You've got a secret smile

The Identity Project - Robin by Leonard Nimoy

I had no idea that Leonard Nimoy is an accomplished photographer! Can he get any more awesome? I recently watched the new Star Trek movie - which I loved, by the way - and was very happy to see the sprightly 79 year old Nimoy revisiting the part of Spock. But it seems his talents extend beyond the acting sphere.

A recent photography project he has done is called "The Full Body Project", which is black and white nude photography of plus-size women. Nimoy's description of why he's taken on the project is interesting, and shows an ability to critique his own past attitudes.

For a number of years, I have been producing images using the female figure... But, as has been pointed out to me in discussions at exhibitions of my work, the people in these pictures always fell under the umbrella of a certain body type. I’ll call it a "classic" look. Always within range of the current social consensus of what is "beautiful." In fact, that was the adjective I most often heard when my work was exhibited. The women as they appeared in my images were allotted no individual identity. They were hired and directed to help me express an idea—sometimes about sexuality, sometimes about spirituality—and usually about feminine power. But the pictures were not about them... These women [I am using] are interested in "fat liberation." ... I wanted these pictures to be more about them. These women are projecting an image that is their own. And one that also stems fro m their own story rather than mine... In these pictures these women are proudly wearing their own skin.

( cut for nudity )

In 2002, meanwhile, Nimoy caused uproar within the Jewish community with his book Shekhina which contained photographs intending to represent the divine (feminine) presence of God. I don't really know enough about this concept to say whether or not I think Nimoy does it justice, but I think some of the nudes are really quite lovely.

( more nsfw )

And finally, he has most recently worked on The Identity Project, where he worked with 100 people to try to portray their "secret selves". Some of the results are quite interesting.

( you've got a secret smile )