My love for the World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR) has previously seen me participate in multiple rides each year. Alas, in 2023 with a mind full of personal preoccupations I simply lacked the capacity to tackle numerous naked rallies as well. Naturally I would try to join at least one, though. And there could be only one: WNBR London.
World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR)
WNBR is a worldwide campaign that demonstrates the vulnerability of cyclists and protests against car culture. Its linked objectives are to:
- protest against the global dependency on oil
- curb car culture
- obtain real rights for cyclists
- demonstrate the vulnerability of cyclists on city streets
- celebrate body freedom
As usual there was a choice of places to begin. Last year I opted for the longest way round, starting from the far south in Croydon. This year I chose probably the shortest route, setting out from Regent’s Park. With enough time, opportunity, inclination and good health, it would be nice to have a crack at every start point…
And so it was that around 1:45pm on Saturday 10 June in glorious sunshine I arrived at the east edge of the park. I propped my bike against a tree and lay upon the warm grass under its branches. With over an hour to go, only a few riders were present. As time passed, however, our modest cluster – like the Regent himself – ballooned.
Regent’s Park to Outer Circle
Curiously our cluster didn’t just balloon with riders but with onlookers too. Not people who happened to be there anyway, as has seemed normal at the Tower Hill start, nor tediously disrespectful voyeuristic photographers, as in the early years at Hyde Park. These were more like genteel supporters who’d come to applaud us on our way.
2:39pm at Regent’s Park: riders and well-wishers
About 10 minutes before our 2:50pm scheduled departure, ride marshals asked us to assemble on the Outer Circle road by the park’s perimeter. I undressed with indecent haste – stuffing clothes in panniers, slapping on sunscreen, hanging a whistle around my neck, looping a camera on my wrist – then wheeled out to the sunlit highway.
2:43pm at Regent’s Park: riders assemble
2:51pm on Outer Circle: our starting grid
I took my place facing south at the rear of what was already an impressive column of bare people on bikes. Equally impressive was the huge crowd of spectators lining the pavement opposite as far as the eye could see. Think gentrified Mardi Gras. Bang on time, the front of our pack set off. Far behind, my journey began one minute later.
2:52pm on Outer Circle: away we go!
2:55pm on Outer Circle: sans body paint
Portland Place to Trafalgar Square
This was a new WNBR London start point for me and therefore a new route. For sure we would cross Westminster Bridge but how we would get there, I knew not. It’s easy enough, though: follow the bare backsides in front. From southeast Outer Circle, they led me along Park Square East, Park Crescent, Portland Place and Langham Place.
2:56pm on Park Square East: Ionic capitals and unclad cyclists
2:59pm on Portland Place: pausing place
3:01pm on Portland Place: All Souls and, erm… our souls
3:02pm on Langham Place: Beeb, be seen
Langham Place became Regent Street, which sent us south across Oxford Circus all the way down and round to Piccadilly Circus. Like all good circuses, the crowds were eager, engrossed and entertained. Very satisfying for me too. Not since 2009, when I was a nervous first-timer, had WNBR London taken me through Oxford Circus.
3:06pm on Regent Street: across Oxford Circus
3:14pm on Regent Street: Piccadilly Circus ahead
We exited Piccadilly Circus on Coventry Street and thence progressed to Haymarket. Much of the way I was chatting with two guys new to WNBR London, though one is a member of ‘the phantom limbs‘ – a band well known for busking at WNBR Brighton. At the end of Haymarket, Cockspur Street took us to Trafalgar Square.
3:16pm on Haymarket: hesitation
3:17pm on Haymarket: a phantom limb (left)
3:20pm on Cockspur Street: Nelson, behold!
Northumberland Avenue to Victoria Embankment
From Trafalgar Square we would like take our protest down Whitehall, but these days it gets occupied by rabbles of drunken hate-mongering reactionary populist fascists… and I don’t just mean the government. We evaded them via Northumberland Avenue, Great Scotland Yard, Scotland Place, Whitehall Place and Whitehall Court.
3:21pm on Northumberland Avenue: whistle stop
3:22pm on Great Scotland Yard: call the cops
3:23pm on Scotland Place: bridge of sigh-cles
3:24pm on Whitehall Place: glimpse of Hungerford Bridge
A left at the end of Whitehall Court put us on Horse Guards Avenue, heading towards Victoria Embankment. When we reached it, we turned right to follow the Thames with parliament ahead. Much to the irritation of marshals, riders paused for photos in front of the London Eye. I confess I was one of them.
3:27pm on Victoria Embankment: onto the waterfront
3:29pm on Victoria Embankment: dismounted
3:31pm on Victoria Embankment: taking protest to power
Westminster Bridge to Waterloo Bridge
Even without selfie stops, progress along the Embankment was very stop-start. Once we turned the corner to Westminster Bridge, however, we were flying. Photographers lined the footways but only a few stepped out in front of us. From Westminster Bridge Road we swung left into York Road, which took us to Forum Magnum Square.
3:35pm on Westminster Bridge: heels on kerbs
3:36pm on Westminster Bridge Road: south London starts here
3:37pm on York Road: convergence imminent
Forum Magnum Square is where riders from all starting points converge each year. It was already stuffed by the time Regent’s Park riders arrived at 3:38pm. At its far end, WNBR organisers and security staff were locked in dispute over how to exit. Security carried the day; at 3:53pm we back-tracked to York Road, bound for Waterloo Bridge.
3:46pm on Forum Magnum Square: but which way out?
3:54pm on York Road: away we go, part 2
3:57pm on York Road: take me to the bridge
4pm on Waterloo Bridge: northbound
4:01pm on Waterloo Bridge: in photographer mode – © ..Moth..
Lancaster Place to Lincoln’s Inn Fields
Back on the north side of the river, the next leg of our ride was a familiar one that has not changed in years. Waterloo Bridge led us into Lancaster Place, where a right turn started us on Strand, then haltingly steered us round Aldwych to Strand again, before the briefest bit of Fleet Street prefaced a left turn into Chancery Lane.
4:04pm on Lancaster Place: off the bridge
4:06pm on Aldwych: Tina Turner RIP
4:09pm on Strand: before the law
4:11pm on Fleet Street: taking a Chancery
From Chancery Lane we went left into Carey Street, right into Serle Street, and left at Lincoln’s Inn Fields, cycling three sides before coming to a halt at 4:17pm. This is our traditional place to take a break; to mingle, refresh, use the public toilets if necessary, or for some… just disco dance.
4:13pm on Serle Street: Fields ahead
4:16pm on Lincoln’s Inn Fields: soon to rest
4:18pm on Lincoln’s Inn Fields: break time
4:31pm on Lincoln’s Inn Fields: our people
Lincoln’s Inn Fields to The Mall
After 20 minutes, we completed our clockwise circuit of Lincoln’s Inn Fields – plus the south side a second time – before exiting via Sardinia Street; left turn to Kingsway. At the end of Kingsway a right returned us to Aldwych, which led once more onto Strand but now taking us in a traffic-punctuated straight line all the way to Trafalgar Square.
4:38pm on Lincoln’s Inn Fields: away we go again
4:41pm on Kingsway: Bush House ahead
4:42pm on Aldwych: rejoining Strand
4:44pm on Strand: passing Charing Cross
4:45pm on Strand: beheld by Nelson again
Onlookers at Trafalgar Square – people from all walks of life who simply happened to be present when hundreds of naked cyclists streamed past – greeted us with cheers, smiles, laughter, waves and lines of smartphone cameras. As had the rest of London. Any haters were lost in the love. Ahead lay Admiralty Arch, aperture to The Mall.
4:46pm on The Mall: arch angels
4:47pm on The Mall: our red carpet
Constitution Hill to Wellington Arch
Immediately in front of Buckingham Palace at the west end of The Mall is the Victoria Memorial and its fountain pools. Missing a clear opportunity in the brilliant sunshine, I simply cycled past them into Constitution Hill, whereas naked riders with a better eye for celebratory hijinx parked their bikes and dived in. Ahh, regrets, I’ve had a few…
4:51pm on Constitution Hill: Victoria Memorial and Buck House
4:52pm on Constitution Hill: undunked but happy
4:53pm on Constitution Hill: a breeze in the trees
4:54pm on Constitution Hill: the end is nigh
At the top of Constitution Hill, tantalisingly close to our finishing line I slowed to a halt and waited for the red traffic lights to change. Their lack of urgency matched my own. When eventually they turned green, we rolled forwards for a final few yards. I passed beneath Wellington Arch at five to five, a shade over two hours after I’d set off.
4:55pm at Wellington Arch: nearly, nearly…
4:56pm at Wellington Arch: …and we’re done
5:10pm at Wellington Arch: yay!!
It had been a strange ride for me. I’d chatted with friends at the end – thanks, Adrian, for taking that photo above – but otherwise hadn’t really connected with others whilst on the road. Just carried on my tradition. This was my thirteenth WNBR London, and my twenty-first official WNBR in total. Hopefully I’ll regain headspace for many more.
Our route from Regent’s Park to Wellington Arch
Bygone blogs
Previously on the London Naked Bike Ride:
- London Naked Bike Ride 2022 – Back in the Pack
- London Naked Bike Ride 2021 – Safety first
- London Naked Bike Ride 2019 – Back to Bare
- London Naked Bike Ride 2018 – Peaceful Protest
- London Naked Bike Ride 2017 – New Bridges
- London Naked Bike Ride 2016 – A Silver Lining
- London Naked Bike Ride 2015 – Feel Good Painted
- London Naked Bike Ride 2014 – A Fresh Start
- London Naked Bike Ride 2013 – Arch to Arch
- London Naked Bike Ride 2012 – Into the Light
- London Naked Bike Ride 2011 – Re-wrapped
- London Naked Bike Ride 2009 – First Time
There’s something Croydon, figurative art and churches. My previous modelling work there had been at East Croydon United Reform Church and Christ Church Methodist Addiscombe. The latter had been for The Croydon Art Society. This session for the same group was at their new venue: Shirley Methodist Church.
I was to pose for portraits, so in both baggage and imagination I travelled light. It is a curious paradox that if I’m to pose completely nude, I’ll bring a backpack, but if I’m to be fully clothed, I bring nothing. What’s in the backpack, you ask? My dressing gown, my trusty white sheet, and a small tube for those occasional gifts of artworks.
Not that I wouldn’t appreciate the gift of a portrait – I do! It’s just that if I have no other reason to bring a bag, then the tube doesn’t come with me. But I digress. Back to me seated inside a horseshoe of tables occupied by this friendly community of artists: an unbroken 55 minutes took us to tea and biscuits, then 45 minutes took us to the end.
I was offered the chance to take breaks throughout but declined them all. A mistake I made, however, was to assume “portrait” meant only my face was being drawn. I did move my hands and feet occasionally, without realising some artists were attempting to capture my full figure. Sorry folks! And thank you all for your kindness.
South East London Life Drawing at The Art of Isolation, Surrey Quays is steadily becoming a favourite place to model. It’s not a large space, it has no pretensions, yet everything is done simply, thoroughly, naturally and well. Best of all, there is always a positive energy from the artists; enthusiasm, appreciation, focus and enjoyment. Just one drawback on this occasion: it was a glorious day and we were head-to-head with the FA Cup Final. Ergo, not the biggest turn-out ever.
Artwork by Elin.
Artwork by Toniteatime.
Artwork by Elin.
Artwork by Toniteatime.
Artwork by Elin.
Usual rules: it doesn’t matter to me whether the number of artists present is 1 or 100, they will get the best I can do. All the more reason when the number includes familiar faces whom I know respond well to my shape. We opened with a 10-minute standing pose, then went quickly through three poses of 1 minute, three of 2 minutes, and one of 3 minutes. Poses of 5, 10 and 15 minutes took us to our break for tea and biscuits, after which a single seated pose of 40 minutes completed the session.
Artwork by Elin.
Artwork by Helen.
Artwork by Toniteatime.
Artwork by Rod Kitson.
Artwork by Ned.
Even amongst a low turn-out there was variety. We had a first-timer and experienced hands. We had gregarious encouragers and private practitioners. We had artists who favour portraits and others who draw the complete figure but leave the face a blank. I am happy to serve them all. Oh, and one last commendation for the simplest ideas: a finger bowl of soapy water for those working with charcoal. It seems such an obvious thing to provide, yet I’d never seen it done before. Some places just have the knack.
For many a moon Bruce Thomas has supported Adrian Dutton’s groups both as a life drawing artist and, for want of a better way to say it, technical assistant. Now he’s applying his skills to a project of his own: lifedrawing.art. This includes Thursday life drawing sessions in-person and via Zoom at Homerton library. I was his model #14.
The first floor space in the library is ideal, with plenty of room for all. Bruce sets up an array of lamps, even using a red filter where low-level lighting would otherwise be too bright for artists when in their line of sight. We began with a 10-minute standing pose, followed by four poses of 90 seconds each, then poses of 5, 5, 10 and 15 minutes.
Bruce is keen on my idiosyncratic hand gestures when posing so I tried to keep them interesting throughout. At the half-time break those same hands harvested crisps and chocolates from the complimentary buffet, washed down by a mug of tea made using the library’s on-tap boiling water. We finished with poses of 20 and 25 minutes.
This group is quite new so artist numbers are relatively low, but its potential is high. It was nice to see some familiar faces from Adrian’s group (no conflict of timing), plus a few first-timers. Book your ticket at the summertime special rate – £10 in-person, or £5 via Zoom – and tell all your friends you were there in the early days! 🙂
Of course, this being Bruce’s project he’s made an Instagram Reel of my efforts…
‘Hands and feet‘ was the theme of this class at Brockley Adult Education Centre. I always tend to be gestural with my hands when modelling, but what comes naturally when given no thought is quite another matter when closely scrutinised. We opened with poses of 5, 6 and 7 minutes before devoting 8 minutes to the study of hands.
Loose lines by Joanna McCormick.
I couldn’t do much about my bitten fingernails before the session, but at least I could trim the nails of my toes. Their time to shine was the next pose of 9 minutes. A break followed, after which we ended our evening’s exertions with a final 35-minute seated pose that once more positioned hands and feet to the fore.
Artwork by Dick Graham.
Hands and feet as subjects are notoriously the arch foes of figurative artists. Many a student at this class engaged with them only reluctantly, favouring the whole body or even portraiture. This was gratifying in a way; nobody likes to imagine they’re posing fully naked and contorted for students who are sketching nothing but appendages!
After Painting the Figure, Portrait Drawing and Portrait Painting classes, plus another Painting the Figure, my fifth booking this year for City Academy at Arts Theatre was straightforward Life Drawing. Tutor Lawrence Crane began the session by sketching me in a 2-minute demo, then requested five more 2-minute poses for his students.
After these quick warm-ups I was asked to reprise my opening demo pose, now for a longer 5-minute demo. And then things got tricky: same pose requested yet again for an altogether more taxing 30 minutes. Poses concocted in haste with a 2-minute limit in mind don’t automatically translate to a static pain-free half-hour.
I succeeded in sustaining a precarious posture with twisted torso and elevated elbow for 18 minutes before seeking merciful release. After pausing to shake sensation into the arm that I’d hooked over my head, I completed the remaining 12 minutes. What a trooper! I recovered during a tuition theory phase, ending with a final 12-minute pose.
During the last pose Lawrence set his students their homework. He asked them each first to name an artwork or artist they found most inspiring, then to put that inspiration into practice before next week’s class. Meanwhile I stood nude, silent and scrutinised amidst all these notions, thinking about art that’s captivated me…
Inspirational artworks
‘The Flagellation of Christ‘ (1607)
‘The Entombment of Christ‘ (1603-1604)
Opportunities for duo life modelling as a couple are thinning out. Prior to this session, Esther and I hadn’t posed together since January 2022. LeNu Life Drawing, run by our friend Natansky, happily ended our barren spell in 2023 by inviting us once more for an evening at Fairkytes Arts Centre. Last time we were both here was 2018!
At 7:30pm we started in the round with poses of 5, 10 and 15 minutes. Artists studied and captured us with quiet concentration. LeNu Life Drawing has matured – gone are the days of constant chatter throughout. Since the COVID-19 lockdowns it has grown both in numbers and seriousness. Now everybody concentrates on their art.
A further 15-minute pose took us to the half-time interval. Whilst the group’s full focus had been on making art during the preceding three-quarters of an hour, at break-time they swiftly relaxed into being as cheerful, social and engaging as ever. After tea and biscuits we resumed with a 20-minute pose sitting side-by-side on a piano seat.
Esther felt she needed to stand for the final 25 minutes, so we reprised the last of our 15-minute poses with me sitting wrapped around one of her legs. For variety, I picked the left leg instead of right, Esther switched gestures and most importantly we rotated ninety degrees. Thus a familiar pose became wholly original from all perspectives.
It’s a shame there is only quarter of an hour between this session ending and the last train running south from nearby Emerson Park station. It means we have just enough time to get dressed and photograph a few drawings before dashing off. We managed to mingle a little but then had to say our fond farewells. Thanks for having us back!
steve ritter 