The festival, which took place for the third time, attracted about 100 models, dozens of artists and crowds of spectators.
About 100 naked people gathered in central New York on Saturday to get the city and their bodies painted. Nude models became canvases for dozens of artists at the third NYC Bodypainting Day. The festival celebrates freedom of artistic expression and body acceptance.
After a few hours of bodypainting models boarded double-decker buses to take a ride around the city. Onlookers on pavements supported and encouraged the models, who had to endure a long painting session under a merciless sun. Passers-by took photos and shared them on social networks.
NYC Bodypainting Day was founded by artist Andy Golub as a way to promote human connection through art. Andy says he and the other artists were creating art inspired by the models' 'inner beauty,' the theme for this year's event. The artist says the bodypainting day makes the world a better place by benefiting everyone involved. Artists get an opportunity to share their art with the public, models can embrace themselves and the public can enjoy all types of people and artworks. This year he painted bodybuilder Vanessa Adams, who said he was a bit nervous standing naked in front of a crowd.
Public nudity is legal in New York if it is for artistic expression, for example, in a play, exhibition, show or entertainment. However, Golub and his model Zoe West were arrested in 2011 for a bodypainting project in Times Square. West later sued the city authorities and got $15,000 of compensation.
The Bodypainting Day is also held in Amsterdam. It is planed to organise the event in Brussels.
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