Thursday, December 27, 2007

The Nude in Activism at NUDE Magazine

Carrie Leigh & Gary Frischer, of NUDE magazine, the most successful art nude title to hit American newsstands in a long time, selling out both its first and second issue, are preparing quite a surprise for you online.

Carrie & Gary have been Native American rights activists for many years, combining their art with their convinctions. This is how we came to connect.

A couple of months ago, I introduced them to John LeKay, editor and founder of Heyoka magazine. John is also director of the Silkwood Project. John interviewed Carrie Leigh for his website, along with the most popular art nude model in the world, May Lindstrom. In the same issue, he talked to green super model Summer Rayne Oakes and FUSE USA founder/director Sherwood Martinelli. All oppose the relicencing of the Indian Point nuclear power plant on the Hudson river.

Gary Frischer and I came to talk about how the nude has been used throughout history to make a point, attract attention to political issues. The most recent use of the naked form to make a social statement is of course PeTA. The nude I shot of Isabel Vinson last year in front of the Vermont Yankee nuclear power plant landed Isabel on the cover of the Brattleboro Reformer.

This has been going on for eons... Lady Godiva rode a horse naked through the streets of Coventry, taking pity on the suffering caused by her husband's oppressive taxation. Her actions were victorious. Her husband abolished the onerous taxes.

In 1958, Helen Caldicott, the doyenne of the anti-nuclear movement, disrobed with 50 others and marched through San Francisco chanting "Nudes, not nukes!" This has since inspired hundreds such Naked For Peace demonstrations around the world. Every year, thousands of nudes cyclists ride through the streets of major cities to bring attention to biker rights.

It's in this spirit that the editors of Nude magazine have decided to create a dedicated section on their website to celebrate the nude in activism. They are asking photographers and models who want to contribute work to contact them.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It is good to know that there still is a high quality publication that cares about our world. Thank you Carrie Leigh, you keep it coming and we will do our best to support Nude.