My encounter with Leonard Nimoy
.
I just posted this over at ontd_startrek, and realized I never did tell any of you on my friends list about this. So here it is:
Last year, Leonard Nimoy, he of the pointy ears and ROCKIN' Vulcan lute stylings, released a book of photographs titled The Full Body Project, in which were presented a collection of really beautiful black-and-white portraits of women who are, shall we say, NOT shaped like bicycles. This really appealed to me, as I've not only never been thin, but have been friends and lovers with more than one lovely zaftig lady.
"The average American woman," Nimoy writes, "weighs 25 percent more than the models selling the clothes. There is a huge industry built up around selling women ways to get their bodies closer to the fantasy ideal. Pills, diets, surgery, workout programs. . . . The message is 'You don't look right. If you buy our product, you can get there.'"
So when I heard he was doing a gallery show and signing, I just had to go.
The event was at a trendy gallery in West Hollywood. His photos were all over the walls, and they were SO GORGEOUS. I mean this seriously. I have never been a fan of the American obsession with stick-thin women. To me, beauty is a natural, joyful thing, not to be obtained by the kind of torture and mutilation that we go for in this country. Maybe it's just because I was raised by a Spanish dad and Argentine mom, I don't know. All I know is, when I saw those pics on the walls, I was moved beyond words.
The photos were energetic and elegant and erotic. He really saw these women, without blinkers or judgments. They're so sexy. There were several pictures that recreated well-known paintings, especially one by Matisse that I recognized instantly. (The women dancing in a circle.) One picture, of a group of big naked ladies sitting in a group on the floor, with their legs and arms tangled around each other, looking at the camera with a look both protective and challenging, literally brought tears to my eyes. Really. I stood there for what seemed like an eternity, just looking and soaking that image in. (In reality, I think I was in front of that pic for about twenty minutes.)
I finally made my way to the counter to buy a copy of the book, and then drifted around looking at the other pics and seeing if I could find Mr. Nimoy. It wasn't hard - that voice is incredibly specific and hella easy to pick out of a crowd. I waited for a bit, because he was talking it up with lots of friends in the house. When I found him free, I asked him to sign the book. He was so gracious and sweet, asking my name and saying he thought it was lovely. (I blushed when he said that. I've heard it before, but to hear SPOCK telling me that...oh, man.)
Then as he was signing, I said, "Your pictures make me homesick, sir." He looked up and smiled at me and asked why. I told him about living in Northern CA, and how I'd been in a women's theater group and those big ladies reminded me so much of the women I'd worked with and laughed with and rolled around with. I guess I started sounding a little emotional, because he smiled gently and patted my shoulder. "Enjoy it," he said, with the kindest tone in his voice. I swear, I'm crying now thinking about it.
It was just a moment, and I'm sure I came off as some no-life fan, but I still can't get over how sweet he was in the face of my nostalgia and, let's face it, sadness and longing. It would have been easy for him to dismiss me, but he didn't. He listened and was kind. I have the lovely, lovely book, and his autograph, but that's nothing compared to his gentleness.
I'll never forget it.
ETA: You can see pics from the book here, at the official site.
I just posted this over at ontd_startrek, and realized I never did tell any of you on my friends list about this. So here it is:
Last year, Leonard Nimoy, he of the pointy ears and ROCKIN' Vulcan lute stylings, released a book of photographs titled The Full Body Project, in which were presented a collection of really beautiful black-and-white portraits of women who are, shall we say, NOT shaped like bicycles. This really appealed to me, as I've not only never been thin, but have been friends and lovers with more than one lovely zaftig lady.
"The average American woman," Nimoy writes, "weighs 25 percent more than the models selling the clothes. There is a huge industry built up around selling women ways to get their bodies closer to the fantasy ideal. Pills, diets, surgery, workout programs. . . . The message is 'You don't look right. If you buy our product, you can get there.'"
So when I heard he was doing a gallery show and signing, I just had to go.
The event was at a trendy gallery in West Hollywood. His photos were all over the walls, and they were SO GORGEOUS. I mean this seriously. I have never been a fan of the American obsession with stick-thin women. To me, beauty is a natural, joyful thing, not to be obtained by the kind of torture and mutilation that we go for in this country. Maybe it's just because I was raised by a Spanish dad and Argentine mom, I don't know. All I know is, when I saw those pics on the walls, I was moved beyond words.
The photos were energetic and elegant and erotic. He really saw these women, without blinkers or judgments. They're so sexy. There were several pictures that recreated well-known paintings, especially one by Matisse that I recognized instantly. (The women dancing in a circle.) One picture, of a group of big naked ladies sitting in a group on the floor, with their legs and arms tangled around each other, looking at the camera with a look both protective and challenging, literally brought tears to my eyes. Really. I stood there for what seemed like an eternity, just looking and soaking that image in. (In reality, I think I was in front of that pic for about twenty minutes.)
I finally made my way to the counter to buy a copy of the book, and then drifted around looking at the other pics and seeing if I could find Mr. Nimoy. It wasn't hard - that voice is incredibly specific and hella easy to pick out of a crowd. I waited for a bit, because he was talking it up with lots of friends in the house. When I found him free, I asked him to sign the book. He was so gracious and sweet, asking my name and saying he thought it was lovely. (I blushed when he said that. I've heard it before, but to hear SPOCK telling me that...oh, man.)
Then as he was signing, I said, "Your pictures make me homesick, sir." He looked up and smiled at me and asked why. I told him about living in Northern CA, and how I'd been in a women's theater group and those big ladies reminded me so much of the women I'd worked with and laughed with and rolled around with. I guess I started sounding a little emotional, because he smiled gently and patted my shoulder. "Enjoy it," he said, with the kindest tone in his voice. I swear, I'm crying now thinking about it.
It was just a moment, and I'm sure I came off as some no-life fan, but I still can't get over how sweet he was in the face of my nostalgia and, let's face it, sadness and longing. It would have been easy for him to dismiss me, but he didn't. He listened and was kind. I have the lovely, lovely book, and his autograph, but that's nothing compared to his gentleness.
I'll never forget it.
ETA: You can see pics from the book here, at the official site.