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Growing up nudity was not an issue but also was not a full time option. Farts, tits, willies and bums were regular subjects of discussion and jokes. I remember becoming a bit more body conscious around my family when I hit my teens. I remember being particularly self conscious on the last holiday I went on with my family. My parents decided to go to a nudist beach – there was no way I was going to go nude in front of my parents and sister.
For most of my twenties I had a physical job and would cycle a lot so was quite fit. I did not know this at the time! It is looking back at a video of me at this time singing in a band that I can see I very nearly had a six pack stomach. That has long gone and I have slightly more of a party barrel. In my late 20s I did a bit of life modelling. I used it as a way to save up money to pay for the tattoo on my lower leg.
Generally I am not very body conscious and an ex-girlfriend used to describe me as having a 70s male attitude to my grooming and body. Which is possibly pretty accurate! For a long time my biggest body worry was a manky toenail the rest was – it is what it is.
When I was 48 I started to train to be a wrestler (WWE style). I had been a fan of wrestling for many years and enjoyed the athletic pantomime theatrics of a wrestling show. I never thought I would be athletic enough to be involved. But eventually built the courage to go to a wrestling school on the south coast and found that I really enjoyed it. After several lessons I decided that My goal would be to take part in a wrestling show before my 50th birthday.
Unfortunately lockdown got in the way of taking part in a show but I was able to take part in a virtual showcase which was released on my 50th Birthday! And have since been involved in several shows including some for the promotion I have regularly gone to for the last 20 years.
An important part of wrestling is to create a persona which includes your in ring costume. My persona is Carlos Chaotico the Dadaist Pugilist, he thinks he is part chaos-magician part art-snob in reality he is a fool! My costume is a singlet leotard. I definitely do not have the body confidence to wear just trunks.
At times when I see myself I regret my tight clothing choice and wish that I would remember to hold my stomach in! When I tried on my singlet for the first time. I realised that I would have to get some tight swimming trunks to wear underneath, there was no way I could walk out in public with the bulges quite so visible.
Doing wrestling has given me a reason to exercise. I have lost a bit of weight and toned a bit. Using my body has made me a lot more body aware. While wrestling I need my body to do as I tell it or I could injure myself or my opponent.
Doing the ages project with Phil has given me an opportunity to think about my relationship with my body. Ultimately farts, bums and genitalia are things that everyone has and they are kinda funny!
Carl’s offering is – a self-portrait sketch done from memory and not with mirrors.
Join in by contacting me via my contacts page.
Phil Pool - Art and Protest 