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Nudity to save the Dead Sea

27.10.16

Nudity to save the Dead Sea

Spencer Tunick on using political art and nakedness to call for environment action

Nudity to save the Dead Sea
Nudity to save the Dead Sea
Nudity to save the Dead Sea
Nudity to save the Dead Sea
Nudity to save the Dead Sea

Last month, Jewish-American artist Spencer Tunick went back to Israel to visit the Dead Sea and raise awareness of the rapid evaporation of its waters. The salt lake that’s known for its 33% salt density has been living up to its name. In recent years, Dead Sea’s water levels have been dropping off about 1.2 meters per year. The decline on its levels is causing the proliferation of underground voids known as sinkholes that might end up killing the sea.

Worried about the irreversible damage, the Arava Institute for Environmental Studies invited Tunick to return to the Dead Sea and grab attention of the international public and government. Tunick, who got known for his 2011 mass art installation called “Naked Sea” featuring 1200 naked Israelis floating in the salty waters, created a nude photo series with 15 models in the Dead Sea. Models were requested to act out-of-place, “in a Magritte-like way”, and interact with the sinkholes of the Dead Sea.

“The Dead Sea we once knew doesn’t exist anymore. The window of opportunity is narrow and will soon be closed” explained the director of the Center for Transboundary Water Management Dr. Clive Lipchin.

Ever since 1994, Tunick has been using nudity and photography to create political art. Recently he hold an installation with 100 naked women to protest against Donald Trump in Cleveland.

See more of Tunick’s work on his website.

Photography by Spencer Tunick

Iasa Monique, Contributor
Enthusiast of all things narrative, she thinks there's no better subject than the human lust for freedom. She's got Brazilian roots and new leaves keep sprouting at every new travel story
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