Chinese photographer WANIMAL is causing a stir right now in Chinese papers (and a bit in the UK and US) for a couple of art nudes he took in the Forbidden City palace in Bejiing, China. The photos are lovely, though erotic, and the Palace Museum is not happy about it. In a statement issued on Monday, the Museum said that such behavior should be “condemned by society” and “violates the public order and social morals.”
China’s Global Times writes,
According to the museum, security camera footage shows that at 8:30 am on May 17, four visitors ran ahead of other visitors into the museum. Among them was a woman wearing long grey clothing.
At 8:50, staff at the museum discovered the group taking inappropriate photos at The Hall of Supreme Harmony (taihe dian) during a patrol and stopped them.
Based on previous posts on Wang’s Sina Weibo, he began scouting the museum as early as May 13. The museum denied that it had any knowledge of the shoot beforehand.
In an interview with guancha.com on Thursday, Wang said that taking photos at tourist attractions “is not something new” for him and that he feels his behavior hasn’t affected anyone. He added that if people wish to take offense at his work then so be it.
Wang is a graduate from the Central Academy of Drama and received further education in the US. In addition to the recent controversial nude photos in the Forbidden City, he has also photographed nude models in the streets of Hong Kong and at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.
He should put the Palace’s statement in his bio under “accomplishments.” He’s a hell of an artist — do hop over to WANIMAL’s Tumblr and feast on miles of gorgeous art nudes brimming with skin, tattoos, and highly condemnable behavior.
Impressive photos and bravery feeling for them. The art is sharing his soul to us.
Thanks for sharing Violet.