From Barcelona to London Selfridges and the Sydney Opera House (above), Spencer Tunick's nude photographs of massed exhibitionists have established the American artist as such an arch-provocateur that even Lady Gaga has admitted writing a thesis about him.
No stranger to the UK, he unleashed 160 naked guests among a star-studded guestlist at the opening of the Saatchi Gallery in 2003, before inspiring almost 2,000 people to cross the Tyne in their birthday suits in Newcastle in 2005 as part of BBC 3's Naked City documentary.
For his next trick, Tunick is inviting 1,000 volunteers to pose naked for a photographic and film work to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Salford's Lowry.
Nudists get down to earth in one of Tunick's interventions at Blarney Castle in County Cork, Ireland in 2008
Volunteers will be transported via a caravan of heated buses to eight landmark venues across Manchester and Salford during the first weekend of May. The installation will go on show in June as part of Everyday People, an exhibition paying homage to the work of famous local son LS Lowry, who also visualised a mass of bodies going about their daily lives.
"Salford and Manchester presents an intriguing prospect for my latest UK installation, based both on the rich industrial heritage that exists across both cities and the art of LS Lowry," said Tunick.
"LS Lowry's paintings depicting the mass of everyday people who contributed to the industrial machine of the 20th century, also provide an interesting frame of reference in terms of the compositional possibilities of the installations."
Naked city in Newcastle-Gateshead, 2005
Michael Simpson, The Lowry's Head of Visual Arts and Engagement, feels the project encapsulates the centre’s commitment to "innovative, engaging and exciting" contemporary art.
"Tunick's work not only records the landscape of an area, but also reflects its people," he added.
"This exhibition celebrates our achievements and signals our continuing ambition."
Shoot takes place on May 1 and May 2. Register online to take part.
Everyday People exhibition runs June 12 – September 26 2010.
All images © The Unofficial Spencer Tunick Experience Website, thespencertunickexperience.org
