The cast of characters Thursday night typified Nude Nite. A glittery and silver-winged stilt walker and a body-painted cat were just part of the colorful crew.
It's back! Nude Nite, the annual three-night pop-up art show dedicated to nude artwork, opened its doors in a new location in South Tampa March 3. The photographs, paintings, sculptures and mixed media pieces came from 22 states and four countries. Nude Nite is really more than an art show: It’s part art, part circus and part hipster bar. Cirque-style performance artists strolled the floor with intermittent interruptions for a classic burlesque show, pole dancing, and aerial performance. The entire night was backed by rhythmic music, with the building (that a few weeks ago was just a for-sale warehouse) adding a chic industrial feel. The art pieces were placed throughout the entire exhibit.
Caged cat Felix Gonzalez is a contortion artist. The enclosure represented the night's theme of Mad Menagerie (wild animals kept in captivity for entertainment). It was his first time performing at Nude Nite.
Nude Nite has traditionally encouraged attendees to let go of their inhibitions and express themselves in semi-cathartic exhibits. This display, in keeping with the "Mad Menagerie" theme, featured chalkboard paint-covered mannequins and a blackboard, and pressed those brave enough to express their hidden madness. Phrases like “To sing like a sparrow in a flock of crows” and the simple “Carbs” were among the anonymous tidbits of madness left behind.
This article appears in Mar 3-9, 2016.