On July 17, 2016, photographer Spencer Tunick, USA, will be photographing 100 nude women in Downtown Cleveland, Ohio. What makes the timing of this shoot most unusual is that it will take place at sunrise, the day before the Republican National Convention. The women will each be holding mirrors as the shutter of Spencer’s camera engages; “the mirrors will reflect the knowledge and wisdom of progressive women.”
This is the 2nd time Tunick will be photographing his nude installation project in my hometown. On June 26, 2004, he set up his largest installation in the United States, with 2,754 people posing in front of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The featured image was from Tunick’s 2004 Cleveland shoot, with the Cleveland Indians ball field as backdrop. Over the years, Tunick transitioned from simple nudes on beaches and on rural and big city roads to nudes covered in shear materials, holding umbrellas, painted bodies, and many other set-scene-theme variations.
He often addresses social issues. In his 2004 New York installation, he gathered several hundred volunteers, most of whom were HIV Positive. This image is to appear as POZ’s 10th year anniversary cover. Tunick has organized and photographed over 65 temporary site-related installations in the United States and abroad.