FIRST IMAGE FROM SPENCER TUNICK’S DEAD SEA INSTALLATION REVEALED 

Artist Spencer Tunick has today revealed the breathtaking first image from his historic artwork at the Dead Sea to support the global campaign to promote voting for the Dead Sea as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature (campaign ends 11.11.11.) To view the first artwork and to vote for the Dead Sea go to: www.nakedsea.info

“Naked Sea” is a grassroots project initiated in Israel to draw attention to the environmental plight of the Dead Sea. Over 1,200 people from all walks of life (from Israel & abroad) arrived just before dawn on Saturday17th September to participate in the installation. The stunning image was created in only a few hours, after all attendees stripped off and floated in unison in the Dead Sea.

“Israel is not a theocracy it is a democracy and the only place in the Middle East that I could create this art”, said Spencer Tunick. “Thanks to the participants efforts the world has a new image of Israel as an open and vibrant democracy. Israelis are some of the most beautiful, warm, educated, open minded and peaceful people that I have ever worked with”.

Several other images were taken on the shores of the Dead Sea, and later in the day at the Ein Gedi Springs & the Ein Bokek Waterfalls. There were also individual portraits taken in Tel Aviv later in the week of Tunick’s visit. The full range of artwork from Israel will be prepared for a future museum exhibition.

“We’re thrilled to reveal the premier image of “Naked Sea”,” said Ari Fruchter & Shlomit Yarkoni, the initiators of the project. “Through the art of Spencer Tunick we were able to reach over 500 million people around the world with a new positive image of Israel and an important environmental message. We look forward to continuing to work with Spencer to prepare a full museum exhibition of his work”

PLEASE NOTE: USE OF THIS IMAGE IS AVAILABLE UNTIL Nov. 15, 2011 ONLY. FURTHER REPRINTS AFTER THAT DATE WITH WRITTEN PERMISSION ONLY FROM roy@benor.co.il

Photographer/artist, Spencer Tunick, is currently staying at the Dan Tel-Aviv hotel with his extensive film crew. This is the photographer’s second visit to the hotel, although he has visited Israel many times before.

Tunick is known worldwide for his unique photographic projects, where thousands volunteer to be photographed in the nude in order to create large installations. These installations are created by combining the naked human body along with natural and urban landscapes, which are then documented with a series of stills and video shots.

Tunick came to Israel to shoot a special project at the Dead Sea, (the lowest place on earth) where a 1,000 volunteers participated. The project is meant to raise international awareness to the danger of the dehydration of the Dead Sea. Additionally, Tunick hopes his project will help with the selection of the Dead Sea as one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature and bring international attention to the region.

At the same time, four Hollywood executives are also staying at the Dan Tel Aviv, while running location scouting for a movie that is to be filmed in Israel.  This group is headed by Edward Zwick, an Academy Award winner director and producer (“The Last Samurai”, “Legends of the Fall”, “Blood Diamond” and more) and David Rubin, Deputy General Director for CBS productions.