Ebony and Ivory is a 1982 single by Paul McCartney, sung by Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. It asks why we can't have racial harmony. I've kept the racial harmony theme, but I think my visuals are a bit more X-rated than what McCartney had in mind.
This is a 2014 book containing photos from the collection of Michael Stokes. Stokes is a photographer, but he did not take these photos. They are World War II photos of naked servicemen that he has collected.
Here's a group taking impromptu showers under a water pipe in a train station. Servicemen were not worried about being naked around each other – they were all men, they lived together, and they had far worse things to worry about in combat.
Perhaps this sluice was constructed to provide water for drinking or for washing, but these guys look like they're about to have some fun in the water.
The book does not provide the locations and dates for these photos. All I can say for sure is that they were taken during World War II.
Speaking of fun in the water, these guys have constructed a gymnastic formation just for fun, and they clearly know they are being photographed naked.
The military conducted exams to keep the men healthy. Interestingly, this seems to be a penis exam, perhaps checking for venereal disease symptoms.
Catching forty winks. Who needs pajamas?
A corporal and his helper.
These guys were sprayed on the deck of a ship, perhaps in lieu of a shower.
These guys got to take a regular shower. Three of them wanted to shower together.
We end with this guy smiling for the photographer as he takes care of himself.
Today is the vernal (spring) equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the official beginning of spring. The length of the day and night are equal today all over the Earth.
Certain beaches in Britain hold a mass skinny-dip event on the autumnal (fall) equinox in September, but not in March, when the ocean is very cold. However, the guy above went for a vernal equinox skinny dip at Portobello Beach in Edinburgh, Scotland. Brrr!
And these guys did a vernal equinox skinny dip on the Isle of Man, an island located between England and Ireland.
No equinox skinny-dipping for me! How about celebrating the equinox with a couple of ads from Equinox Gyms? This 2008 ad has a man posing naked for a group of nuns who look suspiciously like models, not nuns.
And we end with a 2020 Equinox Gyms ad with two guys who evidently want to show off to each other.
From 1912 to 1948 the Olympics included art competitions. The winners were awarded gold, silver and bronze medals, just like the athletic competitions. Art competitions included painting, sculpture, architecture, even literature and music. Entries were supposed to be related to athletics. Many of the sculptures were nude, as is traditional in classic sculpture. Here are some nude sculptures that won awards.
In 1924, Greek sculptor Konstantinos Dimitriadis won a gold medal for The Discus Thrower, above.
The 1924 bronze medal in sculpture went to Danish sculptor Jean René Gaugin, the son of French painter Paul Gaugin, for The Boxer, seen above with its creator.
In 1928, French sculptor Paul Landowski won a gold medal for Le Pugiliste (The Boxer).
A bronze medal in 1928 was awarded to Swiss sculptor Renée Sintenis for Football Player.
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In 1932, a bronze medal was given to Czech sculptor Jakub Obrovsky for Vraždící Odysseus (Odysseus Killing), depicting Odysseus killing his wife's suitors when he returns from the Trojan war. A nice work, but it's hard to see what it has to do with athletics.
In 1936, German sculptor Arno Breker won a silver medal for Decathlete.
A bronze medal was given in 1936 to Swedish sculptor Stig Blomberg for Wrestling Boys.
We end in 1948, the last year these Olympic art medals were given out. The 1948 gold medal for sculpture was won by Swedish sculptor Gustaf Nordahl for Homage to Ling. The sculpture honors Per Henrik Ling, a Swedish gymnastics pioneer.
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Dillinger Four is a punk rock band formed in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1994. One of the band members, Paddy Costello, occasionally strips naked onstage. Above, playing at The Fest music festival in Gainesville, Florida in 2005.
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Here he is again at The Fest in 2006.
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At the Insubordination Fest punk rock music festival in Baltimore, Maryland in 2009.
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Another view of him at the 2009 Insubordination Fest.
At the Now That's Class music bar in Cleveland, Ohio in 2009, a fan seems to be stuffing a piece of paper into his butt.
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We end with this undated photo. Paddy is certainly not a muscle god; in fact, he's a bit on the chubby side, but he's unashamed and he doesn't care. His tattoo says "How much art can you take?"
Today's the day when we all get to be a little bit Irish through the wearing of the green ...
whether it's green socks ...
or a green scarf ...
or green shorts ...
or whatever. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Llevellyn Lightsey, born in 1954, is a commercial photographer on the island of Maui, Hawaii.
His website, Light Sea Images, includes photos of Maui scenery, portraits and wedding pictures. But it also includes another kind of scenery, like Jim on the beach, above.
Koty.
Nate.
Peter.
Armen in a Japanese garden on Maui.
We end with Armen assuming the pose of Leonardo Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man.
