Models strip naked in broad daylight to become human works of art in New York City's annual Bodypainting Day
If you happened to stroll by Union Square in New York City on Sunday, you might have been greeted by an unusual sight: people posing nude, their bodies covered in floral designs and stars painted in bright colors.
That's how a group of 26 artists and 45 models celebrated the eighth annual NYC Bodypainting Day, using the human body as their canvas to promote messages like body positivity.
'The idea of the event is really to promote free expression and acceptance of all people, their ideas as artists and also their bodies,' said artist Andy Golub, the event's main organizer.
As part of New York's 8th annual Bodypainting Day, famed and controversial nude artist, Andy Golub and 30 other artists painted 45 nude models, regular people of all shapes and sizes
The theme of the eighth New York City Bodypainting Day theme is resilience
Ten years ago artist Andy Golub, the event's main organizer, was arrested along with two of his models
The charges were ultimately dropped with the NYPD forced to acknowledge that nude bodypainting was art
Models of all shapes and sizes marched from Union Square to Greenwich Village before boarding a double-decker bus to travel through the city, over the Manhattan Bridge getting off in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
The nude models stood in the heat for four hours on Sunday as they had their human canvas' created
The artists painted several people with complementing body art that matched one another
A model has her face painted in Union Square at the 8th annual NYC National Body Painting Day event in New York, New York
Part of their mission is to promote a contrast between art and advertising in the public space, the role of street art versus gallery art and appropriateness of public nudity
Detail of Lakisha 'KiKi' Alston's back after being painted at Human Connection Arts 8th Annual NYC Bodypainting Day
Body painting artist Leann paints a model's face in Union Square at the 8th annual NYC National Body Painting Day
Over 25 artists gathered to paint more than 40 nude models before marching along fifth Avenue to Washington Square Park
People participate in the 8th annual Body Painting Day' in Union Square in New York City.
An artist spray paints skulls on a model's leg during in theBody Painting Day
Bo Attwood paints the legs of Lakisha 'KiKi' Alston at Human Connection Arts 8th Annual NYC Bodypainting Day
Models take selfies and chat while painting one another at Human Connection Arts 8th Annual NYC Bodypainting Day
A body painting artist paints her face in Union Square at the 8th annual NYC National Body Painting Day event in New York
Bring painted in thirsty week causing this man to enjoy a cup of water during the event
An ethereal landscape is painted onto the skin of one male participant
Elizabeth Conner and David Conner hold hands and kiss during the colorful event
Bo Attwood, left, is painted by his partner Scott Ring, right, during the bodypainting event
Scott Ring, left, and Bo Attwood, right, watch models get painted having been splashed in color themselves
Cups of water and paint scatter the ground around the part where the event was taking place
A decade ago, the models and artists probably would have been arrested for what they did.
After Golub and his two models were booked by cops in Times Square ten years ago, both models sued the City, saying nudity is allowed as part of art.
At least one of them received a $15,000 settlement while Golub also had his charges dismissed, on the condition he only paint after dark.
In 2013, New York Civil Liberties Union helped Golub remove such restrictions with the NYPD forced to acknowledge that full nudity was legal in public for the sake of art.
It was also a way to celebrate New York City's emerging from the deadly coronavirus pandemic after more than a year of restrictions that forced the city that never sleeps to grind to almost a complete halt.
Intricate designs were painted in a session that took around four hours in the summer heat
All colors of the rainbow were on display as people stood and waited for their skin to spring to life
Some of the creations appeared to be otherworldly with dramatic patterns and shadings
Bodyshapes of all different sizes were on display as the artists performed their work
Participants struck a pose once the artwork was done to allow budding photographers to take a snap
A fiery creation was painted on this woman's body with an eruption appearing to take place all over her
One woman appeared to have stepped out of a cartoon as she gestured towards the camera on Sunday afternoon in New York
The bodypainting took around four hours while various different styles were created on a canvas of human skin
This woman smiles as the paintbrush appeared to gently tickle her as the paint was pasted on
A yellow man closely follows a red man as the pair walk around Union Square Park in Manhattan
One couple appeared to have his and hers creations painted onto their bodies
Some paintings were so thick that it looked as though the models were in fact wearing clothes
Misty and Carl marched along fifth Avenue to Washington Square Park
The march ended at Washington Square park with this woman posing in the fountain
Andy Golub, Founder of Human Connection Arts, paints models Niki Davis and Shira during the event
Niki Davis and Shira participate with matching bodypaint creations
'I think it's important to show that New York City is getting better and this is actually a time of resilience,' said Rocket Osborne, a New York City-based architect.
Models stood under tents set up in the bustling square as artists painted on them. Others posed on stages set up for the event to showcase the completed art work as passersby stopped to snap a photo or a video.
A small crowd of a couple hundred people gathered to watch the event in the summer heat that, luckily for the organizers, was not as intense as to melt the paint.
'I think it's beautiful, the fact that people can actually get out and be as we are supposed to be,' said Queens resident and sculptor Gregory Valentine.
An artist sticks her tongue out as she paints a unique design onto a willing participant in the bodypainting event
Artists were hard at work for several hours as they lathered on the color
A woman smiles broadly as she is painted in a rainbow of color while sitting on a chair in New York City
Any signs of blushing were easily disguised by the pink paint used in this colorful creation
A woman is painted in purple together with black lines in another artistic flourish during Sunday's event
A woman takes time out to have a cigarette break while daubed in tantalizing brush strokes
This woman's design appears to be of a face kissing the planets of the Solar System in an out of this world human painting
The designs were extremely varied as this partial skeleton painting appears to show
A woman shimmers in gold while other artistic lines are painted across her skin
All shapes and sizes of paintbrush were also on display in order for the artists to create their work