A Stoke Newington man is readjusting to life with clothes on after living naked for an entire week in the name of art.
Composer and artist Ansuman Biswas, 44, spent last week in an empty art gallery in only his birthday suit to highlight society’s obsession with material possessions. He survived through gifts of food and water from the public. His experiment was broadcast live on a webcam from the Stanley Picton Gallery in Kingston.
When The Hackney Post caught up with the India-born artist on day six of his self-imposed ordeal, he remained upbeat.
Biswas said: “It’s really not that painful. I had a roof. That’s luxury compared to lots of people in Hackney.”
Although he was cold at first, someone eventually gave him a blanket, and later some clothes. “All you really need is water,” he said. “It’s just a week.”
His wife, Barley Biswas, told the Post that she had got used to Ansuman’s antics.
“This is nothing,” she said. “He’s always doing stuff like this. You should see some of the other crazy stunts he’s pulled over the years.”
The artist, who is originally from Harrow but has lived in Hackney for the past 12 years, received dozens of gifts from a steady stream of visitors.
“Most people brought sweets and chocolate,” he said. “I finally got a hot meal – a toasted cheese sandwich – after three days.”
Home comforts
By the end of the week Biswas was living in relative comfort, having been given a mattress, a radiator and some cushions, as well as a radio. While some people were very generous, he revealed that others had given him only rubbish. One visitor gave him the leftovers of their lunch, including an applecore. “That was just insulting,” he said.
Biswas passed the time chatting to visitors, meditating and doing yoga.
“Yoga’s far better naked, I’ve discovered, without the weight and restriction of clothes. I can do poses that I could never do before.”
He seemed unfussed about appearing live and naked on computer screens all over the world, but admitted that his nudity was sometimes embarrassing for visitors to the gallery. “They didn’t know what to do, how to talk to me with no clothes on. Then as soon as I wrapped the blanket on they felt able to approach me.”
