LONDON (AP) — Thousands of people have stripped naked and painted themselves in four shades of blue to celebrate the English city of Hull's relationship with the sea.

Hull City Council says some 3,200 people took part in the art installation, staged by New York artist Spencer Tunick on Saturday. The work is called "Sea of Hull" and was commissioned by the Ferens Art Gallery to mark the city's celebration next year as the U.K. City of Culture.

Tunick says the resulting photos incorporate some of the city's unique locations including the Scale Lane footbridge, a swing bridge often compared to a pin ball flipper that is a tourist attraction in the northern English city.

The port city on the Humber River has a rich maritime past dating to the 12th Century.