In the naturist world, body painting is a fairly common activity—which makes a certain kind of sense. What could be more ideal than a naked body for spreading paint on skin?
Most body painters work with brushes and sponges, covering the body completely from hair to toes, without omitting a single square centimeter. Sometimes to create abstraction, an animal likeness—or to blend a body into a natural landscape and create a sort of trompe-l’œil. In naturist spaces, the approach is often looser: buckets of water-based acrylics, big sponges, all left out for self-service. Fun and festive, without always being highly artistic—but that’s not always the goal.
My approach to body painting is very different. At the root of my art, I mostly love drawing on paper and canvas. I almost never use brushes, always markers. Initially, I didn’t envision using some of my equipment (Poscas, the only markers that are non-toxic for the skin) on bodies. To me, body painting was strictly about brushes!
Then I came across artists who only used markers at various festivals and public events. Since I regularly visit naturist campsites, it was only natural that I started drawing on people who wanted me to.
The approach of drawing with a marker is radically different from that of a brush. It’s a much finer and more angular tool, designed to create lines, lettering, symbols—and not large solid blocks of color. With this medium, you never cover the entire body.
This suits me very well. The “erased body” aspect of most body painting had always bothered me. From my very first attempts, other differences emerged: never anything on the genitals, and above all, I didn’t develop the same style as I did for my drawings on paper and canvas. Nor the same style as other body painters. So much the better—in art, the less conventional the approach, the more interesting.
On a traditional surface, I generally depict deformed, imaginary characters. That’s my thing! In a cubist and street-art style. On bodies, however, nothing figurative. Because the human form isn’t just another canvas: you have to follow its curves, its color, its presence. The drawing must serve the person, not the other way around.
This approach was quickly understood and appreciated in the naturist community, undoubtedly because it aligns with a certain philosophy. Since 2025, I have been wandering through naturist centers offering body painting sessions, followed by a photo shoot—not for simple souvenir photos: we are there to create art, even with amateur models. It is actually surprising to see how many people who have never particularly posed before do an excellent job.
Currently, nearly fifteen centers have been explored—and many more to come! For now, only in France, but perhaps one day in other countries too. The most exciting part is that every new encounter is unique. Unlike professional experiences, there are no real strict rules; quite the opposite, because the subject must feel entirely free at all times, and never constrained. There is simply an ethic: respecting everyone’s wishes, proposing rather than imposing, taking into account any potential restrictions.
The other unique aspects of the approach are brought about by the naturist setting. It wasn’t even necessary to add anything to the concept—the rest came naturally!
When I run my booth, I let people come to me, and there is no question of filtering them. Everything is inclusive, regardless of age or body appearance. Yet, even though it poses no problem for me to body-paint an obese person or an elderly person, very few dare to! Even in a naturist environment, you often encounter a sort of self-censorship. As soon as someone is “too” old, heavy, or has a body weathered by life, they are content to just watch or chat, without wishing to participate. It’s a real shame! Last summer at Bélézy, I managed to get a few older participants, but only because a young regular there went and convinced them.
This inclusivity also means that children and teenagers come to pose. Sometimes there are even more of them than adults! This is another point that sets it apart from other projects: while in the world of fine art photography, photos of children, pre-teens, and teens are quite common, it’s much less frequent for nude shoots. Even though other photographers explore this too (Sally Mann, Alain Laboile, among others).
Sometimes a child comes alone and the parent simply tags along; sometimes we do a mother-daughter session, which allows us to link them with a common motif. The results are sometimes astonishing! You’d think a child wouldn’t be patient, but they are actually so passionate that by the end, it’s the parent and I who are exhausted!
This last aspect sometimes makes the Symbiose project delicate to export. Several Facebook warnings, an Instagram account deleted without notice—over a thousand followers lost—three internet creeps I had to kick out of the project (once even notifying the authorities). So yes, despite a clear and wholesome concept, nothing is simple. Any unique artistic endeavor encounters stumbling blocks, and this project is no exception.
Every step is a new trial: searching for new centers (in summer 2026, La Chiappa in Corsica), navigating conservative vacationers who don’t always look upon it favorably, conducting the shoots without bothering anyone, social media censorship, a few malicious internet users. The life of an artist is complicated!
So why continue? Why does the project endure?
Because the positive experiences far outnumber the negative ones. Because for every problem encountered, ten positive elements counterbalance it—compliments, beautiful memories, moments of meditation, and personal growth. That is why the Symbiose project is undoubtedly not ready to stop anytime soon. 🪐
More work from Alexis and the Symbiose project a symbiose-body-painting.com.
 | A guest post by
|
Bonjour & bravo pour la qualité de ces œuvres corporelles. Il n'y a rien de plus beau que notre peau pour accueillir les tableaux éphémères de Alexis.
De notre naissance à notre mort il y a toujours un moment pour sublimer le passage du pinceau accompagné des multiples couleurs.
Merci à l'artiste. 😃
I never had the chance to paint on a body. I think the experience would be interesting as the body being an incredible canvas indeed.