Naked Men Drawing
How does our sexual energy shape our creative energy? That's what we're exploring as we strip down for life drawing.
Life drawing sounds kind of sexy - a naked model and everyone looking at them and drawing their body. But the reality of a traditional life drawing class is that it often feels a bit clinical, almost medical - the body becomes desexualised as you examine it from every angle and try to translate its curves and angles onto your paper.
But what would happen if everyone in the room was naked? Not just the model, but the men drawing him as well. What would that feel like? How would that shape the creative process?
That's the questions being posed by our creative mentor, Pascal Anson, as we embark on a new series of events - Naked Men Drawing.
We've just held our first session, on a Tuesday evening at my Hoxton studio in London.
Eight aspiring artists joined myself and Pascal to strip down and turn our attention towards professional art model, Claudio.
Suitable for artists at all levels, but particularly welcoming to beginners and amateurs, this isn't a formal class - it's a self-directed opportunity to practice drawing the human body.
Pascal set the structure and provided guidance throughout the session, with Claudio presenting his body in a series of short and longer poses.
This isn't a sex party, it's a social naturism event. Getting together with a group of men and getting naked has value in and of itself, but how does our nudity shape our relationship to the model and the drawings that we're creating? How does the sexual energy of a room full of naked men inform the creative energy that we're tapping into? There's a lot to explore with Naked Men Drawing.
The next Naked Men Drawing event will be on 30 July. Registration is via OutSavvy.
Gareth Johnson
Gareth Johnson
