我們希望透過成立【體模社 Life Model Club】這個公開平台，分享工作經驗、作品或理論等。
在成為裸體模特兒之前，必先有一個清晰的身體自主概念——能夠在「解放」身體之前，建立一套自己對身體的想法。要細心考慮在成為裸體模特兒後，能否克服他人的批評？又能否平衡「我」在社會上的角色及身份？是「叛逆」還是「順從」社會的普遍價值？我是一個怎樣的人？
身體自主，是一種自我肯定，經過不斷審視自我，重新訂立「我」是誰，才能踏實地走上裸體模特兒之路。
以上看似簡單的幾句，但大家要思考的東西非常多。我試舉身邊一些例子：
1. C 希望成為裸體模特兒，但怕家人反對，於是在工作後慢慢向家人解說工作性質，又展示以他的身體創作的作品，家人慢慢理解，然後支持他的工作。
2. H 希望成為裸體模特兒，但知道家人一定會反對，於是只私下與攝影師合作，平日隱藏做模特兒的事情，以免被家人發現。不過後來家人從攝影刊物中發現了她，才在家中與她傾談，家人表明無法接受女兒公開展示身體的事情，無論是不是藝術創作。不過大家總算了解過對方的立場，在無法達成共識之下，也算是「溝通過了」。
由此可見，有些人即使有興趣當裸體模特兒，卻害怕不能承受來自父母的壓力，又怕傷及家人的心，又怕伴侶不接受，又害怕自己之後改變主意會後悔等。
3. 我自己當裸體模特兒的唯一考慮，就是我的身體只屬於我，我有責任為自己做的事情負責，只要不傷害他人，我想做的就去做。
後來被人問及我是什麼時候開始「解放」身體的？我為甚麼能建立對身體的自信？我認為要考慮的不是裸與不裸、或能否公開展示，而是我想不想這樣做而已。每一個人都擁有一個身體，只能活一次的話，我希望以我的方式去「運用」它。
當模特兒其實只是其次，希望大家能理解自己相信的價值，細心衡量、真心擁抱自己相信的，無悔面對自己的身體。
攝影： Cheung Chi Wai
模特兒：Jing Pang, siuding
002【Before Becoming a Life Model】
Through the public platform of 【Life Model Club】, we hope to establish a space for sharing work experience, personal projects or theories of the body.
Before becoming a life model, one must have a clear concept regarding the autonomy of the body – you need to develop your own way of thinking about the body before you “liberate” it. You need to consider carefully - can you deal with other people’s judgments and criticisms as a nude life model? Would you be able to balance your other identities and roles in society? Are you “rebelling” or simply “following” society’s common values? What kind of a person am I?
Body autonomy is a kind of self-affirmation. Only through a continual process of self-examination and re-establishment of who “I” am, can I embark on the road of nude life modelling.
The above points may seem simple, but really, the things you need to think about are many. Let me give you some examples:
1. C hopes to become a nude life model, but he is afraid of his family’s opposition. So, after work he spends time talking to his family about the nature of the modelling work, and shows them art pieces that he had made with his body. His family slowly starts to understand, and support him in this work
2.H hopes to become a nude life model, but she knows her family will be opposed to it, so she only works privately with photographers. She hides the fact that she works as a model to prevent her family from discovering. However, her parents later uncover these images in the photography magazines, and so decide to talk to her about the issue. They are unable to accept their daughter publicly showing her body, whether it is for art or not. At this point, even though they are not able to come to a place of mutual agreement, both sides did make an effort to understand where each other is coming from, thus there was still communication.
From these examples, we can see that even if some people have an interest in nude life modelling, they may still not be able to withstand parental pressures, or be afraid of hurting their family’s feelings. As well, they may need to deal with non-acceptance from their partners, or the fact that they could end up changing their minds and regretting their decisions.
3.For me, my only concern when deciding to go into nude life modelling is that my body belongs to me only. I have a responsibility towards the things I do. As long as I am not hurting anyone, I can do anything I like.
Later I was asked since when I had started to “liberate” my body? How did I manage to develop such confidence in my own body? I think the points of consideration are not whether I decide to go nude or not, or whether I should do so publicly. The only thing that matters is whether I want to do it or not do it. Every person has autonomy over his or her own body. Since we only live once, I hope to fully “utilize” it in my own way.
Being a life model is not the most important thing. My big hope is that through this process, everyone can begin to understand the values they believe in, think them through carefully, wholeheartedly embrace their beliefs, and act with no regrets towards their own bodies.
photography: Cheung Chi Wai
models: Jing Pang, siuding
translation: Janice Im
