Cheek to Cheek

Fancy lying flat on the ground naked? At dawn? To be photographed? Thought not. But Spencer Tunick is hoping between 500 and 1,000 buff-happy Londoners are up for it. All in the name of art, sweetie. Tunick, a 34-year-old New Yorker, has been photographing groups of naked people in public places since 1994. Past cityscapes include New York and Montreal, and next month he'll be shooting his first work in London as part of the contemporary art festival Deptford X.

So how on earth does he persuade people to undress? Most strippees are approached in the street. Tunick homes in on casually dressed under-40s, handing them a flyer of his work to prove he's not a pervert. And around ten per cent agree.

To deter Peeping Toms, the exact location is not revealed until two weeks before the shoot, which always takes place at daybreak. Participants are asked to wear loose clothing and no jewellery. The whole caboodle takes 15 minutes: after Tunick has decided on the composition and set up his equipment, subjects are naked for five minutes. Very speedy, but for a reason - Tunick has been arrested five times. It's all terribly tasteful. Because Tunick is interested in silhouettes, faces and genitals are often obscured. Plus, as a thank-you for taking part, participants receive a special-edition print. Sounds fun. Let's just hope it's not raining.

The photograph takes place on 22 September. Enlist at nudeadriftuk@hotmail.com An installation follows at Deptford X Art Festival (28 Sept to 7 Oct, 020 8691 3777)