Is gathering thousands of people together to pose nude on the rooftop of a supermarket in Prahran considered art these days?

According to Woolworths, apparently not. They put the kybosh on world-renowned photographer Spencer Tunick’s latest project, where he planned to shoot his “hero image” of some 10,000 naked participants. The move has divided art lovers and politicians.

"Any rooftop in July in Melbourne's going to be reasonably chilly, I would think, but I'm sure they'll find an alternative venue," said Premier Daniel Andrews.

Woolworths perhaps doesn’t want customers seeing unsolicited shots of meat and two veg while they shop for their meat and veg.

Critics have long debated whether Tunick’s mass displays of nudity qualify as art, porn or exhibitionism.  Perhaps I can be better judge of that than most. I joined the thousands who stood stark naked on the steps of the Opera House at 4am for Tunicks’s art installation The Base, in 2010.
I stood way at the back, my spectacular mane of chest hair framed against a sea of waxed, puckering skin.