Photographer: Rachell Smith. Model:
myself
I was really stunned to read the following on the FB page of an organisation that purports to be fighting for diversity in the modelling industry:
"What's your price'? In our industry we get offered things that we wouldn't normally consider but these jobs come with a higher price? Your morals as well as the extra cash? I have been asked countless times to do nude 'artist' photographs and so far have turned them down...Guys would you do nudity for a few thousand? " (sic).
Here we go. Nudity is being associated with morality.
I have just spent six weeks "dying" every night in a gas chamber, totally naked, on the Hampstead Theatre stage in Hysteria by Terry Johnson, together with Angela and Bernie, my two stage sisters. We were Freud's older sisters who died in a concentration camp, appearing to him in a dream, in his last hours. I suppose that, by the logic of the statement I have just quoted, for six weeks I engaged in a job that made me do something immoral i.e. appear naked, for extra cash. Presumably, this would make me cheap.
As I was reflecting on this, I read model
Ella Rose's comments on being in Vietnam, where she is holidaying. What a wonderful experience. Vietnam must be absolutely gorgeous, I have never been there but have had the good fortune to visit Cambodia - and was completely bowled over. I know that in Vietnam there is a fantastic photographer, Thai Phien, who specialises in art nude and who has had to face censorship of his work because art nude was being equated with porn by the authorities.
Photographer: Thai Phien
I have come to realise that such pruderie is quite widespread, as the incident I have just related demonstrates. In Britain people are not yet being prosecuted for shooting art nude, but only just. For some people nudity is cheap and dirty.
Nudity is not cheap, no more than being clothed. It all depends on the context.
I distance myself from such narrow minded views, needless to say.
As someone has said, "No" and "Goodbye" are good friends to have.
In connection with the topic of nudity and art modelling, I would like to mention that The Guardian carried a piece about me as an art model written by Hannah Booth and published on 6/09/13 as part of the series Experience