Banished art

Whenever reports about art appear in the media its always about record art sales, art robberies and sometimes the more controversial stories. On Thursday a report emerged that the well respected Sydney Gallery, RoslynOxley9 held an exhibition containing images of naked children by renowned photographer Bill Henson on the eve of its opening. Sparking anger among the community, pointing at issues towards the sexualisation of children, the exhibition was closed and police are said to be investigating the works. This incident reminded me earlier about the recent criticism of RUSSH magazine for depicting a topless sixteen year old and in a bathtub with a male model.

The media were very quick to point out the nudity involved but what they fail to highlight is the context within which the works would have been viewed. Firstly the strongest of Hensons works have always featured young adults, looking vulnerable, with the play of light and dark chiaroscuro illuminating them and drawing empathy from the viewer. I haven't seen such works myself but it seems that deciding to photograph young kids naked is just part of the artists decision to go beyond his current art practice and making them appear more vulnerable and innocent and perhaps illuminating the fact by showing their bodies articulating the fact that they are children, with undeveloped bodies. And if so could the artist intention to portray their youth be seen in the same light as Anne Geddes who photographs young babies naked. In the late 19th Century, Julia Margaret Cameron's depiction of young naked toddlers, said to be cupids and allegories, drew criticism from Victorian society. And one would think that an art audience, used to seeing nude figures, statues in paintings and alike would be mature enough not to develop bad morals from viewing of such work.


(above) Julia Margaret Cameron work

RUSSH's mostly female educated readership would understand the creative direction of this photoshoot was to emulate the spirit of a young Kate Moss and Johny Depp. It was a tongue in cheek photoshoot which fits in with RUSSH's current repertoire of embodying strong, independent and rebellious women, borrowing from the creative directions of free spirited 60s magazines. The model also looked quite mature and not in an sexually explicit pose.

I think what this highlights is mostly the conservative nature of contemporary society and the quick judgement that naked equates to sexuality. I think Foucault was onto something when in the 70s he states that "we are the victorians" in the sense that we live in conservative times. If mainstream media is so concerned about the early sexualisation of children perhaps they should be looking at the celebrity role models glorified by the media and the types of clothing sold to children which copy so called trash culture. Or perhaps even the types of toys available to children, not naming names but it rhymes with rats. Apparently there is also legislation that parents can't even in certain instances photograph their children anymore.