Cementing body art's place in the cultural fabric

Chrystal Ash shows off her body art at the launch of the NZ Body Art Awards DVD. Photo / Eveline Jenkin

Chrystal Ash had never been a canvas for body art until last week, but when one of her friends had to pull out of a modelling engagement at the last minute, she happily offered to step in.

"I've done a little bit of life modelling before so I wasn't too worried about it," she said as she posed for photos in her newly applied skin of paint at the launch of the NZ Body Art Awards DVD.

"I enjoyed it actually. Because I'm an artist myself it was good to be on the other end for a change."

The application of Ash's second skin by body artist Samuel Wheeler took about 45 minutes.

"It was quite relaxing once the air gun got going properly," said Ash, "kind of like a cold massage."

Body art - the application of paint to the body using an air gun or brushes and sponges - has taken off in New Zealand in recent years.

The inaugural Body Arts Awards were held last year and influential creatives such as Weta Workshop's Richard Taylor have already lent their support to the event.

Awards director Mem Bourke said the art form was growing in popularity and there was no shortage of people wanting to get involved, both as artists and as models.

"It's been pretty incredible but also challenging," she said.

"The quality of work being produced is really amazing but there is pressure too because already, at two years old, everyone expects we should be like the wearable arts (awards)."

Bourke said one of the main challenges for artists at the annual awards was ensuring their creations were striking from a distance, as well as close-up.

"Art has to look as good on stage as it does backstage. There's no point in it looking fantastic at 10 feet if you can't see it from 100 feet."

And for those considering taking up the mantle of modelling, patience is also a requirement.

"On the day of the awards, the artists start work at about 10.30am but the judging's not until around five in the evening," Bourke says.

Next year's awards are already beginning to take shape, with Oscar-winner Taylor helping Bourke and her team find an international judge.

And the event has recently received a boost through the NZ Body Art Trust's acquisition of a new office in Takapuna's Lake House Art Centre.

"I can see [body art] going from strength to strength," Bourke says.

"The involvement of international judges and the number of people getting involved is really encouraging."