Performance Art & Stage Nudity
Performance Art & Stage Nudity
Many posts ago I published the following account by a photographer and artist friend of mine. It’s a blog discussing nude performance in theatre and in the arts generally.
http://onstagenudity.blogspot.ca/ (Copy & paste this link separately to access the site without registering a Google account)
The link is entirely safe and informative. Check out the videos and further links on the site.
Colin
Tel: 250-984-7051
Email: co.lins@outlook.com
Private Performance Art
My name is Kirby and I’m a performance artist, actor and photographer.
The connections in my career are joined by the thread of how other people are seeing and experiencing the world. How they react to theatre, paintings, photography, performances etc.
I’ve traveled around the world as a performance artist working for many other artists and producers and it was fun to recently be part of the photo exhibition that Colin wrote about.
Some of my performance art work is for individuals and private home parties and Colin asked me to write something about how it works and what I do.
Shamelessly I’ll mention that I’m always for hire – almost always.
To start with I thought it would be best to make a frame of reference. You may have read about sushi restaurants where a naked person – usually female – is the table centerpiece for the food. Diners select their food placed on her body.
Then sometimes in the news are art shows where people pose as art themselves. Then there is body painting, strippers, bachelorette parties etc., and the list goes on. These are all settings where people are naked for the pleasure and curiosity of others.
What is not often mentioned is that people quite often hire performance artists to appear privately at their homes. I do this quite frequently and Colin thought it would be interesting to know about it.
In the past I’ve been hired to come to private dinner parties, be a ‘curiosity’ for romantic evenings, be an ‘object’ as an alternative to ‘web browsing’, be the table decoration for stag and staggette parties – it’s a long list and I can’t remember every type of client.
The better way to describe things is like this.
All people who ask me to visit have some important things in common. They appreciate seeing and being around naked humans, especially in unlikely settings. They enjoy erotic fantasy and they are bold enough to try and make some unique art experiences for themselves.
I act as an ‘assist’ in the private art and experience of such people. It’s not the same as hiring a stripper.
The stripper is the focus of attention – the ‘show’.
In my case I’m there to follow and be part of the fantasy of the ‘audience’ and the ‘audience’ is writing the script and directing the action. I hope that explains the distinction.
I can recall some scenarios which might give a flavor of how some things evolve.
Almost always I get invited by referral – that’s why I’m grateful to Colin for allowing me to make my existence known! – and I get an outline of what might be planned. Otherwise I just follow instructions.
Perhaps the most common task has been to be a table centerpiece for small dinner parties. In these scenarios I’ve just been required to lie on a dinner table and the guests have served themselves from whatever and however the food has been arranged on and around me.
I’ve been prepared and dressed in every imaginable way, from briefs to leafy lettuce covering my genitals.
I don’t speak and nobody speaks to me. Usually my face is covered and so my reactions don’t disturb the flow of the party.
As people become more relaxed their comfort levels change. These are all general comments but usually at first there is much talk about having a nude male on the dinner table. It becomes the focus of attention. Then the novelty begins to wear off after all the obvious jokes have been exchanged. Initially this is much to do with the natural nerves of people. There is likely nothing that can be said that I haven’t heard and I just lie quietly. Sometimes things are said that are very funny and I have to control the desire to laugh.
As the food gets underway and wine lubricates the company, attention often moves back to the table ‘decoration’.
Often by now people will have become more daring – moving the lettuce leaf etc. I’ve been touched and prodded in every place, had chocolate licked from my toes, whipped cream licked from my nipples – all the things you can imagine and possibly not imagine.
This is all part of the ‘play’ and I’m pleased to be part of it. It’s a unique experience for all those participating and really my body is theirs for the evening, just as all of the other features – food, drink, setting – are part of the experience.
For me this is a unique and positive experience, just as I hope it is for those writing the ‘script’.
Guests have been any mix of LGBTQI combinations – couples, singles, all female, all male – I can recall just about any combo. Party size has also varied from just 3 or 4 people to larger parties. Ten guests is probably the greatest number.
Whatever the mix, at some point, usually around dessert time, somebody will always want to bring the focus back to me, having ‘accidentally’ moved the ‘lettuce’.
The rules of every event are set by the host in advance. I agree to anything ahead of time so long as it’s not painful, dangerous or too uncomfortable. It’s almost automatic that food or drink will be spilt on me. I’m usually pretty sticky by the end.
Where we’ve agreed that genital inclusion is ‘allowed’ I just go with the flow, albeit actual sex is not on the menu. I’ve experienced bets being taken on my size when erect. I’ve been carefully stroked and lubricated with every liquid imaginable.
I’ve got good control – years of Tantric practice! – so it’s unlikely there will be ‘accidents’.
So that’s an idea of dinner party scenarios.
Equally likely are scenarios where I’m asked just to be around when a client wishes to host some visitors at home.
I’ve been asked to be just a ‘dumb’ body among small groups of people. I’ve been dressed in all type of outfits. I’ve been ‘made-up’, cross dressed, used as furniture, used to serve food and drinks etc.
Always I am just a ‘prop’ and a device to make the event interestingly erotic. So I contribute nothing but my agreement to follow the ‘script’. I never know exactly how it will unfold.
The general likelihood is that my body will be on hand for whatever preference and fantasy the host or guests have in mind. So I’ve been dressed, undressed, painted, watched, bathed, dirtied – whatever has seemed fun.
One thing that always surprises me is that there never seems to be a limit to the fetish imagination of people and my presence is an ideal chance for many to play out their fetish fantasy. Being ‘dumb’, there is the assurance that I’m not judging or commenting.
Painful, penetrative and dangerous play are not options but short of that I’ll try to please. There are the obvious attentions to genital and anal areas but there is rarely a problem with somebody wanting to go beyond the artistic or erotic.
Often, but not always, a guest or host will get naked or dress in fetish or unusual ways. It’s great to see people with the opportunity to be free to express themselves so openly in such safe circumstances.
I’ll mention two other categories. I often get asked to attend either a single person or a couple seeking to explore a fantasy.
A common theme has me just being in the home almost as a piece of decoration or furniture. Almost always I’m asked to be naked and I become a sort of ‘touchstone’. Something to place in a spot in the room, put your feet up on, play with, dress, undress etc. Somebody once said to me that it was like having a Ken/Barbie available in real life.
These become very private experiences and do qualify as performance art. I remain passive and responsive, always remaining part of the script – never writing it. I’ll certainly give guidance before but otherwise I just happily lend my body.
Not every ‘script’ needs to be overtly sexual. It can be sensual/erotic/playful etc. But there is nothing wrong with the ‘script’ being particularly sexual either.
I’m often a ‘distraction’ during TV commercials if I’m hired to be somebody’s ‘art’ for the evening and being used as eye/fantasy material.
On many occasions with couples – m/f, m/m/ and f/f I’m there to satisfy curiosity and explore comparisons.
Sometimes my sponsor has been a female who wants to encourage her mate to become more familiar with the body of another male. To mutually enjoy same gender erotic fantasies.
I’ve had f/f couples who want to add some safe male energy to their erotic ‘play’ and appreciation.
Of course I frequently become the ‘muse’ of other males and it’s great to find myself a passive inspiration.
These recollections and reflections are incomplete. There have been so many variations on these themes.
For me, every occasion is an adventure in art. In enabling artistic fantasy in this way I lend my body, passively – a sort of canvass for others to paint on.
Personally I’m completely comfortable to be seen naked and to open the more intimate parts of my body to those inviting me. The purpose of art is to open the mind to the unexpressed and performance art and times spent in these ways does exactly that.
I don’t publish pictures of myself or advertise. I’m healthy and, I’m told, pleasing to look at, but this isn’t about me or my appearance. It’s about the very unusual and exceptional opportunity to bring a private form of art, alive.
If any of this connects with you then call or write to Colin and he’ll give you my contact information.
I do know some other performers if I’m not around and Colin’s got a list of names.
I know he’s done some similar work himself, also.
Let your imagination loose. You’ll never regret it.
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Always In Tantric Touch 