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10 stunning photos from NYC's final naked bodypainting day

After a decade, New Yorkers bid farewell to the beautiful, bare event.

Rossilynne Skena Culgan
Things to Do Editor
A group of bodypainted people in front of the Washington Square arch.
Photograph: By Victor Mirontschuk | A previous bodypainting event with painted models in Washington Square Park.
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Under the sticky heat of the afternoon sun yesterday, dozens of fully nude models and artists (some of them nude, as well), gathered in Union Square for the final NYC Bodypainting Day. Each painter brought their artistic vision to life on the exquisite canvas of the human body, with some designs featuring intricate patterns and others with bold sweeping decorations. 

Artist Andy Golub founded the annual event a decade ago and said this year would be the last for NYC Bodypainting Day in this form. It's likely that the news of the last hurrah attracted some of the throngs of onlookers who gathered around to watch the painters at work. Other attendees stumbled upon the event as they passed through the park, some suppressing surprised gasps or nervous giggles. 

RECOMMENDED: This NYC vegan dinner party requires you to have dinner naked

The event celebrates the human body in all of its beautiful shapes, sizes, genders, ethnicities and ages (ranging from the 20s to the 80s at the event). Artists carefully wield paintbrushes to cover their subjects from head to toe in theatrical makeup. 

"I wanted people to take a moment and really celebrate humanity," Golub told Time Out New York. "I think the event is really about spreading joy and feeling joy."

When thinking back on the first bodypainting day, Golub describes it as "magical" with "this incredible feeling of positivity." 

Ten years later, that energy imbued this year's event as well. While this is farewell to NYC Bodypainting Day as we know it, Golub (who founded Human Connection Arts) says he's retiring the event in pursuit of new ways to share his art. He's in talks to create an event called BodyFest next spring, so stay tuned. 

In the meantime, here are 10 stunning photos of this year's artwork. 

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