“Many artists find that their pieces resonate with audiences if they go for an element of surprise in their work. ”
Such is the case with one of body painter Trina Merry’s pieces, the Human Temple. At first glance, it appears to be a red temple with a golden statue reflecting in ripples off the water. Look more closely and you’ll see that the temple is not a building at all, but rather a configuration of 17 naked circus performers and dancers artfully positioned to turn a common sight into an extraordinary living, breathing piece of art.
As a body painter, she is very familiar with composing unexpected works of art. While people are becoming savvier to body painting and in some cases even more comfortable with nudity because of it, it is still a thrill to fool the mind and leave her audience wondering, “Did I really just see that?”
Exploring the human body as a sculptural medium is Merry’s specialty. It took her nearly nine hours to create The Human Temple live before an audience at WORKS San Jose Gallery. She said the atmosphere was very upbeat as many visitors stood and watched her paint and the models pose for hours.
Working with humans in front of a live audience connects Merry to her art – and audience - in a unique, almost intimate way, like no other type of medium. She intentionally designs pieces that challenge the mind and awaken the soul.
According to Merry, she’s had women tell her that the body paintings have empowered them, that they were able to feel more confident in their own skin after modeling in the buff for one of her projects. Merry is happy to be the catalyst of change for them and wants to keep pushing the limits of her art in order to prompt discussions and bring about societal change.
This particular piece of art was very special to Merry just for that reason. It was designed with classic red and gold colors in the style of a Tibetan temple because it helped raise funds for Beyond The Four Walls, an organization that seeks to empower women in Nepal. In this South Asian country, females are often sold into slavery, married at young ages and become victims of violence. Very few enjoy the privilege of going to college.
While Merry’s artistic gifts raised money to support this important cause, she was also able to be directly involved with teaching women in Nepal business skills and lessons in art so they could explore their own interests and strengths.
Merry said she was inspired on this project after reading about the ancient uses of body paint to help heal a culture. Intrigued, she crafted The Human Temple to be a shared experience, one that connects her with the audience for a fleeting moment in time hopes that through her art she can continue to be the fuel for inspiration women in Nepal can hold close to their hearts.