{{Short description|Body painting by Joanne Gair}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2016}} {{Italic title}} thumb|250px|''Disappearing Model'', 2000
'''''Disappearing Model''''' is a ''trompe-l'œil'' body painting by Joanne Gair that was part of episode 1.19 or 119 of ''Ripley's Believe It or Not!'',<ref name=RBIONE1>{{cite web |url=http://www.tv.com/ripleys-believe-it-or-not!/episode-119/episode/232188/summary.html |title=Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Episode 119 |accessdate=April 23, 2009 |publisher=TV.com}}</ref><ref name="RBIONE#">{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1005841/ |title="Ripley's Believe It or Not!" Episode #1.19 (2000) |accessdate=April 23, 2009 |publisher=IMDb.com, Inc.}}</ref> which was the highest-rated episode.<ref name=JGTAoI>{{cite web |url=http://www.joannegair.com/about.htm |title=Joanne Gair: The Art of Illusion |accessdate=April 23, 2009}}</ref> The number 119 represents the nineteenth episode of the first season of the show, which aired exclusively on the TBS superstation.
==General episode details== The episode was hosted by Dean Cain,<ref name="RBIONE#"/> and it originally aired on either August 30 or September 6, 2000, depending upon the source. Both TV.com and IMDb.com claim the episode aired on the August date.<ref name=RBIONE1/><ref name="RBIONE#"/> TBS and ''Business Wire'' sources dated August 31, 2000, announce its premiere on the September date.<ref name=TSPAANEoRBION>{{cite web |url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2000_August_31/ai_64995500/ |title=TBS Superstation Presents An All New Episode of RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT!, Featuring a Human Crash-Test Dummy and Celebrity Body Painter Joanne Gair |date=August 31, 2000 |accessdate=April 23, 2009 |publisher=CBS Interactive Inc. |work=Business Wire}} also mirrored at {{cite web |url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/TBS+Superstation+Presents+An+All+New+Episode+of+RIPLEY%27S+BELIEVE+IT...-a064995500 |title=TBS Superstation Presents An All New Episode of RIPLEY'S BELIEVE IT OR NOT!, Featuring a Human Crash-Test Dummy and Celebrity Body Painter Joanne Gair. |accessdate=April 23, 2009 |publisher=Farlex, Inc. |work=The Free Library}}</ref><ref name=WA8P>{{cite web |url=http://cgi.superstation.com/tv/ripleys/html/episodes/19.htm |title=Wednesday At 8:00 PM/ET: Episode 19 |accessdate=April 23, 2009 |publisher=Superstation, Inc |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130203163910/http://cgi.superstation.com/tv/ripleys/html/episodes/19.htm |archive-date=February 3, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref> Sony Pictures claims the episode aired on November 15, 2000, but does not clarify whether this was the premiere airing or a rerun.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sonypictures.com/tv/shows/ripleys/database/ep_119a.html |title=Episode Guide: Episode #119 |accessdate=April 23, 2009 |publisher=Sonypictures.com |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090131204650/http://sonypictures.com/tv/shows/ripleys/database/ep_119a.html |archivedate=January 31, 2009 }}</ref> The episode had a total of six features.<ref name=WA8P/>
==Gair's role on the episode== Descriptions of the episode describe Gair's notability for her ability to "make people disappear by painting them right into a background or paint clothing on a human body that is virtually undistinguishable from actual fabric!"<ref name=RBIONE1/> More detailed descriptions of the episode describe the origin of Gair's notability as deriving from her production of the ''Vanity Fair'' magazine cover entitled ''Demi's Birthday Suit'', also known as ''The Suit'', in 1992.<ref name=TSPAANEoRBION/><ref name=WA8P/>
During the episode, Gair exhibits body painting that appears to be no-fabric clothing and creates another work that causes the illusion that a model disappears into the background of a flower print.<ref name=TSPAANEoRBION/> The 2000 body painting in which the model is indistinguishable from the red, blue and yellow flowers is known as ''Disappearing Model'' and is considered to be Gair's most famous work.<ref>Los Angeles Times syndication carried in numerous publication such as {{cite web |url=http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:NewsBank:MIHB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0F6E421D5901E9BA&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=0D0CB579A3BDA420 |title=With Twirl of Her Brushc, Artist Turns Human Body Into Canvas |accessdate=April 23, 2009 |date=October 24, 2002 |work=Miami Herald |author=Reynolds, Susan Salter}} and {{cite web |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2002/11/03/LV26166.DTL&hw=Joanne+Gair&sn=001&sc=1000 |title=There's no art experience quite like painting upon a human canvas |accessdate=April 23, 2009 |date=November 3, 2002 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |author=Reynolds, Susan Salter}}</ref>
Gair's second book, ''Body Painting: Masterpieces by Joanne Gair'', includes a photo of ''Disappearing Model''. The section credits Tracy Bayne as the photographer of the Russian model Sasha. Gair notes that the show's producer, Gail Smerigan contacted her in 2000 about featuring her work in an episode. The intent was to capture a photo shoot specifically designed for the show with the intent of creating the illusion of causing the model to disappear.<ref name=BPplates>Gair, Plates section</ref>
==Notes== {{reflist|2}}
==References== *{{cite book |title=Body Painting: Masterpieces by Joanne Gair |isbn=0-7893-1509-2 |year=2006 |publisher=Universe Publishing |author=Gair, Joanne |pages=plates section}}
{{nudity}} {{Joanne Gair}}
Category:2000 works Category:Body painting Category:trompe-l'œil