Do you think this is art too?

A day at the Montreal 2024 World Naked Bike Ride.

I guess I’ll never fully understand the implications of that question with certainty, but that was a Korean tourist’s question when she saw a bunch of nude men on bicycles in a public park while the police idly watched. The first thing she said (using her handy translator) was “It was really a culture shock".

I had never witnessed the World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) and had no idea it even existed. I’ve been living in Montreal just over 2 years and had not heard a thing about it. I previously spent 8 years living in Mexico City where it also happened every single year I was there. This marked the thirteenth year it was held in Montreal and I thought it would make an interesting occasion to shoot portraits. 

It was interesting to see the nude version of “everyday occurrences” like someone napping in the park, having lunch on a bench or just strolling with grandma out on her wheelchair for some fresh air. 

The first question Ronald had for me when I asked to make his portrait was “it’s not going on any porn site, right?” He quickly ID’d my accent and said “You can call me Ronaldo”. He’s been a nudist many years and this is his second time at the WNBR. In exchange for these photos, he asked I photograph him with his phone as well.

I asked Norman the difference between a nudist and a naturist. He said “I don’t know, everyone says different things. They say if you smoke you’re a vegetarian, if you don’t then you’re a vegan. I don’t smoke, don’t drink, I’m a vegan? I eat meat. I live to enjoy life”, then he drenched himself in baby oil. “I like this, I like the shine.” he said.

This is Joe, he is patiently waiting for everyone to arrive. He is one of the WNBR organizers in Montreal. He preps the body paint, has maps, answers questions cyclists and onlookers may have. He also proudly wears his big hat.

Unfortunately only two women attended, one in the morning and one in the evening. This effectively killed diversity.

I never felt there was a right moment to approach the morning woman. I waited until the last minute to talk to the second woman in the evening, just before the start of the ride. I asked how she felt being the only female present, to which she jokingly replied “It’s actually pretty stressful.” We spoke some more and I asked to take her photo. While we had been talking, a flock of tourists had formed behind her. Once they saw she posed for me,  tourists flocked to try and get a photo of or with her to which she quickly reacted by pedaling away and disappearing into the mass of cyclists. 

This next gentleman didn’t speak a word of English and my French is terrible. After an indecipherable chat and once he finished his lunch, we managed to make this very relaxed portrait of him and his bike, with his hair blowing in the breeze.

As the time to start the evening ride grew closer, so did the number of curious tourists and onlookers. They “took cover” collectively snapping photos of nude cyclists. I asked this stoic german dude to stand in the middle of them so I could photograph him with the crowd. As he walked towards them, many nervously dispersed stepping backwards, lowering their phones, pretending to be idly staring at something else.
An asian woman who had been eagerly photographing him, even pretended to snap a photo in the opposite direction.

Next up: Marc, who has a cool mustache and proudly showed me a drawing someone made of him in the Netherlands last year. I noticed a piercing on his upper ribcage. As I commented on the strange place to have one, he pointed out - and I realized- that it was on his third nipple, adding with a laugh “what else was I supposed to do with it?”.