Letting it all hang out
Wang Suzhong, 89, is probably the most famous nude model among all the university art departments in Sichuan Province.
He is so fond of his job that he has been at it for six years now even though his children have threatened to disown him, saying that they “won’t bury him after he dies.”
Wang said that his children have a “feudal” mindset, and that he likes working as a nude model. Since he took up the job, Wang has been living alone.
The job itself sounds easy. All Wang needs to do is pose nude in front of art students so they may paint him during class. He attends three classes in the morning and two in the afternoon, with each class running 45 minutes and then a 15 minute break.
Having studied dressmaking after graduating from middle school, Wang has a very artistic outlook on life. He said he believes working as a nude model should not be considered all that unusual, and should be viewed from an artistic perspective.
Before he began modeling, Wang used to spend his retirement mostly in the park, singing or playing mahjong. He later gave up playing mahjong since placing bets became too expensive and often would result in getting into quarrels with others.
Despite his age, Wang is still healthy and spry. Before heading to work, he takes great pains to tidy up his silver hair, which students say makes him look like an immortal straight out of Chinese legend.
As news of Wang began to spread, he was invited to act in Free Renting, a film about an elderly man in Chongqing who is also an “emptynest” senior citizen just like him. To fight off loneliness, Wang’s character offers free-rent accommodation to young people and eventually dies alone despite having children. Wang noted that he just might end up like the character he played due to his job.
No matter the weather, Wang never arrives late for work, unlike some students. He said he doesn’t remember how many students have drawn his nude body over the years, but that he has kept some of the better drawings.
As to when he plans to finally stop, he said he will keep at it for as long as his health allows.