TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

'Nude Nite': Meeting Art In The Flesh

ADVERTISEMENT

By STEVE OTTO

sotto@tampatrib.com

Published: October 12, 2008

I'm not sure how many millions we've spent designing, redesigning and finally building a new art museum. It's a bundle, maybe enough to buy a bank or two.

But now it's about to pay off as Tampa moves to the epicenter of the art world, although apparently we won't even be using the art museum for this one.

This past week it was announced that in February, Tampa will be playing host to "Nude Nite," which is billed as "The largest nude art show in the United States." It is apparently so big that "Nude Nite" is going to last three days, Feb. 26-28.

You got it. Within the first two months of the year we are going to host a Super Bowl, float through Gasparilla, and cap the whole shebang off with "Nude Nite," which promoters say will "attract thousands who come to see world-class body painters, strolling street performers, sculptures, photography and mixed media, in addition to fine art."

I called up the story on our Web service Tampa Bay Online. Fortunately, it included a Web site for the event, www.nudenitetampa.com, which, naturally, I went directly to for more information and a photo gallery of past events.

It just happens that I have an interest in fine art, an interest that intensified as I studied some of the art displays planned for the Tampa show.

(Editor's note: The March dates appearing on the event's Web site Saturday were incorrect. Steve Otto's Feb. 26-28 for Tampa is correct.)

The Bare Facts

I know that those of you who don't have an appreciation of art probably might look at the site and figure it is just a collection of photos of naked men and women in odd poses and wearing some peculiar body art.

Some of you who are less sophisticated might even mistake this for some adult magazine and not understand how this is going to finally make Tampa the "City of the Arts" that the last two mayors have said we are going to become.

Well, that shows you what you know. Among the displays scheduled for the Tampa event will be a gown made from 15,000 condoms and a living recreation of Michelangelo's David.

I do wonder a little about the strolling street performers. This may be Florida but it can get a little nippy around here in February. The organizers haven't said exactly where the event is going to be. The new art museum won't quite be finished

There's always one of Joe Redner's nude clubs, but there would be the problem of figuring out who onstage was performing fine art and who was just doing lap dances.

And At Center Stage ...

Speaking of Redner, he's the subject of an article in this month's Conde Nast Portfolio magazine. You might wonder why, out of all the people in this town, Redner manages to find his way into the national spotlight, but he did say he is now worth around $25 million. And one day, if he keeps running, he is going to get elected to something around here - maybe the arts czar.

And speaking of new museums in town, I hear the new Tampa Bay History Center is postponing its planned December grand opening.

They still plan to have it going in time for the Super Bowl, which is what everything is scheduled around in these parts.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT