Picture this scene: a woman stand in front of the iconic wrought iron fencing of the White House, stark naked, with her hand over her chest in pledge pose. Surely, this is some sort of protest, right? Does this relate to the impeachment of Donald Trump or of his Twitter antics? In actuality, it is not a protest at all but another in a series of breathtaking visual art projects from New York City artist Trina Merry’s Sweet Land of Liberty series, which has drawn rave reviews for its attention to detail and camouflaged messages of body positivity and the power of femininity.
White House - Embrace
In Sweet Land of Liberty, Merry transforms her models into elements of the landscape, creating a camouflaged visual that makes their humanity blend while simultaneously bringing out characteristics of the surrounding environment. Merry has created these camouflaged works in front of a wide series of famous American landmarks including the Lincoln Memorial, White House, Washington Monument, and Supreme Court. She often refers to the theme of this project as Camouflage 2.0, which she defines as being able to bring awareness to elements of life that were previously camouflaged. Anyone who views her work can instantly see the presence of this theme as the models take on a apparitional presence, seemingly disappearing into the iconic American backgrounds.
Lincoln Memorial
With Merry’s finished product, her nude models have their bodies painted with adornments from the backgrounds they are standing in front of. For example, her work at the Washington Monument has two models holding hands and staring out at the Reflecting Pool, their bodies painted to mimic the concrete, trees, and shimmering waters. While their forms can be seen, they blend with the scenery behind them to create a sense of oneness with the environment.
Freedom Tower
Merry’s work in body painting is not limited to American institutions of power. In fact, she has engaged in similar camouflage works elsewhere in the U.S. as well as in Egypt, Italy, the United Kingdom, and a number of other locales. Her Sweet Land of Liberty series builds upon this history, utilizing the soft curves of the human body as a medium to bring out the culture and identity of the previously lifeless, hard edges of urban architecture.
Supreme Court
There are many themes that can be seen in her work. The simple reality of camouflaging human subjects speaks to the reality that all persons at times seek to blend into their environment, becoming unrecognizable. Additionally, the choice of select American icons serves to help the viewer reimagine the context behind the images. All of the locations for Merry’s work are images so molded into the memory of Americans that they are somewhat of an instinctual image. Seeing them in a book or on television creates an instant recognition with the unfortunate reality of hiding any true discernment of the image. By blending human models into the scenery, Merry’s work serves to somewhat kickstart the brain into truly considering the value and associations of these settings and the interplay of power and femininity in a modern era where women’s rights are continuously under attack
Independence Hall
The painting process itself is a bit of a challenge, providing a new experience for each setting. Merry utilizes hypoallergenic paint, a brush, and an airbrush to make her creations. Oftentimes, she will quickly paint clothing onto the models in an attempt to escape undue attention from law enforcement or the public. The process itself can take hours, and requires not only a high degree of skill from the artist but also a strong fortitude from the models who can at times overheat or become quite uncomfortable while having to stay perfectly still. Merry also seeks to empower her models in the creation of the work. She encourages them to suggest a number of potential poses before beginning the project. This can greatly enhance the work. For example, her work in front of the Lincoln Memorial has a pose with an African American model helping lift up a white model.
Washington Monument
Like her models, Merry’s work inherently makes herself vulnerable by creating her art in the public sphere. There is also the possibility of running into problems with police due to America’s discomfort with nudity. However, in many ways, this helps further some of the messages residing within her work. For instance, the aforementioned scene from the Washington Monument contrasts the masculine nature of the monument with the femininity of the models and natural surroundings.
Independence Hall - Ben Franklin Crashes Party
Merry’s camouflage body paint work in Sweet Land of Liberty further speaks towards important elements of body positivity, something particularly of importance during the tenure of a president who has often publicly criticized women for their bodies. In many ways, the images created in this series also contrasts the female body with traditional images of American power and freedom, something seential in a political climate where gender rights are constantly under attack, serving to draw awareness to concerns regarding the continual battle for gender equity.
Jefferson Memorial
Sweet Land of Liberty has received significant critical acclaim, with some of the works recently featured in the Whitney Biennial, an exhibition of contemporary American art in New York City. One of the biggest takeaways of this body paint camouflage series is the diversity of the meaning of the work, with people ascribing their own observations and values to it. The intricately detailed work paired with the simplicity of blending human forms into iconic images has multiple meanings for many people as viewers project themselves onto the work.