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Posted: 09:40:49 on September 07 2002
By: Steve Krutzler
Dept: People

In a new interview with Salon.com, STAR TREK actor Leonard Nimoy talks about his new book compiling his photography over the last decade. The nude images of young women are Nimoy's imagining of the Jewish "Shekhina," or feminine presence of God.

"It's very hard for me to predict or determine or guide an audience how they should perceive the work," the actor turned professional photography says. "There is a very strong feminine issue here. The cover photograph, for example, shows a lady wearing phylacteries, which is something traditionally associated with the Jewish male. Some people are going to see this work as transgressive. 'Whoa, that's not right! Women don't do that!' Some people are going to see it as being a very bold feminism stroke. That's fine with me, too. Some people are going to say, 'That's not what the Shekhina looks like.' And some people are going to say, 'That's a very beautiful manifestation of Shekhina'"

Nimoy says males may be the most disturbed by his image of the Shekhina but he welcomes all responses to his work.

"I suspect that where there is going to be controversy and discomfort will be with guys -- the men who are nervous about the idea of a feminine deity or feminine spiritual presence. I think women will welcome it more readily. I can't say you should see this or you should see that. When I go to see a work of art and stand in front of it, I don't necessarily want the artist standing and whispering in my ear. I'm very proud of the photographs. When people say they're very beautiful, I am pleased. When people say "Ooooo! That's unusual." I say, "Yeah, that's true." I don't think anyone has ever done this before. I haven't seen it done. It came to me through a long, long series of events. It started when I was about 8 years old. The final key didn't fall in place till about five years ago."

Nimoy also recounts the early days of the original STAR TREK series and his decision to turn a Jewish symbol into Vulcan trademark.

"We were shooting a scene where we see the other Vulcans arrive in a ceremonial parade and a lady being carried in a sedan chair -- a very important Vulcan personage. And she and I are supposed to greet each other. This is the first contact between two Vulcans in the entire "Star Trek" world...

"So I said to the director, 'There should be some special thing that Vulcans do.' He didn't quite get it at first. I said, 'well, humans shake hands with each other. Asian people bow to each other. Military people salute. What do Vulcans do?' He said, 'Well, OK. What do Vulcans do?' I said, 'How about this?' [Nimoy makes the hand gesture.] And she did it in response. And that's how we did it. It's as simple as that. But it resonated very quickly. Within days after that show airing, I started getting people doing this [makes gesture] to me on the street. Still do."

You can read much more of the interview, in which Nimoy talks about the sexuality implicit in his photographs and the religious material from which he draws inspiration, and see some of "Mr. Spock's Nudes" in Salon's premium subscription. Thanks to 'Paulo' for the submission!

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