October 3, 2011, Updated July 13, 2015

Why did American photographer Spencer Tunick put out a call for 1,000 volunteers to pose without their clothes at the Dead Sea in September?

Apart from the artistic element, Tunick also hoped the event would call attention to the ecological woes of Israel’s mineral-rich sea, the lowest point on earth. The Dead Sea is a finalist in the New Seven Wonders of the World contest, and Tunick figured the raw shoot couldn’t help but raise its public profile as its water level is sinking.

Dead Sea naked photo shoot

Photo by Nati Shohat/Flash90
Spencer Tunick’s photo shoot, “Naked Sea”, aims to publicize the ecological dangers facing the Dead Sea.

Not everyone was happy about the controversial “Naked Sea” art project, but it drew volunteers from Israel, North America and countries as far afield as Malaysia.

“Israelis are heroes,” said Tunick after the shoot.

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