Artist and prolific naked-people painter Andy Golub struck again yesterday afternoon with a brief "exhibition" outside the main branch of New York Public Library in Midtown. Golub's subjects—or canvases—were Lakisha from Staten Island and Nicole from Nyack. They both boasted plus-size physiques which they were proud to show off, all in an effort to promote positive body image in women and men no matter what they may look like.
The two naked women attracted a steady stream of gawkers and admirers passing by the library, but most people just took a few photos, asked a few questions, and respectfully moved on. Golub occasionally painted an arm or a leg from the crowd upon request, and a couple of women, including Marni from Ann Arbor, Michigan, spontaneously decided to join Lakisha and Nicole, stripping off most of their clothes and standing in solidarity with them on the stairs. Marni said it was an exhilarating experience, to unashamedly expose herself in the middle of New York City.
Yesterday's event was a lead in to Golub's Bodypainting Day festivities on July 18th, during which he plans on painting 100 models of all sizes at Dag Hammerskjold Plaza on 47th Street and Second Avenue. Last August, police told two of his models to cover their bottoms, but Golub said, "Full nudity is legal in the streets of NYC if it's for the purposes of a performance or a play or an exhibition."
