Drawing on... body

Nowadays showing your body is not humiliating or embarrassing. It is a well known truth that sex, erotic and the aesthetics of nudity can sell things. This is a chance for shy people to touch (not only with eyes) the unknown limits of human imagination and culture. Since ancient times human body has been subject of researches. Beauty of movement, the look, shapes and curves have always attracted creators. They look for new horizons and inspirations. All this provokes the birth of a new art – the body painting. It is part from body art and according to some critics this is the most ancient form of art. Unlike tattoo, body painting is a temporary drawing on body, which lasts only couple of hours or days. Such kind of decorations is used since ancient times. They were part from different rituals and sometimes soldiers painted their faces before an important battle. Different face-masks were used in theatre since its origin. Drawing on body is used in almost all tribal organizations. Drawing with “henna”, known as “mehndi”, is similar. In India, where its origin is from, girls who are getting married use this kind of paint.

The descent of body art dates since 1960, when a painter, called Yves Klein, painted naked women in blue and made them to lie on a black cloth. At the same time “children of flowers” popularized the body painting by drawing a smiled face on the belly of pregnant women, because they thought it was a blessing for the unborn children.

Body painting can change a person into spirit, ghost, and piece of art. Through this kind of art a creator can express his stand, to send a message, to provoke different reactions.

Different body art competitions are organized around the world. The world body art association not only stimulates this kind of art but also stimulates artists from all over the world, as well as the loyal trade between artists and companies. The organization is founded in 2001 in Austria by Alex Barenregt. He also creates and World Body painting Festival, which is organized each year in the Southern part of Austria. The association looks defends the interests of the professionals in this sphere as well of those which hobby is body painting.