We met Melissa Matos a few years back when she styled a fashion shoot we did on Raelian Girls. We liked her so much that we kept in touch and thankfully, five years later, she came back to us with an idea of her own: nude exhibitionists wandering around inside of a few art exhibits. She brought Montreal phenom photographer LePigeon (aka Jerry Pigeon) along for the ride and it turned out pretty great. We spoke to Melissa about how this all came together.
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VICE: You and Jerry Pigeon have been working together for about a year now. How did your working relationship develop?
We met a few years ago while I was working on an album cover. I don’t even remember the name of the album, it’s just been a magic carpet ride ever since that first meeting.What was the idea behind this shoot? How did it come about?
I came up with the idea a while ago. I proposed it to Pigeon because we had a few whiskey-induced conversations about fetishes. I thought he would be great to bring on board for this.Right on. You were the stylist on this shoot, but all the models are nude. What did you even do?
Oh, it’s really a fashion feature on the Emperor's New Clothes.That still sounds like you didn't do anything. Why did you choose the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts for this shoot?
They have wonderfully designed and curated pavilions which were a perfect setting for the project. Pigeon also has a good working relationship with them because he's been documenting their events and artists for the past few years. I remember he did a great portrait series of Jean-Paul Gaultier when he had his retrospective there. He initially got in touch and we went from there.Was it difficult to get their permission to shoot nudes in the Museum?
They were surprisingly open to the idea. But we needed to be really clear on what we wanted to do and it took a few months to get approved.
We met a few years ago while I was working on an album cover. I don’t even remember the name of the album, it’s just been a magic carpet ride ever since that first meeting.What was the idea behind this shoot? How did it come about?
I came up with the idea a while ago. I proposed it to Pigeon because we had a few whiskey-induced conversations about fetishes. I thought he would be great to bring on board for this.Right on. You were the stylist on this shoot, but all the models are nude. What did you even do?
Oh, it’s really a fashion feature on the Emperor's New Clothes.That still sounds like you didn't do anything. Why did you choose the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts for this shoot?
They have wonderfully designed and curated pavilions which were a perfect setting for the project. Pigeon also has a good working relationship with them because he's been documenting their events and artists for the past few years. I remember he did a great portrait series of Jean-Paul Gaultier when he had his retrospective there. He initially got in touch and we went from there.Was it difficult to get their permission to shoot nudes in the Museum?
They were surprisingly open to the idea. But we needed to be really clear on what we wanted to do and it took a few months to get approved.
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Where did the models come from?
I put some ads up on Craigslist and contacted a local nudist association. Plus, a few of my sexy friends were up for it as well.I like the photo of the girl sitting on the floor next to the sculpture. They mirror each other, in a way. Do you feel the nude people serve as a parallel to the classical art? Or are they meant as a contrast?
I think its a little of both. In the pavilions we shot in, most of the paintings depicted nude figures. Why couldn't we have contemporary versions of nudes in a room full of classical ones? These images celebrate the naked body as they were back then, in a really simple way. The banal, natural poses sort of reflect the works of art, but also suggest a change in time and how we see the naked body now.Why is it that some people, at times, are clothed or wearing just shoes instead of being completely naked?
Well, between each light setup, I had robes for the models to put on but they were mostly really happy to walk around naked and hang out. It all happened really organically, so we just went with the flow of whatever they were wearing at the time.Any other exciting projects coming up?
I’m working on a project where I'll be directing a video while under hypnosis. I’m pretty excited about that.Photos: LePigeon
Art Direction/ Styling: Melissa Matos
D.O.P: SPG
I put some ads up on Craigslist and contacted a local nudist association. Plus, a few of my sexy friends were up for it as well.I like the photo of the girl sitting on the floor next to the sculpture. They mirror each other, in a way. Do you feel the nude people serve as a parallel to the classical art? Or are they meant as a contrast?
I think its a little of both. In the pavilions we shot in, most of the paintings depicted nude figures. Why couldn't we have contemporary versions of nudes in a room full of classical ones? These images celebrate the naked body as they were back then, in a really simple way. The banal, natural poses sort of reflect the works of art, but also suggest a change in time and how we see the naked body now.Why is it that some people, at times, are clothed or wearing just shoes instead of being completely naked?
Well, between each light setup, I had robes for the models to put on but they were mostly really happy to walk around naked and hang out. It all happened really organically, so we just went with the flow of whatever they were wearing at the time.Any other exciting projects coming up?
I’m working on a project where I'll be directing a video while under hypnosis. I’m pretty excited about that.Photos: LePigeon
Art Direction/ Styling: Melissa Matos
D.O.P: SPG