Hundreds of people stripped at dawn in the historic centre of Vegueta to participate in Spencer Tunick's work 'Gran Spectrum', as part of the Culture & Business Pride 2026 festival.
The historic centre of Vegueta, in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, transformed into a living canvas this Sunday morning. At 5:00 AM, hundreds of volunteers began gathering on Herrería Street to take part in one of the most unique artistic interventions in recent years: the macro installation by American photographer Spencer Tunick, titled 'Gran Spectrum'.
The call, framed within the Culture & Business Pride 2026 festival, brought together a human tide that stripped off all clothing to become part of the artwork. Participants, following the artist's instructions, applied body paint in eleven different colours, a chromatic palette that surpasses previous interventions by Tunick.
The aim was to emulate the diversity of a "submarine coral garden", according to the photographer himself, on the historic cobblestones of Vegueta. The resulting image, with painted and naked bodies at dawn, sought to convey a message of freedom and visibility for the LGTBIQA+ community.
Spencer Tunick, known for his massive nude installations in public spaces around the world, described the experience as a top-level artistic challenge. "Creating from scratch in such a unique environment as the Canary Islands has been stimulating," he stated. The New York artist emphasised that the participants are "the paint and the soul of the work", highlighting the collective power that emanates from the vulnerability of nudity.
The installation took place in an atmosphere of silence and concentration, broken only by Tunick's instructions through a loudspeaker to adjust angles and positions. Volunteers of all ages and backgrounds were proud to be part of an action that, according to them, transcends the artistic to become an act of social advocacy.
For the capital of Gran Canaria, hosting a work by Tunick represents a cultural milestone. The city thus joins the list of locations such as the Great Wall of China, the Sydney Opera House, or the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao that have been the backdrop for his installations. The choice of Vegueta, with its colonial architecture and intimate atmosphere, provided a unique contrast between the historical and the contemporary.
The Culture & Business Pride 2026 festival, which promotes LGTBIQA+ visibility through culture and business, found its peak moment in 'Gran Spectrum'. The work, which will be immortalised in Tunick's photographs, aims to be a symbol of the diversity and inclusion that the event advocates.
Participants, many of whom travelled from other parts of the island, valued the experience as unique. "It's a way to express freedom without barriers," commented one volunteer minutes after the session. Another attendee highlighted the emotion of being part of "something bigger than oneself" and contributing to a work that, he asserted, "speaks of acceptance and pride".
The day concluded without incidents, with volunteers leaving the site once the photo session was over. The City Council of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria collaborated on the logistics of the event, ensuring safety and order in an area that, at that hour, remained calm.
With 'Gran Spectrum', Spencer Tunick adds a new chapter to his career, always linked to the exploration of the human body as an artistic and political tool. For the Canarians, the image of Vegueta covered in painted bodies will be etched as a different dawn, where art and advocacy joined hands.
The work will soon be disseminated through the festival's official channels, and the photographs are expected to tour galleries around the world, carrying the name of Gran Canaria associated with a message of freedom and colour.
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