New York conceptual artist Trina Merry has wowed viewers with her incredible ability to transform the human body using just paint. She's turned people into living, breathing zodiac signs, painted bodies to match scenic backdrops, and created amazing intricate designs on human skin.
Her latest project entitled Lost in Wonder features UK model Kyle James covered in body paint at the site of a few modern wonders of the world. Thanks to the skillful hands of Merry, James' body perfectly mirrors his background so that he blends right in to the architecture he stands in front of. Each body painting took Merry about one to three hours to complete, but the stunning results are so worth it.
“Many photographers say they ‘take’ a picture,” Merry told A Plus in an email. “At major tourist sites like these, there are masses of visual consumers ‘taking’ from this environment without really appreciating the space or the history and culture of the people who made these structures. Artists are culture makers so I couldn’t approach this trip the same way — We ‘made’ a picture and gave energy back to these places.”
- Trina Merry”
Merry goes on to explain that in her travels, she was surrounded by "the aged at the end of their lives climbing stairs with modified ski poles and honeymooners breezing past sites holding selfie sticks." It was images like these that inspired her to create Lost in Wonder as a means to explore the impact of Western tourism on "memory-making, bucket list dreams, and decaying architecture."
"Merry included 'wonder' as a part of her process to create these works," it says in a press release for the project. "She and her model traveled to each site and took a historical tour of the site, often with a private guide. Merry then returned to the site to sit and observe the architecture, decay, energy of the people and effects of tourism on the sites. Finally Merry returned with her subject to create the work over a period of 1-3 hours onsite, creating and giving energy to the site."
Waiting until retirement to start your bucket list?
New York body painter Trina Merry gives you 8 reasons why you should start now with her Lost in Wonder art series.
Merry traveled to the wonders of the world, and flew U.K. model, Kyle James, for a once in a lifetime experience many dream to live. She immersed herself into the culture of each historical landmark, hiring private guides to teach her about these wondrous places.
Each visit resulted in a beautiful camouflage body paint portrait that juxtaposes contemporary and ancient history.
What is on your “bucket list”?
A bucket list details the experiences you’d like to have before you “kick the bucket”. Oftentimes, these include traveling to dream locales like the New Seven Wonders of the World.
Many people wait until they are retired to visit legendary locations around the world and experience them in person. Merry’s Lost in Wonder demonstrates that life is short, and it is never too early to go out and experience the world.
It observes and offers a critique of modern tourism at culturally significant destinations.
Destinations like the Great Pyramids of Giza or the Colosseum are idealized as places one must see before they die. Yet, when people visit their dream destinations, they go with a shallow appreciation of the site they are visiting.
When we think of consumerism, we often think about its application in retail, but not many people connect consumerism to tourism. Just as with consumerism in retail, tourism leaves a negative impact on our planets and the culture of an area. Tourists are visual consumers, often spending large amounts of money and time to visit various sites, leaving with just pictures and souvenirs which is why ecotourism has become an important practice.
Lost in Wonder sets out to explore the seven wonders of the world, but instead of taking from the environment (physically and metaphorically), these ephemeral performances sought to give back energy and create culture that honors the landmarks.
Where are the Seven Wonders of the World?
The Seven Wonders of the World is a list of the most remarkable natural and man-made structures around the world. There are actually two lists: the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World and the New Seven Wonders of the World.
The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World incorporate the most remarkable structures of classical antiquity and serve as a testament to the creativity, ingenuity, and hard work of early civilizations. Of the seven wonders of the ancient world, only Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids of Giza still exist.
The New Seven Wonders of the World were announced in 2007 and included:
The Great Wall of China,
Christ the Redeemer,
The Colosseum,
Machu Picchu,
Petra, Jordan,
Chichén Itzá
Taj Mahal
Enjoy the amazing product of Merry's work below:
“Lost in Wonder” Series
Merry and James traveled around the world in 2 1/2 months.
Colosseum
1. Colosseum
The Colosseum (also called the Flavian Amphitheater) is a large amphitheater located in the center of Rome, Italy, that hosted events like gladiatorial games.
The structure was built sometime between A.D. 70 and 72 and opened to the public about a decade later. It is approximately 5133 feet high and includes 4 stories and 80 entrances. It can hold more than 50,000 spectators.
A large portion of the structure has been destroyed due to neglect and a series of earthquakes. The site hosts millions of visitors every year, earning its spot as one of Rome’s most famous landmarks.
Rome is a special place for Merry, as her visit to stay at the Pope’s summer home was her first travel destination outside of North America.
When choosing a spot to bodypaint, she wanted to capture a perspective of the Colosseum that usually is not highlighted. She timed the photography to capture the Colosseum illuminated by the golden light of the setting sun, juxtaposed with the foliage that surrounds the Colosseum.
Inspired by the legacy of the Colosseum, James took on a posed inspired by gladiators (thumbs up or down signaled when a gladiator was alive or dead).
Merry recalled that the locals of the area were appreciative of the art experience, with some of them even sitting down to watch the process unfold.
Easter Island (Isla de Pascua, Chile )
Easter Island
Easter Island
2. Easter Island (runner up)
Easter Island, while not on the official list, is a runner up to the New Seven Wonders of the World. Easter Island is a territory in Chile known for its monolithic statues, called Moai. They were built to honor important people who have passed away and take on the characteristics of that individual.
These statues were built sometime after 1400 C.E. by the natives of the island known as the Rapa Nui. There are around 900 statues on the entire island of varying height and weight. Some of the statues stand up to 30 feet tall and 86 tons in weight and were carved from volcanic rock from Rano Raraku, an extinct volcano.
For this project, Merry visited two distinct places on the Island, Ahu Akivi and Ahu Tongariki.
Ahu Akivi features seven Moai of uniform shape and size, known as a celestial observatory. The majority of islands Moai statues face towards land, except for Ahu Akivi, whose Moai face towards the pacific ocean. Merry body painted James into these deified ancestors. The eyes of the Moai were believed to transmit the mana of the ancestors buried beneath them to their descendants.
Ahu Tongariki is one of the largest platforms on Easter Island, featuring 15 Moai statues of varying heights that face the sunset during the summer solstice. Merry collaborated with native Rapa Nui bodypainter, Sebastian Aguila, who painted an indigenous dancer using pigments made in a traditional style from the Earth, sugar cane, and water. The indigenous dancer was painted orange with white tribal symbols that dealt with fertility, while Merry painted James in her contemporary style.
For both locations, James posed in a variety of Rapa Nui warrior poses - a juxtaposition of western art culture and Rapa Nui culture. In the final photos, the cultures merge together, and James disappears into the Moai.
The Great Pyramid of Giza ( Greater Cairo, Egypt )
3. The Great Pyramids of Giza (ancient)
Constructed roughly between 2550 to 2490 B.C., The Great Pyramids of Giza are one of the most architecturally impressive ancient structures to ever exist and was the tallest buildings in the world. The pyramids were built of out 23 million limestone blocks.
The Great Pyramids were built as the final resting place for the Egyptian Pharaohs: Khufu, Menkaure, and Khafre. To prepare for their next life, the pharaohs’ bodies were mummified and filled with items the ruler will need to sustain themselves in the next life. They served as symbols of spiritual power, eternal life and cosmic energy.
Each tomb is decorated with art depictions (hieroglyphics) of ancient farmers working in their fields, tending their animals, fishing, carpentry, religious rituals, and burial practices. The art gives a glimpse into the lives of the individuals who lived in ancient Egypt.
Ancient Egypt is a destination that is idealized, and the unique structure is featured in several cinema graphic features. Despite, the glamorization, modern Egypt is far from the pictures we have come to know and love.
On her trip to Egypt, Merry was given a private tour when she received the opportunity to learn more about the pyramids and to climb inside them. The Egyptian pyramids were carefully aligned towards the pole star, and the temple of Amun-Re at Karnak was aligned on the rising of the midwinter Sun.
Merry & James hiked far in the desert to a spot that featured ancient rubble riddled with trash. The spot allowed for a great view of the pyramids of ancient Egypt and the garbage left behind from tourists in modern times provided the perfect juxtaposition between contemporary Egypt and ancient Egypt. James imitated a gesture he observed from a sculpture at the Egyptian Museum of Art.
Did you know they were nearly arrested at this site? Read the story straight from Trina’s HERE
The Great Wall ( China )
4. Great Wall of China
Stretching 21,196 km (13,170 mi) across northern China, is the Great Wall of China, the longest man-made structure in the world and is visible to the human eye from the moon.
The wall of China has a complex history spanning thousands of years under the leadership of several Chinese dynasties. The purpose of the Great Wall of China was to defend the nation against invaders. This is why the Great Wall of China is equipped with watchtowers, fortresses, and beacon towers.
Nearly 10 million tourists flock to the Great Wall of China every year, prompting the Chinese government to set a daily visitor quota of 65,000 visitors a day.
To avoid the swarm of visitors that stomp through the Great Wall of China, Merry traveled to the landmark a week before Christmas. While this meant little to no foot traffic, she was also met with 20-degree weather (which was even colder with wind chill).
As quickly as she could, Merry marked her initial marking on James so that he could be fully painted in a slightly warmer (and hidden) area. In homage Chinese culture, James sported a kung-fu pose during the body painting project.
Machu Picchu ( Cuzco Region, Peru )
5. Machu Picchu
Know as the “Lost City of the Incas”, it remained for almost 500 years as a legendary lost city like El Dorado or Atlantis, abandoned right after the fall of the Inca Empire, due to the Spanish invasion.
Located 7,800 feet above sea level in the Andes Mountain range it is believed to have been a fortress for the elites of the ancient Incans, studying the pattern of the stars and indicating the cycle of the equinoxes.
Today it is notable for the llamas that still graze through the area. The Incans helped to domesticate the llamas thousands of years ago and were essential members of their society.
With her private guide, Merry explored the site until they found this beautiful shot of the ancient city. Instead of focusing only on the ancient ruins, Merry wanted to capture the spirituality of the iconic mountain. James in a nearly meditative stance as Merry body painted him into the terrain, mountains, and serene clouds. The composition captures the ancient city, the mountains, and the historical Amazon River, which all are a part of the history of Machu Picchu.
Mexico ( Teotihuacán, State of Mexico )
6. Chichén Itzá
Chichén Itzá was a Mayan city on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. The city was established in the early 400s A.D.
El Castillo is one of the most recognized features at Chichén Itzá and features a step pyramid that rises about 79 feet. Each side of the pyramid contains 91 steps, which add up to 364, the total number of days in a year. El Castillo is also designed to flow with natural astronomical cycles. During the spring and autumn equinoxes, the light aligns with the pyramid, creating an apparitional shadow of a diamondback snake running down the side of the pyramids.
Merry immersed herself into the culture and learned more about the iconic site from her local guide. Merry body painted James right in front of El Castillo as he took on a warrior prayer pose.
Petra ( Ma'an Governorate, Jordan )
7. Petra, Jordan
Known as the “Rose-Red City”, Petra is an ancient city located between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. The city gets its name from the red rock that many of their structures (palaces, temples, tombs, storerooms) are carved from. Petra is half-built, half-carved into pink sandstone cliffs and is surrounded by mountains riddled with passages and gorges.
The fusion of Hellenistic architectural facades with traditional Nabataean represents a unique artistic achievement and an outstanding architectural ensemble of the first centuries BC to AD.
The city was beginning to prosper around the 1st century B.C and was known for its remarkable water management system, which allowed the area to become habitable.
Petra was first inhabited by the Nebataen Empire and then later annexed by the Roman Empire. Petra prospered until a massive earthquake destroyed a large portion of the city in the 4th Century A.D..
Merry spent the week of New Years exploring Petra and some of Jordan’s other iconic landmarks like the Dead Sea, Wadi Rum Desert, and the Red Sea. Merry camouflaged James into the beautiful rose stone of Petra’s treasury and the guards helped translate the performance for the multi-national audience.
Stonehenge ( Wiltshire, England )
8.Stonehenge
The Lost in Wonder series starts off with Stonehenge, which is located in Southern England. Erected about 5,000 years ago, Stonehenge is a burial ground comprised of approximately 80 upright stones that have been placed in a circular layout. While Stonehenge may not appear as large from afar, the stones are about 13 feet high, seven feet wide, and weigh around 25 tons.
Stonehenge is a complete mystery to modern scholars, who are not sure who built Stonehenge, how it was constructed, or Stonehenge’s meaning. Stonehenge is even more baffling to modern scholars because of the bluestone that comprises its inner rings. The bluestone has been traced to Preseli Hills in Wales, about 200 miles away from Stonehenge.
An average of 800,000 people visits Stonehenge each year, which has prompted several provisions from the government. To preserve the site, Stonehenge is now roped off to the general public. Visitors are required to observe the site from afar. Those who are allowed to get close to Stonehenge are forbidden from touching the massive stones, to discourage visitors from trying to take pieces of the stone with them and reduce natural erosion of the site.
Every year, a couple of artists are granted access to Stonehenge to perform. Through the World Heritage Association, Merry was allowed to perform this body painting performance. As James took on a superhero-like pose, Merry camouflaged him into Stonehenge’s colossal stones.
Conclusion
Life does not wait, and Lost in Wonder is a testament that now is the perfect time to experience the world. Many human-made and natural wonders await our discovery and deserve to be genuinely experienced.
Additionally, Lost in Wonder shows us that while we explore and immerse ourselves in Earth’s most historically significant destinations, instead of taking, we can offer something in return. There’s only one you, what small cultural imprint will you leave for future humans when you’re gone?
Comment below- which portrait is your favorite and what places do you have on your bucket list?