Last week marked the close of the fifth annual World Bodypainting Festival in Austria. This event gathers all of the biggest names in the industry to ignite the imagination of thousands of spectators for a weekend of dancing, fashion shows and live exhibitions.The theme of the Body Art Fashion show “Objectification-Let Me Count the Ways”  is particularly apt as they celebrate turning human bodies (mainly women, it seems) into works of art. Yet they are aware of the inherent contradictions and see this show as an exploration of “where the boundaries between sex object and freedom of expression reside.”

Distinctions were awarded in multiple categories such as-

 Brush and sponge body painting:

Body painting winner Parhatskaja Evgenia, Sweden, 3rd place

Parhatskaja Evgenia, Sweden, 3rd Place. Photo Courtesy of bodypainting-festival.com

 

Airbrush body painting:

Airbrush body painting competition winner

Alex Hansen, Brazil, 1st place. Photo Courtesy of bodypainting-festival.com

 

Special effects:

Special effects body painting winner 2014

Birgit Linke, Austria, 2nd place. Photo Courtesy of bodypainting-festival.com

 

Face painting:

Face painting winner

Scott Fray, America, 1st Place. Photo Courtesy of bodypainting-festival.com

 

Amateur brush/sponge:

Bettina Strodl wins amateur body painting competition

Bettina Strodl, Austria, 3rd Place. Photo Courtesy of bodypainting-festival.com

 

And more!

 

To see the full list of winners accompanied by their body painting models visit bodypainting-festival.com.