Naked States

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Starring: Spencer Tunick
Rated: R (Restricted)
Type: DVD
Directed By: Arlene Donnelly Nelson
Studio: New Video Group
Release Date: 2002-07-30
In a five month journey photographing nudes in every state, the critically acclaimed film Naked States follows artist Spencer Tunick’s quest to photograph nudes in public settings across the country.

Naked States is a visual American odyssey that brings

Overexposure
Spencer Tunick set out to photograph naked people in all 50 states, and completed his mission in five months. This HBO documentary that runs a little over an hour records his journey. The photographs range all the way from single individuals and a few people together to as many as a thousand nudes in one photo shoot. Mr. Tunick takes in a biker rally, a Burning Man celebration, a meeting of naturalists-- apparently the group that was the least cooperative-- and a Phish concert.

Some of the photographs are quite good; others are trite and far too cute and gimmicky. What is so interesting about a naked very pregnant white woman standing with a poor black man, fully clothed, beside his grocery cart full of cans and other things he has collected? Or two women embracing while they stand on a large American flag? And does a rape victim need to let me see her naked? She tells the documentary maker that doing these shots was great therapy for her. Not everyone's lives have to be made public.

The photographs that work best are the ones where hundreds of people are lying down in open spaces. They become something else besides naked people and call to mind some of the photographs of Edward Weston when he shot nudes that look like vegetables and/or fruit. Sometimes they take on the quality of the masterful work of Sebastiao Salgado, no small feat.

People, particularly Americans with our Puritan heritage, will always be fascinated by the naked body in any way it is presented to them. Mr. Tunick says in this documentary that he wanted to do something new and different with photographing nudes-- although I read that he wants to be called an artist rather than a photographer. Okay. Certainly the German photographer Henning von Berg did something similar on a smaller scale when he photographed nude men in Berlin in 1999. Of course he didn't get arrested for his actions as has Mr. Tunick several times in New York. And while this artist may photograph a nude woman in a pubic place with a snake on her head for its shock value, Joel-Peter Witkin many years ago established himself as the grand master of the macabre as it relates to the naked body.

Apparently most of the models get quite a kick out of baring it all. One man interviewed described the phenomenon as giving the third finger to oppressive society. The artist, as I understand it, has also attempted to make statements about both HIV/AIDS (by photographing people who are HIV positive without clothes) and keeping the planet green.

These photographs would work best either seen in a gallery or in a catalogue, and some of them are worth seeing again and again.

naked but not naughty
I purchased both this DVD and Naked World after participating in a Spencer Tunick photo shoot in Miami Beach,FL this past Oct. 2007.
It was interesting to see how far he has come in being accepted in the art world. The photos he takes are not pornographic.
I also found it funny that he had such a hard time in the biker setting. Bikers are thought of as being very permissive and when he was trying to find a model to pose I thought he was going to get punched in the face!
He does not want people with "perfect" bodies as his models just every day people who are a little adventurous.
Note how uncomfortable he is when he is naked at the clothing optional resort.

Body of Work
There are moments of undeniable beauty and grace in witnessing some of the transformative tales of those who freely posed nude for photographer Spencer Tunick during his five-month trek across the United States. One man communicates his own epiphany post photo shoot by noticing that being naked doesn't really reveal who a person is - it's the clothes, rather, by which a person defines himself.

In elevating his work above porn, Tunick often photographs the nude in large numbers. Placing the subjects against the background of daily life, amid urban streets or modern architecture, and in glorious black and white, some moving and timeless images have been created. The body of work Tunick has produced through this documented project alone will serve as noteworthy in the timeline of 21st century artisans.

Overlooking pacing and editing, the film (which oftentimes resembles an episode of MTV's "Road Rules") stands as a testament to artistic integrity and persistence of vision. -Thomas O'Connor

Nudies, Nudies, everywhere.
This flick if not weird, then definitely different ? Lacks any plan or purpose ? If curiosity gets the best of the viewer at the end of the flick, and the question flashes through the minds, "Why did this film get made in the first place ? One answer might be,the film producer is addicted to wall to wall birthday suits ? This flick defies reason, logic, purpose and plot, but its definitely not porm !

the perfect stroke dvd!!!!!
do not listen to the idiot reviewer GURLZONE right below!!! i love women of all shapes and sizes..this video is the ultimate turn-on...why??? BECAUSE THE WOMEN HERE ARE REAL!!! so please gurlzone cut the bull@#$# and be real......nobody buys this dvd for artistic purposes...(trust me) including you!!! so if you think that naturist have all the rights to pose illegaly at 6:00 am on a public avenue in front of everybody, then i have the right to say that im buying this dvd for chilli- pealing purposes...we dont care how holy or artistic you are, so dont give us a lesson.......to the photographer and director spencer, thanks for making this........love your work ;)