Seclude in the Nude

May 7, 2020 by Cartagena Leave a Comment

Photographer: Kirra Cheers | Shop

“Despite the fear and anxiety, I felt like this was an opportunity for me to produce a body of work that spoke to the moment. I create work that studies sexuality and connection within a modern world. ‘Seclude in the Nude’ is my documentation of intimacy during an unprecedented period of isolation. The images capture a need for people to feel seen and connected to one another despite and because of the necessity for social distancing. From a personal perspective, it can be hard to be creative amidst so much uncertainty. The project has given me purpose and structure as the days have a tendency to blur together. Connecting with people in this manner has been a surreal experience that I feel is reflected in the images. I hope that the body of work serves as a time capsule to remember this moment in history.

During this difficult time, I am participating in the artist support pledge and selling prints from the project at reduced prices. I will be splitting the profits from the print sales with the people I photographed. Furthermore, for every $1000 in print sales, I pledge to buy other artists work of the same value.”

The project is ongoing. If you are in NYC and would like to be photographed, please get in touch.

“I am a sex worker, aerialist, show producer, and determined optimist. Still recovering from shoulder surgery, I now have all the time in the world for physical therapy, have started cooking again for the first time in nearly 10 years, and have found alternative sources of income through producing weekly virtual cabarets instead of my usual sex work (which has come to a screeching halt). Starved for physical social interaction, being naked in semi-public is a way to be seen, to provoke a reaction, and to find a little piece of freedom and rebellion in the confinement of the new normal. Plus, I just really hate wearing clothes.” – @freakyfetishflier for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“As a closet introvert, I can admit that transitioning into the “new normal” may have been easier for myself than the large share of my friends and colleagues, as well as the world at large. Being a full-time gig worker, with all of my revenue streams being performance-related, there have definitely been anxieties about the future for not only artists but for everyone in general. I’m doing my best to channel that energy into productive artistic outlets as much as I can, but I definitely also have days where I’m not productive at all. It comes in waves.

I have been able to find ways to continue performing shows virtually on various online platforms and it is an experience and outlet that I am truly grateful for.
I wanted to participate in Seclude in the Nude because I enjoy finding new ways to continue connecting and creating with people to make art together during the quarantine. Also because I like doing anything that includes getting naked!” – @theblueeyedbombshell for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“I’ve lost count of the days…It’s a sad time but it’s often in these dark periods that we have opportunities to experience joy as well. I am not working now, like many artists, and I have no idea what the future looks like. Some days are spent making headway on projects and others are not so productive and I’m trying to be okay with all of it. But I do love contrast, and the conflicting idea of being naked and lit at night, intentionally exhibiting myself to my neighborhood while having a conversation through a closed window on a cellphone with someone I can see on the sidewalk is exactly what this whole experience has felt like. More isolated, more exposed, but also more connected than ever.” – @zepeinthecity for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“Six weeks ago, I sat on my couch with a friend. “People we know are going to die”, I said. Not even two weeks later, my aunt passes. I still can’t wrap my head around the idea. Just seeing and hearing the words- they don’t make sense to me. Surely, it must be a nightmare. I see the people outside without masks, drinking haphazardly in the park without a care in the world. This has greatly changed me. It is our duty to stay inside and protect each other. Yes, it’s not ideal to stay inside for months, but at least we can sit on the couch and watch tv. She can’t.” @rosequartzburlesque @theveronicaviper2 for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“I wanted to be a part of your project because I am a huge fan and I really wanted to do something scary AF. Getting on a fire escape butt ass nekkid in 45-degree weather during a viral pandemic seemed like a helluva time. It was an amazing memorable experience and I’d do it again in a heartbeat. Minus pandemic.”

Stacey @elegant_dirtbag is a mum of three and a student in surgical technology. She is currently working on the front line as a unit secretary in the CCU (coronary critical care unit) which has been converted into an ICU unit for COVID patients for the past month. She told me that posing for my ‘Seclude in the Nude’ project was “the craziest thing she’s done sober”. @elegant_dirtbag for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“It’s overwhelming to sit and think about how significant a moment this is for the world. It’s completely disarming, and an experience that has stripped me down in so many ways. I know people who have gotten sick, I have a friend who died, I know what this level of uncertainty feels like in my body.

This is an experience that has forced me to pick apart and examine every facet of my life. I have learned the value of routine, intention, and accepting that things can only be taken day by day. The world has changed, and I can’t help but be curious about the world we will walk back out into.”

“I went through a time in my life about 10 years ago where I was done with the abuse of the dance world and didn’t quite know who I was as an artist. I created a bunch of art projects that were all about that struggle of figuring out who I was. This pandemic arrived at a time when I felt like I had hit my stride as an artist, I had found my people, and I was so excited about the things to come. I can’t make work with my performance partner right now. I so miss holding onto her, laughing together while spinning fast in the air. I miss the crowded dressing rooms and spontaneous late-night conversations. I’m creating work at home now. I have to, I don’t know any other way to exist.” @kygwen for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“I love this series because to me the images convey vulnerability and intimacy while simultaneously evoking a sense of distance and disconnection. This reflects how I’m personally feeling at this time, what I’m craving, and what I’m missing. Also…if there was ever a time to put nudes on the internet, it’s now!” – @cephaloponderer for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“It’s so moving to see the ways that artists continue to create during this time. I’m especially inspired by the interesting ways people are collaborating with each other. But at the same time, there is this pressure to create that sometimes feels overwhelming when there are a lot of days where you walk around with a heavy heart. The phrase keeps repeating in the back of my mind “What a world we live in.” – @lalolacarter for ‘Seclude in the Nude

“Most days are spent alone in the void of isolation, losing track of time on creative projects that have no deadlines in sight. With usual nightlife on indefinite pause and life-shifting into digital mediums, I’ve been redefining my live/workspace into a black box design studio; my void. So I welcome you into a literal window of my current experience where colorful sparks of light and hope radiate amidst the darkness of our unknown path ahead.” @ravenarose for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“It felt like my performance career was just starting to gather momentum when the whole city shut down. But I’m realizing, as gig dates come and go, how much of that career was directed by what others wanted to see and not by what I wanted to express. Isolation has renewed access to the deep well of Need within me, Need waiting to be transformed into image, word, and motion. I feel lucky to have friends willing to help facilitate that transformation. Old friends and new ones, like you” – @baby.eclipse for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“I wanted to be involved because I love helping other artists out. I was working in event design and I can’t do that right now, so I’ve been focusing on how I want life to look when this ends…. and gardening.” – @theashleypalmerproject for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“I heard about this project from a friend and really wanted to get involved. I’m a professional performance artist based in Brooklyn and my main passion is Mime and movement.

Quarantine has been especially hard for me because my passion relies so much on interpersonal communication through nonverbal language. I constantly engage my audience and demand engagement from them.

I am following the lockdown guidelines and taking this very seriously. But I have to admit, it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions over the past 7 weeks being stuck inside. I spiral in and out of depression due to the lack of human interaction and the ever-looming uncertainty of my next source of income. Being a performance artist, I’m used to having multiple jobs because losing a gig is part of the entertainment culture. I was always confident that if I ever had no work I could always fall back on my best skill and passion- mime. It’s easy to make rent on the streets of NYC as a mime (it’s just long days and hard physical work) but I never imagined I wouldn’t be allowed in the streets to perform.

I feel like a failure even though I’ve spent ten years using this skill to make people happy and entertained. I’m taking it one day at a time, but the reality is, I’m actually stuck in my apartment box in NYC and I can no longer afford to pay for the box that I’m being told to stay in until it’s safe. Ironic; I used to really love the imaginary box but it just feels different when it’s tangible and real in quarantine.” – @themisfitmime for ‘Seclude in the nude’

“I heard about this project from a friend and really wanted to get involved. I’m a professional performance artist based in Brooklyn and my main passion is Mime and movement.

Quarantine has been especially hard for me because my passion relies so much on interpersonal communication through nonverbal language. I constantly engage my audience and demand engagement from them.

I am following the lockdown guidelines and taking this very seriously. But I have to admit, it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions over the past 7 weeks being stuck inside. I spiral in and out of depression due to the lack of human interaction and the ever-looming uncertainty of my next source of income. Being a performance artist, I’m used to having multiple jobs because losing a gig is part of the entertainment culture. I was always confident that if I ever had no work I could always fall back on my best skill and passion- mime. It’s easy to make rent on the streets of NYC as a mime (it’s just long days and hard physical work) but I never imagined I wouldn’t be allowed in the streets to perform.

I feel like a failure even though I’ve spent ten years using this skill to make people happy and entertained. I’m taking it one day at a time, but the reality is, I’m actually stuck in my apartment box in NYC and I can no longer afford to pay for the box that I’m being told to stay in until it’s safe. Ironic; I used to really love the imaginary box but it just feels different when it’s tangible and real in quarantine.” – @themisfitmime for ‘Seclude in the nude’

“Honestly, I’ve found myself feeling quite guilty throughout this experience. I am lucky enough to continue making a living; I am quarantined with my loving partner and our pets; my family is nearby, and we are all healthy. And yet, I still have bouts of such debilitating anxiety where I can’t seem to stop crying or even pick myself up off the bathroom floor. That’s when the guilt sets in. How can I even begin to justify these episodes when the reality is that – on the surface – I am doing just fine? I’ve spoken with several friends that seem to be having similar feelings. And so I think it’s important to try and remind ourselves that pain is relative. There is no definitive, sequential hierarchy of pain that says “your experience puts you here on the spectrum and this is how you should feel.” All of our feelings are valid and we deserve to be patient with ourselves. The love and inclusivity of the artistic community during these times has helped to keep me grounded and anchored to a universal experience that we are all handling in our own ways. I’m so grateful to all of the amazing artists, including @KirraCheers, that have trusted me with their creative visions during this time. I think a lot of art will come out of this.” – @bomchicka_wawa for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“Quarantine life! Man, what can I say? Since this whole thing began, I’ve definitely learned a few things. Even though we all have days where we complain about going to work and desperately try to find time off, my love for what I do has definitely been solidified during this experience. I’m a fitness professional and miss being in the gym training and teaching people. While I am fortunate enough to work from home and coach clients virtually, nothing beats being hands-on in the gym. Second, this quarantine can be a big test for relationships. Being quarantined with your significant other is great, but it can also be mentally frustrating — there is very little time apart and tensions can run high. It has been a great strengthening exercise too – both as a couple and individuals – find ways to decompress in close quarters. Lastly, I’ve learned (and enjoyed) the importance of a good night’s sleep! Though quarantine can definitely be rough at times, I am appreciative of the extra time it has given me to focus on working on myself. It has also presented me with fun opportunities to collaborate with other artists like @KirraCheers! I definitely never thought I’d stand naked in front of a NYC highway!” – @jrey_training for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“This experience has been a cycle of emotions, being an artist my imagination ran WILD at the beginning of this experience. I thought, “well I won’t be able to survive NYC without live performance, so I’ll give myself 6 months and move home with my parents!” then it went to ” I hate online performing, I miss the chemistry of a live audience!” then I realized,” this is going to be a long journey, I need to shift my artistic brain to make art for the small screen!” And since then it’s been FUN! My bedroom is my recording studio/ costume shop/dressing room! So, there is NO WAY I will be leaving NYC because I CAN MAKE IT! I’ve been here for almost 18 years, celebrated my 16 years in performance, and 9 years being a FULL-TIME PERFORMER! I have so much to be grateful for, a supportive household, a close-knit community of artists and friends that live down the block from me! This project directly connects to my art, my personal space, my home! It was also a chance to connect with another human being off a screen!” @darlindajust for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“Connect • Create • Inspire

Adapting for the present moment.
Sharing my morning practice
Teaching classes
Taking classes
Training
Performing
Collaborating
Finding ways to live in the now”. – @lithiumkitten for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“I found out I was losing my job at the end of February. It was tough news to get, but I was hopeful. I threw myself into the job search. Interviews were lining up, and I even had a few offers on the table when coronavirus hit.

Soon interviews sputtered out, and the offers started being retracted, one by one. Then my husband got sick. I remember driving him to the ER after he fainted in our kitchen after days of spiking fevers and night sweats. He was so weak that I had to walk him to hospital doors before being turned away at the threshold by security. I went back to my car and cried. What the fuck just happened to my life?

Two months later and we’re both healthy. I landed a remote design gig that pays the bills. There’s unexpected freedom in this new life. I only got into photography last summer — and my day job made it difficult to devote as much time to it as I wanted to. In quarantine, I feel like creativity finally has room to breathe.”

As a beginner, I used to be so self-conscious about posting my photography on social media. But the landscape has shifted so much. I’ve been participating in the FaceTime photo shoot movement, which I think is such a powerful equalizer. There’s no hiding behind expensive gear or beautiful locations or impeccable styling. It’s just you and your eye. It’s been a huge confidence boost to get noticed and produce work I’m really proud of. I’ve gotten the chance to meet and work with other amazing creatives like Kirra. I can’t even believe I’m saying this, but I’m sometimes so grateful for what life looks like right now.” – @bridgeterrante for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

“My last day of work was Mar 11th! Since then most days have been a cycle of different emotions and inner thoughts of happiness, longing, anxiety, fear, but still growth! No art was happening! Now I want to do the arts, and this photo series has inspired me to create!!! “- @_jonjoni for ‘Seclude in the Nude’

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