BODY PAINTING

 

Body Painting is a form of body art where artwork is painted directly onto the human skin. Unlike tattoos and others form of body art, body painting is temporary, lasting for several hours or sometimes up to a few weeks (in the case of mehndi or henna tattoos).

HISTORY

 Body painting is a form of art that followed us from the ancient prehistoric times when human race was born, to the modern times where artist use human body as a innovative canvas that showcase human beauty like no art style before it. Many believe that body painting was the first form of art that was used by humans. Records of various ancient and modern tribes from Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia show clear records of their body painting heritage. They use natural pigments from plants and fruits, ancient people decorated themselves  with ritual paintings, tattoos etc. According to many historians, body painting was the important part of their daily lives. Body paint was often applied for wedding, preparation for war, death and funeral .In addition to temporary body paints, many cultures used face paint or permanent tattooing that could showcase much larger details than paintings made from natural pigments.

FACE PAINTING

All those ancient traditions slowly traveled with rise of the modern human civilization, managing to remain a part of traditions even modern times. Some example of modern day body paintings can be found in India, and African-American Indian tribes that use body paint for many of their religious ceremonies.

First modern appearance of the full body paint emerged in 1933 when famous cosmetic inventor Max Factor Sr. caused  confusion and disturbance with their exhibition of naked model Sally Rand on 1933 world’s Fair in Chicago.

Widespread use of body painting emerged during 1960s when western artists strived to find new way to express themselves in a form that will be sensational and shocking. Their moment came with the forming of the hippie movement in United States, which accepted sexuality, psychodelia and nudity as their way of life.

 It’s important to note that body painting is not always applied to fully nude female body. It can also be applied to the smaller piece of skin, of then back, hands, chest, and face.

There are many popular artists that used body paint as the means to express their artistic vision are:

• Jana Sterbak
• Rebecca Horn
• Youri Messen- Jaschin
• Joanne Gair

Currently artistic body paint is a accepted form of alternative art across entire world.

- JINSHA M