“I got an invite to walk naked around Hull, all I had to do was cover myself in blue paint,” remembers David Beel, who, like thousands of others 10 years ago, took part in a moment they would never forget.
The Sea of Hull was the work of American photographer Spencer Tunick, who was known for his large-scale nude installations, and the project was commissioned by Ferens Art Gallery ahead of Hull’s status as UK City of Culture the following year.
The early morning parade featured 3,200 people moving around the city and posing in front of various maritime landmarks ready to be photographed, with the blue paint representing water.
“The blue paint worked as a cloak, you didn’t feel naked,” David, 76, adds.
He says he has “no regrets” about taking part, and believes the only people who were disappointed were those who chose not to join in.
“People keep telling me how brave I am but I tell them I’m not brave, I’m stupid!”