Story By:  Ana Marjanovic, Sub-Editor:  Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News 

The Playboy ‘shock model’ who posed nude at the Vatican and flashed her genitals while wearing a burka has turned her attention from campaigning for religious freedom to combating climate change.

Belgian model Marisa Papen, 27, made headlines around the world for her anti-religious controversies which included posing nude with a giant crucifix at the Vatican.

She also caused outrage in Israel after posing in front of Jerusalem’s Wailing Wall as well as in Turkey where she lifted up her burka to reveal her genitals inside Istanbul’s iconic Hagia Sophia – a former Byzantine church and Ottoman mosque which is now a museum.

The self-proclaimed ‘artivist’ has now posed for a series of photos in Iceland to highlight the effects of climate change as part of her project ‘PLASTICSUSHI’.

Marisa told Central European News (CEN): “I had to strip off and lie on the ice. I didn’t see any other naked person jumping around laughing, it was certainly a challenge but I enjoyed every moment.”

The shock model explained that her latest nude images do not show her face which symbolises how everyone blames someone else for climate change.

Marisa, who enjoys reading and writing poetry, said in one of her poems for the project: “Our procrastinated mistakes are faceless, but there is no way to unsee what has already been seen.”

In the images, the Playboy model wanted to show how beautiful the Icelandic landscapes are while highlighting that it is rapidly disappearing.

She told CEN: “I chose Iceland because I can look small and insignificant in the vast landscapes, just like every one of us dealing with climate change alone.”

Marisa said she will release 100 limited-edition calendars for the project as she believes there is too much overproduction and consumption in the world.

In the past, she used to print over 1,000 calendars which were always quickly sold out.

She explained: “There is already too much overproduction and consumption in the world so I don’t want to add to that. I don’t want to be part of our culture of overconsumption, I don’t want to be a hypocrite.”

Every year, Marisa has donated the proceeds of her calendars and posters to different charities, but this time she plans on launching her own NGO.

She said: “I wanted to do more, so for a while, I have been working with various donors and raised enough funds to launch a non-profit organisation called ‘Flower of Love’.

“We are working on the website and it should all be ready next year. The main focus will be climate change.”

Marisa, who has been banned from social networks since 2016, said: “They do not want nudity and I think that is bullsh*t. It makes me upset that I cannot use social media, but that is not going to stop me. It makes me even more determined to spread awareness of the issues that are important to me and everyone else.”

She recently launched an anti-religious photo series called ‘FXCKRLGN’, but admits that “for now I am only focussing on Mother Nature”.

In the future, the shock model plans on addressing the meat industry as she has been a vegan for the last two years and adores animals.

Marisa said: “It is easy to appear naked in a butcher’s or slaughterhouse, and people would definitely be repulsed by the images, but I want my photos to address specific questions so it is a work in progress.”

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