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As you may know Spencer Tunick is the fellow who shoots crowds of nude people, all over the world. ~ Including Antarctica. ~ Well you know I wouldn’t
go there. So he came to Buffalo...
It was a beautiful, warm and sunny day in August and nearly 2000 people were showing up to give their all, for the Central Terminal restoration
project, and Buffalo’s Albright-Knox Art Gallery.
I had worked in that terminal some 35 years earlier. ~ A massive and beautiful art deco structure. ~ All kinds of shiny brass and glass and massive
lighting fixtures. ~
Now it’s gone. ~ Destroyed by vandals and thieves. ~ Sections of marble covering the walls has been broken away and removed and even some of the walls had been broken through... ~ There is no more brass, and the many windows are all cracked and gone. ~ Seeing it again like that was so sad... ~ I had been through every inch of that building when I was younger and worked there. ~ Through the tunnels that ran below it and on up to the very top of the tower, exploring it and learning about it.. ~ I love history and old buildings such as that. ~ Especially that one. ~ I hope the restoration effort succeeds.
In any case, here come 900 men and 900 women. ~ All put onto the parking lot at the top of the ramp. ~ A granite walled area that was just high
enough so that people up there were not able to be seen.
My report, as posted to rec.nude.
Just got back from the Spencer shoot. ~ The whole thing ran from Noon until 3 pm.
It was awesome. ~ I got to the Central Terminal Building about 10:15am, a little earlier than suggested, but there were already a lot of people. ~ About 20 friends were there and I was introduced to a
few I didn't know. ~ Morley was there. ~ Always good to see him.
We were all told to just hang out until everyone had a chance to arrive. ~ The estimate they made at first was 1200. ~ I had thought 1500. ~ It
turned out to be 1850 when the official count was announced. ~ There was nearly 3000 who had signed up but they already expected half would not come.
When the time came for action, we were told to separate into male and female groups, with females up front. ~
It was a beautiful day with lots of sun and we were on a raised parking area, above any viewing points in the neighborhood. ~ The women were then told to disrobe, drop their clothes where they stood, and go into the terminal. ~ Not a problem. ~ I had expected that some of them would break at that point and head for the exit, but none did.
There were nearly as many women as men, btw. ~ Some of the ladies coming in groups, but I met one who had came totally alone. ~
A *non* nudist too. ~ There had to be more like her... ~ The tide is turning fast.
The women were inside for about 20 minutes with that set of shots, and then the men were told to drop their duds and join
them. ~ The co-ed shoot filled the entire terminal concourse. ~ It was really something to see. ~ Tan lined people were sent to the far end of the camera range. ~ You could be light or dark but not both. ~ We did
three basic form. ~ Then everyone in their 30's and 40's were told they were done, and everyone else should stay.
So then we had the old and the young. ~ That was still a very sizeable group and it
emphasized the age span of the participants even more. ~
One shot, everyone was told to lay down on the floor, on your side and facing the camera, with head to the right and feet to the left. ~ It was almost that we had to ‘spoon’ with others to fit. ~ Some did that.
Next the younger group was taken and shot in sets of their own and then they were dismissed. ~ They did great. ~ I had been talking and kidding with a few of them and they were all unbelievably at ease. ~ All
except the one girl when my toe got too close to her butt. :-)
Myself and about 500 other over 50's were left. ~ In the concourse there are magnificent archways of glass window, which cover about five
floors in height. ~ But now, most of the panes are broken. ~ We were put behind these broken windows on the five levels looking through, to be seen from the concourse side in one dramatic shot.
The last major group shooting was all of us laying flat on our backs, on the mezzanine floor, with our arms at our sides, like sardines. ~ The entire area was covered. ~ Spencer shot from two floors up and to the
side. ~ It was another one with a lot of broken glass windows. ~ There was probably some subtle relationship to age going on here, eh? ~ Between us on the floor and the building itself?
<g> ~ The picture above was taken from this viewpoint.
The interior of the terminal building is pretty much destroyed now. ~ It was a beautiful building when I worked in it in the early 60's. ~ There is a
major restoration effort going on and I think I will join up to help now. ~ Now that my steam boat is gone. :-/
Spencer said that the Director of Santa Fe's art gallery helped him to do his first such
shooting in Santa Fe. ~ Now this man is the Director of the Albright Knox in Buffalo and called Spencer here to do the shooting..., both to support the Albright Knox and the Central Terminal restoration.
He is talking about doing another shoot in Niagara Falls soon... ~ Next year or two perhaps?.
I shook Spencer's hand while he told me I could not put the ‘thank you’ picture that I would be receiving
in the mail, onto my website. ~ The only disappointment of the day. <g> ~ The rest was unbeatable. ~ Spencer certainly gave a lot more people a much better outlook on being nude.
It was a really great day.
Then we had a ‘reunion’... It was another great day.
The unveiling of Spencers work.
Those which
The Buffalo Albright Knox Art Gallery
have bought for their collection.
So we have another report, as posted to rec.nude.
Spencer came to Buffalo yesterday. ~ It was the unveiling of his nude shooting done here last August... ~ Better known as 'Buffalo Exposed'. ~ Also shown were the pieces
the Buffalo Art museum purchased from him for their collection... ~ It was a very full house and I'd estimate the crowd was at least the original 1850 figure from August.., but probably more.
Everyone was having a great time... ~ All those I talked with were totally overjoyed that they had done it. ~ Several people said it was the most memorable day of their
lives... ~ There was a 20 or 30 foot length of paper off a roll, strung along the wall for people to write their comments on.. ~ They were very grateful and thankful for that
day, and most made specific mention of that.. ~ What it has meant to them. ~ How differently they think now. ~ There was much 'from the heart' stuff. ~ A lot was pretty
funny too. ~ But most simply proud and thankful for having been a part of it. ~ I talked to people from Canada who had driven over six hours to get here. ~ They were a 50ish
couple who had never done anything like this before. ~ They were beaming in telling me of their friends and neighbors who had found this new respect and admiration for them at home... :-)
They sold a DVD of Buffalo Exposed.. ~ It is unbelievable stuff. ~ About 40 minutes, summarizing day, showing the setting-up and sweeping out of the building, the crowds
of people arriving from many directions.., the simultaneous disrobing of 900 women in the parking lot, and their cheers when the 900 nude men were finally were let into the
building to join them.... ~ It's beyond description.., but I’ll try. ;->
It has segments of small groups and of great masses of nude people, all milling, talking
and laughing together, and getting into various shooting positions. ~ Interspersed with shots of Spencer shooting and directing. ~ The people covered the approximately
150,000 square foot floor of the Terminal with 'barely' any floor space showing at all. ;-/ ~ There were many poses. ~ Everyone standing very reverently still. ~ Very much like
a cathedral with people worshipping. ~ Others shots were more 'design'. ~ Kneeling and bending together at different angles. ~ Or laying on our sides in messed up
staggered patterns, but still looking superb overall. ~ Other shots were of laying on our backs, side by side in rows. ~ Some with their head between the feet of the person to
their north. ~ They were all beautiful.., and even more so, as seen in motion. ~ The floor seemed alive.. ~ It was, of course. :-/
Some of the prone shots looked like sardines in a can... ~ But totally awesome lighting and color... ~ The beauty is hard to put into words...
Yesterday there was live music, a bar, food and refreshments, and lots of souvenirs... ~ A great t-shirt. ~ An 18 x 30 poster. ~ And of course the DVD... ~ The entire day of
shooting in August condensed into 40 minutes on the DVD... ~ It was the greatest though. ~ It was hilarious how people were responding to it. ~ It was kept running
constantly at two locations on the floor with seating at each. ~ I myself saw myself in the video no less than 78 times... ~ Hahaha... ~ Nahh..., not really. :-) ~ I'm there all
right, seen sticking out here and there, because of my height and hair of course... ~ But Morely was even more noticeble, with his white hair and beard. ~ Several other nudists
I knew, including my brother in law, were seen on camera and I met some of them last night again.
Now..., the greatest part... :-) ~ I love it. ~ *I* closed the show on the DVD... Ha! ~ As the DVD is ending, when all the shooting is over for the day and the crowd is seen
leaving the building, I walk in from the left, a nice close up, and turning toward the camera as I walk away from it, give a long wave goodbye. ~ Then it's over and the
screen goes black... Ha! ~ That was just too much... :-) ~ I remember waving to the camera but to see it used in the video was a total shock. ~ You just can't ask for more
than that eh? ~ I am now immortalized... ~ Just as one women had already said of herself in one of the comments on the wall...
My wife *once again* said to me..., 'it could only happen to you'. Hahaha...
The poster is on the wall over the computer...
As for the t-shirt, it will be worn often, and then *dry cleaned* as needed,.. ~ I want it to last.
And this is only May. ~ We have a long summer ahead. :-)
Floyd
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