In Israel, 300 volunteers pose nude to raise awareness about shrinking Dead Sea

In a never-seen-before display, an American photographer coalesced 300 people to raise concerns about the shrinking dead sea. Photographs from the event that took place on Sunda showed some 300 male and female volunteers stripped naked and with white paint all across their bodies. Photographer Spencer Tunick, who had previously done similar installations in other cities, said that with his latest work, he hoped to raise awareness about the popular salt lake. 

“My visit to Israel was an experience for me and I am always happy to return here and photograph in the only country in the Middle East that allows art such as this,” Tunick, who did a similar installation at the Dead Sea earlier in 2011, was quoted as saying by AP. 

The three-hour-long shoot was conducted in coordination with the Israeli Ministry of Tourism. Highlighting the expedited shrinkage of the Dead Sea, the organizers said they aim to attract more attention to the issue and encourage people to preserve it. In addendum, the Tourism Ministry said with the photoshoot they hope to bolster tourism-which has been considerably affected by COVID- at the dead sea.   

“The Dead Sea is disappearing,” Tunick told Times of Israel. Asserting that "water is life", he said that people needed to " find a way to sustain the level or to bring freshwater into the Dead Sea, but at the same time, keep all countries surrounding with water." As per the photographer, the models were coated in hite Paint to represent pillars of salt from the biblical story 'Lot’s wife'. In Genesis 19, it is mentioned that the character turned into a pillar of salt when she looked back at Sodom, the ancient city that was in the Dead Sea region.

Is the dead sea shrinking?

The dead sea is a salt lake located on the borders of Jordan, Israel, and parts of the West Bank. Interestingly, it earned its moniker owing to its “high salinity” that prevents macroscopic aquatic organisms to survive in it. As per experts, the inland lake is shrinking significantly because of Israel and its neighboring countries drawing freshwater, that fills the lake, for agriculture. More alarming is the appearance of sinkholes. According to a report published by Smithsonian Magazine, more than 1,000 sinkholes have appeared in the past 15 years. 

Image: AP 

(With inputs from AP)