Espace MVG presents Naked in Paradise, an exhibition by Michael von Graffenried.
For more than ten years, between 1987 and 2001, Michael von Graffenried immersed himself in the daily life of one of the oldest naturist associations in the world, located in Thielle on the shores of Lake Neuchâtel in Switzerland. Behind the walls of the camp Die Neue Zeit, members of the Schweizerische Lichtfreunde (“Friends of the Light”) cultivate a way of life based not only on nudity but also on a particular vision of personal elevation: no alcohol, no tobacco, no meat.
While Graffenried’s work is often associated with politically charged contexts or situations of conflict, Naked in Paradise represents an unexpected shift. Here, the photographer no longer confronts the violence of history, but the fundamental vulnerability of the human body. The images reveal an unexpectedly ordinary life: having a picnic, practicing sports, dancing, cooking — all while naked. Nudity, far from being spectacular, becomes almost banal.
Protected by high walls and wary of outside representation, the site strictly prohibited photography. It took several stays and a genuine personal commitment from the photographer — who agreed to expose himself, both artistically and literally — in order to gain the trust of the residents. Some fea- red being recognized by family members or colleagues; others saw the project as an opportunity to make visible a community that usually remains out of sight.
Over the course of many summers, a relationship developed, giving rise to the series and the book Naked in Paradise, where the intimate and the collective intersect, revealing a world that is at once fragile, idealistic, and deeply human. Through this series, Michael von Graffenried proposes a re- flection on the visibility of the body and on forms of collective life that exist away from the public gaze.
“It is no coincidence that nudism reached its peak at the moment when art and science evolved in unison, driven by an inner necessity, toward a new conception of the human being as a Gesamtkunstwerk, a total work of art.” Harald Szeemann
“People communally declare their peaceful intentions by removing the uniform of society, becoming as fundamentally defenseless as only unarmed, unclothed humans can be. If that constitutes a message, on their parts or on Graffenried’s, it is this: It’s not bodies that mis- behave and cause harm to others, but minds.” D. Coleman
“The first hour without clothes was difficult but I soon began to feel confident. The site was surrounded by a high wall – taking photographs was forbidden – and it was only after much talking that I was given permission to go ahead. I spent three days introducing myself as a documentary photographer, showing slides and collecting signatures of those naturists who would agree to be included in a publication. Many of them could not take the risk that their neighbours, relations and colleagues might find out where they spent their summer. On Sunday, a naked clergyman preached under the free sky. To take this picture was im- possible – his parish would never have understood. The ‘New Age’ on Lake Neuchâtel is one of the oldest naturist organisations in the world. For the Swiss Friends of Light (the name by which the naturists have been known since their foundation sixty years ago, it is not en- ough to be naked. They don’t smoke, drink alcohol or eat meat. Their aim is to become bet- ter, more noble people.” Michael von Graffenried
Curator : Natasha Guy
Michael von Graffenried : Nu au Paradis
April 16 – July 4, 2026
Espace MVG
36 Rue Falguière
75015 Paris
www.espacemvg.com
