朋友問：係咪搞藝術嘅人，都特別感性，成日會裸體？
我答：如果係森林裡面，我哋同動物唔會因為著咗衫而有好大分別，對獅子嚟講，我哋只係佢哋口中嘅一塊肉。
朋友再問：但係我哋而家又唔係喺森林度，著衫唔係文明、有文化嘅象徵咩？
經常被問為甚麼要裸體的我，以為放下了幽默的回答。我正正經經地說出裸體於我的原因：
• 個人的自由選擇
• 學習認識人體，是認識世界的方法之一
• 欣賞身體之美
現時大部份的美術訓練都以西方美學基礎教學，學習素描是掌握事物比例的開始。而素描基礎分為靜物和人體素描學習兩類，幾乎所有學生，不論主修美術與否，都曾經學習素描。
從繪畫，學習掌握靜物和人體比例，從而了解事物之間的距離，鍛鍊至能夠勾勒整個環境。在觀察和繪畫的過程中，我們不知不覺深入認識了各種事物。
試想想日常生活中的建築、時裝、家具、日用品等，無一不以人為服務對像，我們要設計出以人為本的生活環境，便要認識身體：門的高度、桌子闊度、椅子要多大、一個人需要多少空間，無一不涉及人的比例。
歴史上，身體一直是量度事物的單位來源。（註1）今天仍然常用的：呎（foot）／碼 （yard）／吋 （inch）都是以身體的不同部份作量度：腳／鼻尖到食指尖／大拇指的距離。（註2）（註3）而且我們也常以「手掌大小／半身／一個頭左右」來形容事物的大小高度。
另外，身體的流線形結構也反映宇宙萬物的設計奧妙，例如手腕受傷，手便使不出氣力；脊椎出事，也會使指尖痲痹。我們身體的組成，環環相扣，都有它的功用。
同時身體的線條又像山脈流水，人人相似又各有不同，在身體中我們尋找到自然地貌，像大海和落霞一樣讓你看之不厭。身體種種比例和質感，正正反映這種宇宙的永恒的美。
你假如仍要問，認識人體就是一定要裸體嗎？
我會答，你不也是看過自己的裸體來認識身體嗎？
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（註1）：Foot (unit) 呎
Historically the human body has been used to provide the basis for units of length.
﹣ Oswald Ashton Wentworth Dilke (May 22, 1987). Mathematics and measurement. University of California Press. p. 23. ISBN 978-0-520-06072-2. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_(unit)
（註2）：English units
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_units
（註3）：補習-英文背景小常識：英制尺寸的由來
http://kltyi.mysinablog.com/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=2789516
（photography: siuding)
（model: Ada Hung）
001【My Body and Me】
A friend asks: Is it that people who work in the arts tend to be especially sentimental and emotional, so they like to spend more time naked?
My answer: If we are in a forest, there would not be much difference between us and the animals just because we wear clothing. To a lion, we are still a piece of meat in their mouths.
A friend asks again: We do not even live in forests. Isn’t wearing clothing a sign of being civilized and cultured?
I am often asked why I like to be nude, and thought I have already let go of such humorous conversations. To set the record straight, I now seriously state the reasons why I go nude:
• It is about personal freedom and choice
• I believe that learning about and admiring bodies is a way of getting to know the world
• It is a way of appreciating the beauty of bodies
Nowadays most arts teaching and training is based on Western aesthetics, and learning how to sketch is the basis for grappling with the proportions of things. The foundation for sketching is further divided into still life and figure drawing. Indeed, almost all students will have studied sketching whether or not they had majored in art.
From drawing, we learn about proportions in everyday objects and human bodies. We then gain an understanding of the physical distance between things, and consequently can train ourselves to sketch out entire environments. Throughout these processes, we reach a deeper understanding of all kinds of people and objects in life.
For example, think of architecture, fashion, furniture and household objects in our everyday lives. These things are intended for people’s usage, so to design a living environment that prioritizes the human experience, we will need to learn more about bodies: the height of doors, the width of tables, the size of chairs, the amount of space an individual needs, etc. Every one of these fields relate directly to human proportions.
Historically, human bodies have been used to provide the basis for units of length. (Note 1) The ones we still use today - foot/yard/inch : length of a foot/nose to fingertip/width of a thumb (Note 2 & 3) – come from using different body parts as units of measurement. As well, in Chinese we commonly use phrases such as “the size of your palm”, “half-body”, or “the height of a head” to refer to the height and size of things.
In addition, the streamlined dips and curves of the human body also reflect the genius of all life design in the universe. For instance, if we hurt our wrists, we would not be able to use our hands; if something happens to our spines, it would also cause our fingertips to go numb. The way our bodies are organized is all interrelated, and everything has its function.
At the same time, the shapes of our bodies are like the rivers and mountains in nature. Though they may look alike, no two are exactly the same. In bodies, we can find traces of the natural phenomena around us. Like the ever-changing oceans and sunsets, we never get tired of looking at them. We can say that the various proportions and textures of our bodies are exactly a reflection of the eternal beauty of this universe.
If you still want to ask, do we really need to be nude to get to know the human body?
I will answer, didn’t you get to know the body in the same way, through looking at your own naked body?
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(Note 1): Foot (unit)
Historically the human body has been used to provide the basis for units of length.
﹣ Oswald Ashton Wentworth Dilke (May 22, 1987). Mathematics and measurement. University of California Press. p. 23. ISBN 978-0-520-06072-2. Retrieved February 2, 2012.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foot_(unit)
(Note 2): English units
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_units
(Note 3): 補習-英文背景小常識：英制尺寸的由來
http://kltyi.mysinablog.com/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=2789516
photography: siuding
model: Ada Hung
translation: Janice Im
