Mexico: Get your naked bodies off our ruins

Tue17Apr2007

Mexico: Get your naked bodies off our ruins

14:12 H | Topics: Arts - Controversia - Mexico

American photographer Spencer Tunick is famous for capturing the image of the nude masses by the thousands in locales from New York to Buenos Aires to London. His presence isn't always welcomed by local officials, and such is the case in Mexico where his proposal to photograph a gaggle of naked Mexicans at the Teotihuacan ruins isn't to the liking of some:

"The application has been filed and the National Anthropology and History Institute is evaluating it, but it looks like they won't let him. It's not the last word but they have told me it will be rejected," Alejandro Sarabia, who runs the Teotihuacan site, told Reuters on Monday.

Last year, internet giant Yahoo!'s proposal to to communicate with extraterrestrials via a time capsule at the Teotihuacan site was ultimately rejected by the INAH, as the entity feared damage to the ruins.

According to Reuters, no matter what the final decision by the INAH might be, Tunick's spokespeople said he will do a shoot in Mexico, either in Mexico City or Teotihuacan. So he'll do it even without permission? I'm all for subversive art, but I'm also about preserving sacred and ancestral grounds. What do you think?

Via / Stuff.co.nz

Image via artcritical.org

Jennifer

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1. Mariela ~ Tuesday, Apr 17 2007 | 18:37H:

It's not just as bad to have it open to the public and to have people trampling over it all day?

2. Roger Coss ~ Wednesday, Apr 18 2007 | 08:24H:

I believe that waht the article meant was Spencer will be shooting in Mexico City, even if not at the pyramids. He does have permission to shoot, just not where he would like. He has been working on this project for over two years and thousands are expected to participate. To see some of Spencer's art(not just the news photos which mostly do not give Spencer's view point0 or to read accounts of those of us who participate, come to http://www.spencertunickforum.org
We have accounts and photos of Spencer's most recent small installation(85) in the Netherlands, in a tulip field. And we have news of Mexico City and the upcoming shoot in Amsterdam.
Roger, a multi-time participant.

3. Alex ~ Friday, Apr 20 2007 | 11:28H:

Roger's comment is correct. He's already got permission from the Mexico City's authorities, this should allow him to perform the installation at UNAM University Campus or Reforma Avenue, both in the city.

Apparently because of the impressive number of people registered to participate (expected more than 7,000), he's trying to get the permission from the Ministry of Culture to do it at Teotihuacan pyramids.

So, only the location is not certain as of yet. The installation happening is a fact.

Alex.

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