Just another Saturday in the museum - nudists visit art exhibit in Paris

Record ID: 1116246

  • Title: Just another Saturday in the museum - nudists visit art exhibit in Paris
  • Date: 5th May 2018
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MAY 5, 2018) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS NUDITY*** MEMBERS OF PARIS NATURISTS ASSOCIATION WALKING IN LOBBY OF PALAIS DE TOKYO CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM NATURISTS GREETING MEDIA NATURISTS STANDING IN LOBBY (SOUNDBITE) (French) COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR OF PARIS NATURISTS ASSOCIATION, JULIEN CLAUDE-PENEGRY, SAYING: "What is the interest of putting nude people (in this setting)? You will certainly ask this question. And I tell you: 'Why not?' Others do it. What obliges us to come to a museum with clothes on? The naturists' way of life of is to be naked. Culture is part of our daily life, and this is a special opportunity, to be able to enter another dimension, and offer naturists another possibility to live a moment, a special experience, all the more so because we're in Paris, and we're in the biggest museum dedicated to contemporary culture."
  • Embargoed: 19th May 2018 12:04
  • Keywords: naturists Palais de Tokyo nudism art culture Paris nudists
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Art,Arts / Culture / Entertainment
  • Reuters ID: LVA0018ELD6QH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: PLEASE NOTE: THIS EDIT CONTAINS NUDITY
    For nudists in Paris, visiting an art museum naked should neither be shameful nor shocking.
    The Palais de Tokyo contemporary art museum opened its doors for the first time to the Paris Naturists Association on Saturday (May 5) for a three-hour visit.
    Nudists in France have already been welcomed in an indoor swimming pool, a park and a restaurant.
    Julien Claude-Penegry, in charge of communications for the association, said the museum visit, where 160 nudists took part, is another step towards accepting nudity in urban life.
    "Today we'll be able to visit a museum, free of societal norms. And ultimately, maybe we will take fuller pleasure from culture and art, without wondering if people are looking, or asking ourselves 'What do I look like? What do the people think of me when I'm in front of this art work?' On the contrary, we are trying to break this apart," said Cedric Amato, vice president of the association.
    The nudists' group is pushing to break more boundaries, at least in Paris. Next in store is a nudists' clubbing night later this year.
    The more they are integrated, the better, they said.
    "Today, the mentality is changing. Naturists, and especially their nudity, are pushing past barriers, taboos or mentalities that were obstructive. Nudity is not shameful, nudity is beautiful," Claude-Penegry said.
    The actual visit, to an exhibit entitled "Discord: Fille de la Nuit" was closed to television media except for a channel devoted to naturism.
    The Paris Naturists Association counts more than 80,000 members. There are up to 2.6 million practitioners of nudism during the summer vacation in France, they said.
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