of writing found in many northern European countries.

Dalecarlian symbols.

Body painting with clay and other natural pigments existed in most, if not all, tribalist cultures. Often worn during ceremonies, it still survives in this ancient form among the indigenous people of Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific islands and parts of Africa. A semi-permanent form of body painting known as Mehndi, using dyes made of henna (hence also known rather erroneously as "henna tattoo"), was and is still practiced in India and the Middle East, especially on brides. Since the late 1990s, Mehndi has become popular amongst young women in the Western world.

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Indigenous peoples of South America traditionally use annatto, huito, or wet charcoal to decorate their faces and bodies. Huito is semi-permanent, and it generally takes weeks for this black dye to fade.

Actors and clowns around the world have painted their faces--and sometimes bodies--for centuries, and continue to do so today. More subdued form of face paints for everyday occasions evolved into the cosmetics we know today.

Modern body painting

A young woman with a butterfly painted on her chest.

There has been a revival of body painting in the Western society since the 1960s, in part prompted by the liberalization of social mores regarding nudity and often comes in sensationalist or exhibitionist forms. Even today there is a constant debate about the legitimacy of body painting as an art form. The current modern revival could be said to date back to the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago where Max Factor and his model were arrested for causing a public disturbance when he bodypainted her with his new make-up formulated for Hollywood films.

Body art today evolves to the works more directed towards personal mythologies, as Jana Sterbak, Rebecca Horn, Youri Messen-Jaschin or Javier Perez.

Body painting is not always large pieces on fully nude bodies, but can involve smaller pieces on displayed areas of otherwise clothed bodies.

Body painting led to a minor alternative art movement in the 1950s and 1960s, which involved covering a model in paint and then having the model touch or roll on a canvas or other medium to transfer the paint. French artist Yves Klein is perhaps the most famous for this, with his series of paintings 'Anthropometries'. The effect produced by this technique creates an image-transfer from the model's body to the medium. This includes all the curves of the model's body (typically female) being reflected in the outline of the image. This technique was not necessarily monotone; multiple colors on different body parts sometimes produced interesting effects.

Joanne Gair is a leading body paint artist whose work appeared for the tenth consecutive year in the 2008 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.[2] She burst into prominence with a August 1992 Vanity Fair Demi's Birthday Suit cover of Demi Moore. Her Disappearing Model was part of the highest rated episode of Ripley's Believe It or Not!

Two body painted women in a PETA protest against the fur trade.

Body painting is commonly used as a method of gaining attention in political protests, for instance those by PETA against Burberry.

Body painting festivals

Georgetown University fans with painted torsos in Atlanta. Such painting is common in many sports.

Body painting festivals happen annually across the world, bringing together professional body painters as well as keen amateurs. Body paintings can also typically be seen at football matches, at rave parties, and at certain festivals. The World Bodypainting Festival in Seeboden in Austria is the biggest art event in the bodypainting theme and thousands of visitors admire the wonderful work of the participants.

Bodypaint festivals that take place in the US include North American Body Painting Championship and the Face Painting and Body Art Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Fine art body painting

Reproduction of Vincent Van Gogh's Starry Night as body painting.

The 1960s supermodel Veruschka is often cited as being many body painters' muse.Her images in the book Transfigurations with photographer Holger Trulzsch have frequently been emulated.Other well-known works include Serge Diakonoff's books A Fleur de Peau and Diakonoff and Joanne Gair's Paint a licious.

Since the early 1990s bodypainting has become more widely accepted in the United States, and more and more body artists are beginning to come onto the national community.

Starting in late 2006 Sacramento art galleries started to use fine art bodypainting as performance art to draw new patrons.

In 2006 the first gallery dedicated exclusively to fine art bodypainting was opened in New Orleans by World Bodypainting Festival Champion and Judge, Craig Tracy. The Painted Alive Gallery is on Royal Street in the French Quarter.

In 2009, a popular late night talk show Last Call with Carson Daly on NBC network , featured a New York based artist Danny Setiawan who creates reproductions of masterpieces by famous artists such as Salvador Dali, Vincent Van Gogh, and Gustav Klimt on human bodies aiming to make fine art appealing for his contemporaries who normally would not consider themselves as art enthusiasts.

Body painting in the commercial arena

Many artists work professionally as body painters across the world. Their work is seen regularly in television commercials, such as the Natrel Plus campaign featuring models camouflaged as trees. Body painters also work frequently in the film arena especially in science fiction with more and more elaborate alien creations being body painted. Stills advertising also used body painting with hundreds of body painting looks on the pages of the world's magazines every year.

The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, published annually, has in recent years featured a section of models that were body painted, attired in renditions of swimsuits or sports jerseys. Sometimes accessories are used such as bows or buttons. Some allege this allows SI to skirt their own no-nudity guideline.

In the 2005 Playmates at Play at the Playboy Mansion calendar, all Playmates appeared in the calendar wearing bikinis, but Playmates Karen McDougal and Hiromi Oshima actually appeared in painted on bikinis for their respective months. In October, 2005, the Playboy magazine cover featured a foldout of two models (Sara Jean Underwood and Victoria Thornton) wearing only body paint. The February 2008 cover of Playboy magazine featured Tiffany Fallon body painted as Wonder Woman. These covers and other body paintings done for Hugh Hefner's parties at the Playboy Mansion are created for Playboy by artist Mark Frazier.[citation needed] Michelle Manhart, Playboy model and former Air Force Staff Sergeant, recently posed in body paint for the cover of a 2008 pin-up calendar (published by Operation Calendar).

With the success of body painting, this has led to publications on this art form and also Illusion Magazine which is aimed to painters for all abilities, showcasing work around the world.

Face painting

Moche ceramic vessel depicting a man -possibly a warrior- with face painting. Larco Museum collection. Lima-Peru

Two children with painted faces.

Two men with painted faces, for the charity Children in Need.

Face painting is the artistic application of cosmetic "paint" to a person's face. There are special water-based cosmetic "paints" made for face painting; people should ask before having face paints applied what products are being used. Acrylic and tempera craft paints are not meant for use on skin and are not acceptable, nor are watercolor pencils or markers. Products not intended for use on skin can cause a variety of issues ranging from discomfort to severe allergic reactions.

From ancient times, it has been used for hunting, religious reasons, and military reasons (such as camouflage and to indicate membership in a military unit). In re-entered the popular culture during the hippie movement of the late 1960s, when it was common for young women to decorate their cheeks with flowers or peace symbols at anti-war demonstrations.

For several decades it has been a common entertainment at county fairs, large open-air markets (especially in Europe and the Americas), and other locations where children and adolescents are. Face painting is very popular among children at theme parks, parties and festivals throughout the Western world. Though the majority of face painting is geared towards children, many teenagers and adults enjoy being painted for special events, such as charity fund raisers.

There are many kinds of face paint, including:

Designs that include the emblems of favorite sports teams, cartoon characters, and other designs that are "cute" or otherwise appealing to the young.

Dramatic designs that appeal to all ages.

Costuming designs which transform the wearer into someone/something completely different, such as Jack Haley's silver face makeup as the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz.

Designs that endeavor to color the face in such a way to indicate solidarity with a cause, usually the outcome of a sporting contest or membership in a group.

Popular face painting designs include;

Tiger - This design, in most cases, consists of a body of orange and yellow paint, with black stripes painted on. Details include bushy eye brows and a muzzle or whiskers, alongside a black painted nose.

Clown - This design, in most cases, consists of a body of white painting. With shapes and features such as a red nose or bright eyes the model is made to take on the features of a circus clown.

Spider-Man - This is a body of red paint with white eyes and spider like black patterns on the models face. Similar to that of the mask worn by Spider-Man.

Dog - Commonly a dalmatian, this design is white with large black spots on the eyes and cheeks. A black nose is added along with whisker pores. A tongue is commonly added to give the effect of the model panting, similar to that of a dog.

Butterfly - A design consisting of the body of the butterfly being painted on the nose and the wings added across the cheeks. Wing patterns vary.

Cat - Many designs may feature under this heading. It could be a plain black tabby cat or a wild leopard. Either way, it usually consists of a neutral body of paint with bushy eyebrows and a muzzle.

It is common to find if someone is dressed in an animal costume, a black nose will be added alone to give the impression of an animal face and not just body. Sometimes, a full face is added or sometimes none at all.

Most theme parks have booths scattered around where a person can have a design painted on their face. A similar activity is the application of "instant tattoos", which are paint or ink-based designs that are put on as one unit and removed by means of water, alcohol, soap, or another mild solvent. More elaborate temporary tattoos may be made using stencils and airbrush equipment. Very recently, "glitter tattoos" have been gaining popularity. These are made by filling a stencil (or freehand painting a design) with The "Original Pink Glue" then coating the adhesive with cosmetic-grade glitter.

Use in military

A soldier applies green face paints as camouflage.

It is common in militaries all over the world for soldiers in combat scenarios to paint their faces and other exposed body parts (hands, for example) in natural colors such as green, tan, and loam for camouflage purposes.

Use in professional wrestling

Many professional wrestlers paint their faces as part of their costuming. Examples are The Ultimate Warrior, Road Warrior Animal and his tag team partner, Road Warrior Hawk, and Doink the Clown.

In the late 1980s, American professional wrestler Steve Borden, under the stage name Sting, wore colourful striped facepaint as part of his ring attire, in the National Wrestling Alliance and later, World Championship Wrestling. In the mid-1990s, the Sting character was modernised along the lines of Brandon Lee's The Crow, with black and white facepaint usually following a pattern similar to that of a scorpion. Upon joining the nWo Wolfpac stable in 1998, the facepaint was temporarily altered to red and black.

In 2002, WWE superstar Jeff Hardy began utilising facepaint in different variations. Upon being drafted to WWE's RAW brand in 2002, Hardy began wearing neon or ultraviolet body paint, that would glow in its colour under UV lighting placed on the entrance stage. Upon entering TNA Wrestling in 2003, Hardy's facepaint took on a more luminous quality, before being quietly retired in 2006, upon his WWE return. In 2008, Hardy resumed using facepaint as part of his ring attire. Hardy continues to use facepaint as a key part of his act, though he no longer wears it in on-screen non-wrestling segments.

Body paints

Bodypainting with fluorescent paint.

Modern water-based face and body paints are made according to stringent guidelines, meaning these are non-toxic, usually non-allergenic, and can easily be washed away. These are either applied with hands, paint brush, and synthetic sponges or natural sea sponge, or alternatively with an airbrush.

Contrary to the popular myth perpetuated by the James Bond film Goldfinger, a person is not asphyxiated if their whole body is painted.

Liquid latex may also be used as body paint and allows although wearing latex for a prolonged period may cause heat stroke by inhibiting perspiration and care should be taken to avoid the painful removal of hair when the latex is pulled off.

Manufacturers of widely available professional body and face paint include: Kryolan, Mehron, Snazaroo, Wolfe Face Art & FX, Diamond FX, Grimas, Ben Nye and Fardel.

The same precautions that apply to cosmetics should be observed. If the skin shows any sign of allergy from a paint its use should immediately be ceased. Moreover, it should not be applied onto open wounds, nor should it be applied too close to the eyes. It is not advisable to use paints or products which have not been formulated for use on the body as these can result in serious allergic reactions.

As for Mehndi, natural brown henna dyes are safe to use; however, synthetic black dyes containing PPD can cause serious skin allergies, and should be avoided due to the substantial risk of serious injury. Jagua is a dark indigo plant based dye that is safe to use on the skin and is approved for cosmetic use in the EU.

Hand art

Hand art is the application of make-up or paint to a hand to make it appear like an animal or other object. Some hand artists, like Guido Daniele, produce images that are trompe l'oeil representations of wild animals painted on people's hands.

Hand artists work closely with hand models. Hand models can be booked through specialist acting and modeling agencies usually advertising under "body part model" or "hands and feet models".

(source:wikipedia)

Pictures: Shopping centre bosses in Ashford say body painting artist is 'too rude'

A body painting artist has criticised shopping centre bosses in Ashford after he was ordered to cover up his near-naked models.

Artist Max Wragg said it was meant to be a stunning piece of art that went across the bodies of three women, but for some shoppers in County Square it was just too much.

He said: "I had arranged this event in advance and it was unfortunately spoilt by a handful of small-minded people.

"Hundreds of people were walking past and not one made any adverse comments to me, in fact quite a few stopped and asked what it was all about.

She said: "It is a shopping centre and, while I agreed he could do the body painting, he said there wouldn’t be any nudity.

"I think that the complainants may have thought that my models had bare breasts, however, this was not the case. They were all wearing nipple covers."

County Square manager Frances Burt said she made the decision after a few complaints from shoppers.

"While they weren’t completely nude, there were a few complaints."

Mrs Burt added: "I decided we were going to have to do something about it because there were people with children.

"If people go to the festival they have chosen to do so but this was in a public area. But he was fine about it and there wasn’t any problem."

The UK Body Painting Festival kicks off tomorrow at Bridge House in Mersham.

It begins with a painting class in the afternoon before beginning with a full programme of events on Saturday morning.

Mr Wragg added: "This happened despite me visiting the centre during the week and showing the manager pictures of artwork, explaining that the models wore underwear and nipple covers, which she said was fine.

"Last months festival in Austria attracted over 30,000 visitors and I would have liked to see the British festival also reach a mass audience.

"Sadly, my experience on Saturday does not make that very likely."

(source:kentonline.co.uk)

Artists shine at body painting festival

Artists Scott Fray and Madelyn Greco of Reidsville call themselves Team LivingBrush.

The name is apt.

Their canvas is the human body.

Fray and Greco placed second in the "Brush & Sponge" category of this year's World Bodypainting Festival, which took place July 12-18 in Seeboden, Austria. They won nearly $1,100 and an additional $750 to buy more body paint.

They did two paintings on Lauren Andress of New Orleans at different points during the competition, applying designs that Fray had sketched in advance. Each painting explored a different theme. One looked at subcultures; the other at sources of power.

"We're very new to the competing thing," Greco said. "Scott and I have been painting together for about six years. I was drawn to Scott because I saw his body-painting work on a woman at a festival. I chased her down and asked who had done that to her."

At first, Greco wanted to be painted. But in short order, she and Fray became a team. (They're also engaged.) She attributes Team LivingBrush's success to the attention the two artists pay to the lines of the body.

Foxy Moxy.

"Some people paint on the body as if it were a flat canvass. But the body has contours. We're approaching it with a more sculptor-like eye."

Fray, 45, sees painting on the body as the continuation of a long tradition.

"It's been done by every group of people in every age in every part of world," he said.

"I'm happy to make my current contribution. I see us as part of a long continuum of human expression."