 |
Tanis TaylorAn experienced artist who decided to try herself as a nude model
Country:
 USA |
Content:
Biography of Tennis Taylor
Tennis Taylor is an experienced artist who decided to try herself as a nude model, dedicating 20 years of her life to drawing. She bravely agreed to participate in the global experiment "Get Naked and Be Drawn" by illustrator Mike Perry. Like many others inspired by Perry's idea, she decided to step onto the other side of the easel...
In 2011, Perry wanted to return to drawing from life with a pencil, but he realized that he didn't have the patience to attend regular classes. So, he decided to see if there were any strangers willing to pose for him. His attempt to organize a drawing session from life on Twitter turned out to be very successful. The drawings were even better than if regular models had posed for him. Since then, such sessions have been organized in New York, Amsterdam, and London. A diverse group of models joined, including a couple who decided to have their first date in this unconventional way, a sleep-deprived mother of two, tourists from a bachelor party, and even a girl whose psychologist suggested she pose to help overcome her pubic hair phobia. Tennis Taylor herself generously shared her incredible experience as a nude model:
An Unexpected Experience
In society, there are unwritten rules on how people, particularly women, should draw attention to themselves. Demanding attention too openly is considered tactless. But the idea of remaining in the shadows is tormenting in itself. Instead, I use a range of secondary techniques - being witty, appearing amusing, and flirtatious... Decolletage, high heels, seduction. To stop using all of this for even half an hour, to transform into a silent object of universal attention and be judged only on the shape of my body - it's something new. Standing in front of strangers in my imperfect and aging body gives me a sense of liberation. It's definitely not the same as taking a selfie without makeup.
A Captivating Experience
Restraint and detachment gradually fade away, and I already feel fully engaged in the process. I feel attractive, arousing curiosity and interest. It's not about eroticism. I feel the artist's attention directed towards me - his eyes looking at my body, the frenetic movements of his pencil trying to capture the curves and contours of my form. It's as if I have almost become an architectural object. After the session ends, I put on my shirt, returning to the realm of social norms and sexually inhibiting factors that I temporarily pushed aside for half an hour. But in the following weeks, I continue to feel the residual effect of the experience. After allowing myself to become the subject of exploration, from the initial discomfort to the sensation of warmth spreading, I realized that this way of attracting attention is the simplest and most honest. I understood that I can experience something similar again in my life while remaining clothed.
A Unique Perspective
There has been a lot written about the therapeutic effect of undivided attention devoid of any judgmental criteria. Photographers such as Ellen Fisher Turk use nude-style photography to challenge the traditional perception of our bodies, encouraging models to describe their experiences in diaries. After posing, I bought a drawing with my image. I liked it. The image doesn't resemble me, but it conveys a feeling that I cannot remain indifferent to. In fact, when artists draw someone from their perspective, they are always drawing themselves. Lucian Freud said that models play a "very intimate role for the artist, providing an emotional starting point." I would say that emotions also come into play the other way around. When you are not observing, but being observed, it helps. I fully embrace this experience with both hands.
