Iggy Pop probably has the most recognisable body in rock ‘n’ roll, and for good reason. Tanned, leathery, grotesquely sinewy, it’s a magnificent thing. And, back in 2016, a group of New York Academy of Art students had a once-in-a-lifetime chance to document it in all its glory.
Check out these sketches of Iggy Pop in all his naked glory from when he was the guest model for a life drawing class.
The session was conceived by artist Jeremy Deller, and found Iggy on his back, in the nude, with 21 art students aged between 19 and 70 drawing him.
“The life class is a special place in which to scrutinise the human form,” Deller told Pitchfork. “As the bedrock of art education and art history, it is still the best way to understand the body.”
The works were then shown at an exhibition at the Brooklyn Museum, and featured in a book. Ranging from 5-minute sketches to in-depth studies, the drawings reveal Iggy striking a number of different poses, interpreted in a range of styles.
“For me it makes perfect sense for Iggy Pop to be the subject of a life class; his body is central to an understanding of rock music and its place within American culture,” Deller said. “His body has witnessed much and should be documented.”
The book also features some candid snaps of the class alongside the works, plus an introduction by Deller, and an interview with Pop about working on the project. Check out a selection of the works below via Stereogum.
