Dozens of nude models protested against the Facebook and Instagram ban on female nipples with New York City gathering that was coordinated by controversial artist Spencer Tunick.

In collaboration with the National Coalition Against Censorship, for their #WeTheNipple campaign, Tunick took photos of the models during a Sunday morning demonstration outside the Astor Place subway station in Manhattan.

Several photos show the naked men and women holding nipple signs in the air while lying on the ground.

The women were shielding their own nipples with images of male nipples that Tunick calls 'donated nipples'.

Dozens of nude models (pictured) protested against the Facebook and Instagram ban on female nipples with New York City gathering that was coordinated by controversial artist Spencer Tunick

In collaboration with the National Coalition Against Censorship, also known as #WeTheNipple, Tunick took photos of the models during a Sunday morning demonstration outside the Astor Place train station in Manhattan

Several photos show the models standing in a group gripping the signs as Tunick captures every moment

The women were shielding their own nipples with images of male nipples that Tunick calls 'donated nipples'

Artists Andres Serrano and Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Bravo’s Andy Cohen, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and Tunick himself all donated photos of their nipples for the signs.

Other photos show the models standing in a group gripping the signs as Tunick captures every moment.

In April, Tunick put out a call for an army of models to join him in New York City at a top secret location to hold the demonstration.

Details of the protest were kept secret until Sunday when the models gathered outside the Alamo, the Astor Place Cube.

The protest came about after Facebook and Instagram banned photographic representations of the nude body.

Both social media platforms only allow nudity in depictions of paintings and sculpture. They do not allow nude photos.

Artists Andres Serrano and Paul Mpagi Sepuya, Bravo’s Andy Cohen, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and Tunick himself all donated photos of their nipples for the signs

In April, Tunick put out a call for an army of models to join him in New York City at a top secret location to hold the demonstration

Details of the protest were kept secret until Sunday when the models gathered outside the Alamo, the Astor Place Cube

The protest came about after Facebook and Instagram banned photographic representations of the nude body. Both social media platforms only allow nudity in depictions of paintings and sculpture. They do not allow nude photos

But the problem is social media is where many artists share their work, with Instagram being the most popular.

According to #WeTheNipple, social media 'has dramatically increased artists’ ability to reach–and build–their audiences. Unless their medium is photography and their subject is the body'.

'The nudity ban prevents many artists from sharing their work online. It particularly harms artists whose work focuses on their own bodies, including queer and gender-nonconforming artists, and the bodies of those in their communities,' their website reads.

#WeTheNipple and artists like Tunick are calling on both social media platforms to 'create an exception to their nudity restrictions to allow for art in the medium of photography'.

'Platforms like Instagram allow up-and-coming artists, and all artists without access to traditional methods of distribution, to reach global audiences on a scale unimaginable to earlier generations,' the organization said.

Though there are photos of barely covered breasts all over social media, it is still a big no-no for women to show their nipples.

However, photos of male nipples are fine.

Tunick is known for his controversial photo shoots that make statements across the world. He has created similar en masse nude art installations in several iconic locations.

Tunick (pictured) is known for his controversial photo shoots that make statements across the world. He has created similar en masse nude art installations in several iconic locations

This photo shows naked men and women under sheer red cloth in Melbourne in 2018

These Melburnians are seen posing naked under a sheer pink cloth in 2018