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Naked art: Take a peek inside a nude drawing class in Singapore

CNA Lifestyle dropped by a session to find out what exactly takes place behind closed doors; and had a chat with a professional model totally comfortable in her own skin.

Naked art: Take a peek inside a nude drawing class in Singapore

Professional model Shirley posing in front of students at Visual Arts Centre Singapore. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)

On this Thursday evening, all eyes are on Shirley. As she nonchalantly fixes her gaze on some imagined point at the far end of this air-conditioned room, nine complete strangers are silently but intensely scrutinising her from top to bottom.

It’s all quiet, except for some gentle piano music and the faint sound of scribbling on paper. Shirley doesn’t move a muscle – even though she’s been standing up for 20 minutes with her left leg at an awkward angle. It’s obviously cold and she’s completely naked.

“Okay, time’s up!” someone exclaims. Shirley relaxes, picks up a white top and casually covers herself. Before shuffling to an adjacent room to stretch her back, she takes a peek at a couple of nude sketches propped up on easels.

You just have to be very comfortable in your own skin 

“The first time I did this, I wanted to see the end result – how I looked on the canvas. It didn’t feel awkward because I already knew I will be in front of artists,” she told CNA Lifestyle earlier.​​​​​​​

Professional model Shirley posing at Visual Arts Centre Singapore's monthly nude life sessions. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)

HONING SKILLS FOR TWO HOURS

Once a month, the Visual Arts Centre Singapore (VAC) holds a nude life drawing session at its Dhoby Ghaut premises. For two hours, professional and amateur artists hone their skills, translating a model-in-the-flesh into figures on paper or canvas.

Sketching in real life. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)

Tonight, the subject is 30-year-old Shirley, who has been doing this for the past three years, after starting out as a photography model for lingerie, fashion and “implied nude” in 2009.

It’s not that I’m showing a naked body to another person – I’m showing a naked body to an artist who wants to paint for the sake of art

“All girls want to be models but they don’t know where to start. I was lucky that I Googled it online and found (photographers) who wanted models, so I gave it a try. After that, I liked it a lot,” she said.

These days, she roughly gets three to four gigs a week, which include nude life drawing sessions such as tonight. "Every week, depending on the timing and the art organisation you work with, there are assignments,” she said.

At Visual Arts Centre Singapore's monthly nude sketching class. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)

VAC is one of her regular clients – and that rare non-art school venue that offers such classes.

The monthly sessions began two years ago. “We wanted to introduce professional art courses – and a part of the Academy's approach to learning fine arts were nude life and portrait drawings,” explained Iola Liu, director of VAC.

READ: Inside the world of competitive arm wrestling in Singapore

The legacy of nude art stretches way back, and is found in all cultures, from the Greeks to the Japanese, with many of the world’s masterpieces falling in this tradition. Suffice it to say, majority of these weren’t simply imagined by artists but had actual people in the buff posing for them.

“It’s basically the same as learning to draw a still life of apples or vases and all that – but you study the human anatomy. You can’t go far just copying from a picture,” said Iola.

FROM PROFESSIONALS TO BEGINNERS

According to Iola, between eight to 12 people attend each session and their backgrounds are quite varied. “Some are former or current art students, and there are also complete beginners. And we also have a teacher present, who guides them.”

Professional model Shirley posing before a group of students at Visual Arts Centre Singapore. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)

Everything is done in a controlled environment – no photography is allowed and outsiders can’t just barge in. Each session is S$56 and the VAC provides the materials.

“Some people can’t imagine but the mood is actually very serious. People who come here are really thankful for the opportunity to be able to draw nude models,” said Iola.

For the first few minutes, you don’t feel cold but then after 10 minutes…

Tonight, one of the students is Jing Xiang. The 28-year-old event coordinator working in the mental health industry is attending his first nude drawing session at the VAC.

“I haven’t done it in a long time but it’s been a good way for me to focus, and take my attention off things like work. I think art is actually a nice way to relax. It’s good to be able to observe and draw,” he said.

READ: Inside the world of Singapore's ancient Japanese archery students

THE IDEAL NUDE MODEL

While nude life art – and such sessions devoted to this – is pretty normal elsewhere, that’s not the case in Singapore, said Iola, citing artists like Siew Hock Meng and Fan Shao Hua as among the more famous ones.

Classes are mostly reserved for art schools and private sessions by different groups. As for nude models, there aren’t many around apparently – VAC finds its models from a recommended list by the Federation of Art Societies.

The mood is actually very serious. People who come here are really thankful for the opportunity to be able to draw nude models

“We do have people who contact us because they think it’s very fun and want to tick it off their bucket list. But nude life modeling is a serious assignment,” said Iola, who reckons there are less than 50 models who do this. VAC has worked with about 10 of them.

A sketch of Shirley during the monthly session. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)

So what does it take to become a nude model then?

It’s not just about being naked in front of strangers. According to Iola, there are requirements regarding the models’ physique – and it has to do with actually having something to draw or paint.

“The ideal (female) nude life model would be curvaceous, with all the connotations of a female body – full hips and breasts. If a model is too ‘flat’ (it’s not ideal). For guys, we want someone with abs and muscles – although we’ve had feedback that some guys don’t like to draw other guys,” she said, with a laugh.

ON ACHING BODIES AND BEING COLD

Aside from that, models have to be disciplined. “Moving a lot is unacceptable behaviour. You’re required to hold a certain position so people can focus and draw you.”

While models do take breaks in-between poses – which usually includes the basic ones like standing, sitting and lying down – it can get pretty tiring, said Shirley.

Shirley taking a break in-between poses, some of which can last up to 20 minutes. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)

“One of the challenges is the body ache – especially if you do a pose wrongly and have to stay there for, like 15 minutes. And then there’s the aircon. For the first few minutes, you don’t feel cold but then after 10 minutes…” she laughed.

And what goes on in her head as she stands or sits immobile in front of artists? “If there’s music, I’ll just listen to it. If it’s just silence, I’ll treat it as if I’m meditating. Because I do yoga as well.”

The ideal (female) nude life model would be curvaceous. For guys, we want someone with abs and muscles 

But what about the very notion of standing in your birthday suit in front of total strangers?

“You just have to be very comfortable in your own skin. Not many people in Singapore can accept nude modelling (but) it’s not that I’m showing a naked body to another person – I’m showing a naked body to an artist who wants to paint, who wants to photograph, for the sake of art.”

Those who attend the nude sketching classes come from all walks of life, including professionals. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)

While nude life modelling doesn’t necessarily mean one has to actually like art, it’s certainly a big plus if one does.

Shirley, for instance, developed a love for art from her teenage years, and does some photography herself (sunsets and old buildings are favourite subjects). She also has a fine arts diploma and a degree in dance from LASALLE College of the Arts.

READ: Inside the world of Singapore's professional wrestlers

That sensitivity to aesthetics extends to how she views her modelling gigs. She would normally interact with artists during breaks, and offer or receive feedback.

“Artists know what they want in their canvas and sketches. And if I can help them (to achieve that), why not? I’m also an artist – my body is my tool.”

An art student at Visual Arts Centre Singapore's monthly nude life drawing session. (Photo: Gaya Chandramohan)
Source: CNA/mm

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