Live large and prosper

Dec. 12, 2007 | William Shatner seems perfectly content spoofing his iconic status in Priceline commercials, but for Leonard Nimoy, life after "Star Trek" has been a more solemn existence. The man who would rather you not call him Spock has, for decades now, immersed himself in music, poetry and fine art. His new book "The Full Body Project," is an arresting collection of black-and-white nude photographs featuring full-bodied women who stare into the camera, practically daring us to judge them on their nakedness or their size. Nimoy is one of the few contemporary artists (another would be British artist Jenny Saville) working with full-figured models these days. With its references to artists from Matisse to Herb Ritts, "The Full Body Project" recalls a rich history of zaftig women in art at the same time it reminds us of their current absence. Indeed, "The Full Body Project" could be read as a critique of Hollywood -- or at least the glamour machine that runs on size 2 supermodels.Salon spoke recently with Nimoy about how he became fascinated by female body image, the decade and a half he spent working as a photographer, and how he made Joy Behar feel svelte.

Where did "The Full Body Project" come from?

I was doing a seminar with some earlier work, and a lady in the audience came up and said, "I'm a model, and I'm a different body type than what you've been working with. Would you be interested in working with me?" I discussed it with my wife, who is very much involved in what I do and very much involved in contemporary art -- she's a trustee at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles. She encouraged me to go ahead and do it. I was concerned with how to photograph this kind of figure because I simply was not used to it. I shot her in black-and-white. I was quite satisfied with what I got, because I thought she looked like a marble sculpture in black-and-white.

I began to become conscious of this question of body size and body image in our culture. I became more aware of what we're bombarded with in magazines, newspapers and television commercials -- "Lose 10 pounds in three weeks! Eat and be thin!" It's incredible if you stop and think about it. I found this burlesque group in San Francisco called the Fat-Bottom Review. I made arrangements to photograph them in San Francisco and then again in Los Angeles.

Did the fact that you were photographing burlesque performers, who probably have strong personalities and a great deal of confidence, influence the project?

It made it very easy for them to be photographed. They're comfortable with their bodies and they are performers, so once I gave them some direction, they were able to get to it very comfortably. We had a terrific time. There was music playing, there was dancing. They were joyous, and they were comfortable. They're a terrific bunch of people.

Should we see your models as erotic or sexual subjects?

No matter who my models are, I don't work sexually. I'm not thinking sexually. I'm thinking about concept, lighting and composition. If it comes off sexually, so be it. That's up to the viewer. But I believe I'm not objectifying these women. Objectifying [occurs] when you put forth a figure of a woman that's intended to titillate and be seductive. I don't do that.

As you mentioned, in some way these portraits were uncharted waters for you --

And uncharted waters for the viewer.

Yes, but despite the unusual subject and form, the work seems very referential.

Yes, definitely referential. I use classic images and contemporary iconic images as a starting-off point. There's a very famous photograph by Herb Ritts of five famous fashion models sitting nude on the floor. I sent that photograph to the group in San Francisco and said I wanted to replicate it with them. I also sent a Helmut Newton diptych of four models walking toward the camera -- one side in high-fashion clothes and the other totally nude. I started with those as jumping-off points. The second time I photographed [the burlesque performers], I sent them images of Matisse's "Dance," Marcel Duchamp's "Nude Descending a Staircase" and "The Three Graces," which was done by many artists, including Raphael about 500 years ago. These became iconic references for us. [It was] intriguing to find out what a different contemporary approach to those images might look like.

Which other artists were reference points for you?

The development of ideas came from the project itself, not from inspiration from other photographers or artists. I thought, "OK I've got these women to shoot. Now what would be interesting to do?" I think the first impulse I had was the Herb Ritts photographs, because that was so much about fashion models of a body size and shape that is sold as the ideal. Once I latched on to that, then the rest of it came --the Helmut Newton, Matisse, Duchamp and the Raphael.

Next page: Joy Behar from "The View" said, "These pictures make me feel svelte." I love that