The World Bodypainting Festival: Vibrant Colours. Quirky Costumes. Incredible Art. Partial Nudity.

The 17th year of The World Bodypainting Festival (WBF), Austria’s unique annual event, saw up to 30,000 artists, performers, and visitors descend on Pörtschach to celebrate a weekend full of art, music, creativity, and a weird and wonderful explosion of colour.

World Bodypainting Festival Trailer 2014 (Play this video in Creation 5)

Artists from over 40 countries attended the famous festival, founder of the modern bodypainting art movement, to compete for World Champion titles in Bodypainting and to build amazing installations, sculptures and eye-catching performances into the landscape of the city.

Working up to the main event, the WBF week’s tradition is to begin with the ‘WB Academy’, where some of the most talented teachers in the bodypainting field hold workshops and seminars to share their knowledge and experience. Artists, photographers and models, no matter their level, can take part in a wide array of classes that include bodypainting, airbrush, facepainting, special effects, beauty and fashion make-up, photography, digital art, modelling, and more.

World Bodypainting Festival 2014 (Play this video in Creation 5)

Festival week attracts more than just the artsy type. Lake Wörthersee is a little hotspot for the crowd that likes to party. Live international bands, street musicians, and DJ’s, performing on different stages and areas of action, attract a huge number of international visitors, many of which put extreme effort into blending in (or standing out) with the city streets, wearing fantasy costumes, incredible make up and masks.

However, the most amazing part of the festival is the main event, which took place between Friday 4 and Sunday 6 of July, this year. “Bodypainting City” transformed itself into an extraordinary and vibrant Open Air art park, with artist focusing their work on this year’s two themes: “Pop Art” and “Artificial Intelligence”. Partially clothed, or sometimes fully nude, bodies of models are used as canvases, for painters to create and exhibit their new and vivid works of art and to share their imaginations and creativity with the world. Visitors are left stunned by the bold array of colour, texture and design applied onto the models’ bodies.

The festival includes many awards, such as: the World Bodypainting Championships, the World Facepainting Award, the World UV Bodypainting Award, and many more.

Some of the greatest events of the festival are:

The World UV Bodypainting Award
Models glow in fluorescent colours as they perform under UV black light, as 15 selected artists communicate their stories via the use of colour, sound and dance. Scott Fray and Madelyn Greco received first place this year, making history again, winning in four categories for four years consecutively.

The Installation Art Award
The top dogs in the world of bodypainting exhibit their installations in different locations around the city. Artists combine colour and surrounding to nude, or partially nude bodies, applying skilful technique to their living canvases, and covering them with thin layers of colour and design. It’s absolutely stunning and fascinating for visitors to watch as they wander around the city.

The Body Circus
Held in a castle known as Schloss Mossburg (built in 1541), The Body Circus is known for being the “most bizarre and unforgettable club effect imaginable”. The location, music and extravagant fashions create an unparalleled artistic atmosphere there. It’s wonderful, artistic and intense.

The Colour Splash/The Original Paint Party
On the final day, the WBF traditionally holds a colourful aftershow party, known as “The Colour Splah” or “The Original Paint Party”. Those who attend the event splash paint fireworks onto each other’s flesh, turning the whole event into a rainbow colour rave, filled with smiles and delight.

People were left mesmerised by the incredible art displayed at the WBF 2014. Check out the picture gallery below to get a glimpse of the colourful action.