Police thwart annual nude photo shoot at the Ann Arbor Art Fairs

As far as the Ann Arbor police are concerned, no nudes are good nudes.

By noon Friday, around 100 people had gathered in front of the State Theater, hoping to witness Ann Arbor photographer Harvey Drouillard's annual Art Fair photo shoot using naked models.

However, the presence of law enforcement officers who promised to arrest him and the models if the shoot went off as planned proved enough of a deterrent that no "full monty" occurred - at least not then. At around 12:30 p.m., three men emerged from the crowd, took their shirts off and waved them above their heads.

"You guys, that's it. We couldn't get totally disrobed for you all, but it's OK," said model Bob Johnson of Fowlerville.

Each of the three, then Drouillard, then shook hands with officers on the scene.

"Extra, extra read all about it, the Ann Arbor police is censoring art at the art fair," Drouillard yelled moments earlier from his perch atop a metal ladder from which he had hoped to take the picture.

Egged on by Drouillard, the crowd chanted, "Don't break tradition."

Despite all the fuss, Drouillard reportedly eventually got his shot later in the day, between booths on North University Avenue. Contrary to the session earlier in the day, the second, successful shoot was conducted with no fanfare.

Drouillard said taking off their clothes in public at the first shoot was ultimately a decision for the models to make.

"When it comes down to they are going to get arrested absolutely 100 percent, I put in into (the models') hands," Drouillard said. "I have a good lawyer that would protect them, (but) I can't tell them what to do. ... We have to at least protest the fact that we are being censored. I didn't expect this to happen; in fact, the exact opposite."

Ann Arbor resident Thomas Leone, 28, who was one of the three models, said he didn't completely undress at the noon event because he didn't want to spend the weekend in jail.

"I have plans this weekend, big things," he said.

Drouillard earlier said he hoped to have 20 models participate, although "it's not a matter of numbers, it's a matter of art," he said.

In addition, he originally planned to shoot his photo from atop the roof of the building that houses Potbelly Sandwich Works - but the store's management got wind of the plan and denied him access.

Many in the crowd in front of the State Theater were upset at the police intervention.
Artist Holly Sue Foss of Minnesota said Drouillard's art should be supported.

"People can draw nudes in art school; why can't Harvey do this?" she said. "He takes his work seriously. Of all the cities, Ann Arbor should be proud he's here."

Police got some boos for their stance.

"What happened to Ann Arbor?" yelled a woman. "What happened to Ann Arbor?"
Larry Skrdla of Ann Arbor, who years ago posed nude among hundreds of others for New York photographer Spencer Tunick, almost participated.

"But then I saw all the people in the circle here, and thought, 'Well, maybe not,'" he said. "And there are kids here. The officer I was just listening to said he was taking kids' names so he was able to have victims' names if he did do it. And could charge him."

Ann Arbor Sgt. Lyle Sartori was unfazed by any criticism.

"How do I stand here and say, looking at a thousand people in this area, that there are no kids in the crowd?," he said. "And he couldn't say the same. That's our concern. And there are others who might be offended by it, and not consider it to be art."

"I think everybody got what they wanted today. Everybody's able to have a good time at the art fair, and (Drouillard) was able to draw attention to his art."