Bodypainter Sydney: 2012

Saturday, August 11, 2012

City 2 Surf news report: Human Statue Bodyart paints Nova96.9 runner Wippa

This morning the annual Sun-Herald City 2 Surf fun run took place.

It started off wet and windy, but about half an hour into the race weather conditions generally improved.

The race was as competitive as ever, but for one major sponsor, Nova 96.9FM, exposure and publicity was of paramount importance - not that finishing strongly wasn't also on the agenda.

Nova personality Wippa and a few of his mates got body-painted up courtesy of human statue agency, Human Statue Bodyart.

Wippa was made up with red and black bodypaint and it was impossible to miss the logos from supporters and sponsors including those from Nova, Dick Smith, The Stampede and New Love.

City 2 Surf News Report...

Liam Adams has become the first back-to-back winner of the City2Surf run since Dickson Marwa in 2006-07, besting his rivals to take out the 14-kilometre race in 00.41.31 minutes.

With his biggest challenger, Michael Shelley, competing in the Olympic marathon in London, it was all there for Adams to capitalise.

After grasping the lead early from the 8am start, Adams didn't seem fazed by the wet weather and strong winds, snatching a 40-second lead at the 5-kilometre mark and having the race convincingly won by the climax of Heartbreak Hill.

With fellow pre-race favourite Mitch Brown on his tail, Adams also left eventual runner-up Harry Summers in a race for second as he entered the back half of the race completely unchallenged.

He is the first Australian since Steve Moneghetti in the early 1990s to win back-to-back.

"I took the risk in going out and taking it too hard," Adams said.

"I actually blew up a bit so I thought I'd made the wrong choice and Harry is an even-matched runner with me. We've got close PBs [personal bests] and I thought he was going to run over me at the end.

"I thought I sightly broke him a little bit more up Heartbreak and a couple of those other hills and I just held on for dear life."

Some commentators thoughts that Sydney's torrential rain and gail-force winds made it arguably the worst racing conditions in City2Surf history.

In 42 years, only twice had it rained during the world's biggest run, but the capacity 85,000 entrants felt mother nature's stormy power.

There was early relief when the race started in relatively dry conditions, but by the time Adams and his chasers entered the second half of the event they were met with fearsome head on winds.

"It was worse than last year – that wind coming into Bondi was tough," Adams said.

"I thought I'd be best at cutting the wind but that wasn't quite the case. It was tough."

It was forecast to be one of the slowest City-2Surf's as a result, someone didn't notify the 25-year-old defending champion – who finished only 20 seconds slower than his 2011 time of 00.41.11 - and women's winner Lara Tamsett, who crossed in 00.46.55.

Of course, in the men's field, a number of regular entrants were unavailable due to Olympic commitments, including 2011 runner-up Shelley who will race in London tonight. And in the women's field, the race was wide open with defending Jess Trengove also in London. Instead, it was 2010 winner Lara Tamsett who was the favourite and snatched victory.

While none of the seeded or preferred runners came close to Steve Moneghetti's 1991 race record of 00.40.03 minutes or Suzie Power's 00.45.08 set in 2001, the race wasn't without its challenges, with competitors hit by a wet and slippery road and strong head winds.

Second for the women's was Clare Geraghty in 00.48.55 minutes and third Abigail Bailey in 00.49.26. Summers and Brown finished in times of 00.42.22 and 00.42.28 minutes, respectively.

Many celebrities took part in the race in the name of charity, including celebrity chef Neil Perry, radio personality Wippa, boxer Lauryn Eagle and Biggest Loser winner Margie Cummins.

Websites

Nova FM

www.novafm.com.au

The Sun-Herald City 2 Surf

www.city2surf.com.au

Human Statue Bodyart

www.humanstatuebodyart.com.au

Human Statue Bodyart Flickr

www.flickr.com/photos/humanstatuebodyart

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Sydney pair pull Beastie Boys stunt at MCA - NineMSN

It was the perfect tribute. Almost.

When Sydney creative duo James Beswick and Dan White decided to honour the memory of late Beastie Boys member, Adam "MCA" Yauch, they could not think of a venue more perfect than the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA).

"It was the perfect location to do a bit of sabotage", Mr White told ninemsn.

And the perfect tribute? A guerrilla-style art installation complete with a human statue and fake artist's statement.

"Their brand was about being a bit anarchist as well and that’s why everyone loved them," Mr White said.

Mr White and Mr Beswick hired Kim Staton, from Human Statue Bodyart, to strike a quintessential MCA pose beside the artworks that line the walls of the museum.

Mr Staton managed to hold the pose for 20 minutes without moving, even with people trying to make him laugh and posing for photos with him.

The creative duo was able to film him, and the various reactions, after managing to sneak a camera inside the museum.

"He was a really talented guy. He didn't break once," Mr White said.

Mr White said the saboteurs weren't thrown out of the museum — a security guard even seemed to enjoy their work.

"It kind of doesn't add to the anarchist element," he said.

The tribute was performed in aid of The Cancer Council, which Mr White and Mr Beswick are raising money for.

To donate to their cause, visit their fundraising page or take a look at their Facebook page.

Author: Ali Best. Approving editor: Fiona Willan

Websites

Human Statue Bodyart

MCA At The MCA Facebook

MCA (Australia)

NineMSN

Sunday, June 3, 2012

Hilton Hotel Sydney Zeta Bar ‘extreme cabaret’ themes red hot

Sydney’s Zeta Bar at the world famous Hilton Hotel continued to push the extreme cabaret, now a staple of Friday nights in 'Sin City'.

If prohibition and tease are your thing, or vice if you prefer, you have come to the right place, or at least one of them, and you won't find a dirty old man, peeping tom or brown paper bag anywhere in sight from what we can muster.

My Human Statue Bodyart was thrilled to once again deliver a red hot and smoking cabaret presentation.

Cabaret lovers will be delighted to hear that the rumours continue to getting stronger that the 'Extreme Cabaret' theme will continue at Hilton Sydney much longer than the originally forecast 12 weeks. Word is that Hilton Hotels at the Gold Coast, New Zealand and even as far as the United Statues and Amsterdam are keen to incorporate extreme cabaret into their big entertainment nights.

Tonight it was Human Statue model Anastasiya Bakss made up in a bodypainting based black and red number that epitomised tease, burlesque and titillation.

The extreme cabaret performances have pumped blood into the Hilton's Zeta bar, and we know it's been wonderful for business. Downstairs at the Marble Bar has also appeared to have benefited by extra foot traffic and drinkies.

Zeta Bar biz king Grant Collins says of the nights "a late-1800s circus freak show crossed with 1920s-'30s sophistication".

Some of the most popular drinks at the moment include Absinthe (look for the sexy green bottle) and all things liquid nitrogen.

The fun and flirty Friday nights at Sydney Hilton have been one of the key watercooler conversation pieces in offices in and around Sydney's CBD for weeks.

Up to be tantalised in an appropriate cool and sexy fashion? Snatch the opportunity to do 'Sin City' Sydney like it should be done. You can bet that Sydney Hilton will be pumping again next Friday, and its got lots to do about 'extreme cabaret'. Join us and see what all the fuss is about boys and girls. Sweet dreams.