Women and Equality in the arts
Haurvatat 3D Render
There is an ugliness seeping through the high end of the art world. Something we all know about but have yet to change. Something that needs to be fixed.
Disparity.
What does it mean when only 2% of artists represented in top galleries and museums are female? Why are women such a minority in the high stakes art world? is it entirely run by men? Or are we, as women, doing ourselves a disservice by not being as forward as many male artists?
I know one of the dreams that keeps me going is the thought of immortality, that my art will live on. But will it? Chances are, unless we change things, no it won’t. i’ve read a lot about the male gaze, and the relationships women have with their art. Women seem to get more attached to their works, they possibly put more emotion in their pieces and therefore end up emotionally invested. Is it harder to let go? Do male curators and directors look at this emotional investment as being a detriment? Women artists are often seen as struggling, their tribulations are celebrated. But it appears that successful, strong women may not be as well received.
Over 50% of working artists today are female. This is wonderful! And more and more are being celebrated all the time. I believe we are at a juncture to be able to change that 2% and tip the scales in favor of equality.
Not all artists are created equal – Graham Ovenden convicted
Graham Ovenden (from the Daily Mail)
Not all artists are concerned with the pursuit of art. not all artists toil away nobly trying to get the world to see the beauty around them. some artists are in it for the money, or for the fame or sometimes, thankfully rarely, for the nekkid people. and some artists are just scumbags.
“one of the world’s greatest painters” (self proclaimed) has fallen from his lofty perch. Graham Ovenden has faced legal prosecution on a number of occasions but has now been convicted of six charges of indecency with a child and one of indecent assault. The different news stories on this subject are very disparate. in my research I’ve seen everything from vitriol against the art world to Victim blaming. it’s hard to separate the facts from the spin in this case but we do know that the victims were former models from between 1972 and 1985. Some articles are questioning their taking time to come forward which is reprehensible. it takes courage to come forward about abuse, it can take a very long time to come to the point where abuse can be admitted. I applaud them for confronting their abuser (who was not there for the conviction). he was also accused of having child pornographic images on his computer, images he accused the police of falsifying.
Much of Ovenden’s work from the time was inspired by the controversial novel Lolita. Some contain titles like “Lolita Seductive” or “Maxwell’s Angel Whores”. His work has also been found in the collections of noted paedophiles. The Tate gallery has removed his images from their walls and website following the jury’s verdict. His partially clad photographs in particular are incredibly hard to view.
Ovenden has yet to be sentenced.
11 ways you can support the arts right now
A friend asked me the other day about this meme, and how people can go about supporting artists. I am a big fan of supporting talent and assisting artists wherever I can. it’s easy to say ‘go out and buy their art’, but what if you can’t afford it or you don’t have any space? so here are my tips on supporting the arts. there are more ways than you think!
- Show their work, display their name prominently and link to their site. let others know how much you love it! artists often rely on word of mouth. this is free and is always appreciated. don’t just take their work – always give credit.
- if you need a logo or graphics pay an artist to do them. find a local artist for your business, ask around. don’t promise “exposure” unless you know Gagosian and are going to personally arrange an interview.
- consider artisan gifts for christmas or birthdays. we are doing an artisan Christmas this year with handmade gifts and it feels really really good. checkout sites like etsy or artfire or made it.com.au. go to local art and craft markets, talk with the artists and buy something made with love – it may work out to be less expensive than you think and spread the joy around this holiday season! think about who may need your money more, Target or that nice mother who makes the beautiful jewellery.
- Does the artist you like have a zazzle or redbubble site? can you buy a print or some postcards or stickers? do they have an art book on Blurb?
- Do they have a donation button on their website? every little bit counts.
- Talk to the artist. can they make a smaller version or arrange a payment plan? artists will generally be very accommodating!
- Do you know a gallery owner or a restaurant that needs an artist like the one you like? can you recommend them to someone to help their career? most artist/gallery relationships are founded on recommendations. word of mouth like this can be extremely valuable.
- Take lessons from an artist. did you want to learn to draw/sculpt/photograph things/smelt/paint/dance/sing? you can usually find a local artist who can help!
- Support arts in your local schools. go to productions and exhibitions, donate or go to a school market. funding for the arts has been slashed in many public programs, help your schools out!
- Visit your galleries, public and commercial. some public galleries run on donations and interest. some commercial galleries run on fumes and concepts. you don’t have to buy to show your support for the artist, for the curator, for the space.
- and when you can, if you can, buy the artworks you love.
Church and Sports vs Art – Which is higher risk?
Bill Henson is in the news again, this time for his controversial thoughts on the risks associated with Arts, Sports and the Church. In a recent interview with the Australian, Henson stated that when searching for high risk areas to children that “The last place you would start with would be the arts.” and that the highest risk areas were the church and sports.
I am amazed that this is even a question. of course sports are higher risk! ask any teen where their injuries came from and they will proudly tell you which sport and what they were doing. I had my nose broken while playing hockey. and let us not forget that massive den of Injuries, women’s netball.
Of course an archbishop of the catholic church has officially gone on record saying that “I don’t think we did anything wrong.”, and naturally we are going to believe him.
Robert Nelson, Art Critic and Father of Olympia Nelson Has commented on this article.
He said risk should be calculated by the severity of the injury multiplied by the chance of it occurring.
”When your kid goes off onto the sports field, it’s a very competitive and actually kind of nasty situation where one kid is really trying to push the other out of the way,” he said.
”And it’s a pretty high chance that something nasty will happen sooner or later.”
Robert Nelson said there was a risk of paralysis associated with sport, and while there were also risks that needed to be considered with art, they were tiny in comparison.
”There is some risk always that the kid will not be happy with the image. You can’t really guarantee that the kid will be, but there’s a very high chance the kid will be proud of it,” he said.
”How we know that, we kind of just don’t see examples of kids or adults complaining about having been traumatised by their picture.
”With risk, you can never completely eliminate it, that’s for sure. But it’s a tiny, tiny risk. And the chances meanwhile of something wonderful happening are quite high.”
via Sports vs Arts: Which is more dangerous to our kids? | 3AW Neil Mitchell |.
As they say, there are risks to everything, and everything needs to be taken into account, but I would feel less concerned about my child experimenting with art than with priests or hockey sticks!
No doubt some bright spark is going to form the argument that Sports are very important for a child’s development. yes, they are fantastic for building coordination, fitness, team spirit and all that. I think everyone should have some sport in their lives. and everyone should have some art in their lives. art is critical for building creativity, free thought, cognitive thinking, hand eye coordination, lateral thinking and so much more. and it is something that keeps giving, long after you’ve blown your knee playing football.
Nude model sues over false arrest
Photographs from What’s on Chengdu
The Model in question, Zoe West, was arrested on August 30, just after she removed her thong for the final part of the process. The models always leave their thongs on until the end and the painting process is very fast so that it’s minutes if not seconds of exposure.
“The New York State Legislature has granted local authorities the right to pass local laws to further restrict public nudity, but the City of New York has passed no such laws,” the complaint states. “Indeed, the City of New York regularly authorizes film companies to engage in nude film shoots in public spaces in the city. Hence, plaintiff was arrested for a crime that does not exist.”
West says three unidentified officers cuffed her anyway without giving her a chance to cover up.
The complaint continues: “Photographers and onlookers snapped her picture as Ms. West, clad only in colorful paint and metallic cuffs, was escorted through Times Square and into a police vehicle by Does 1-3.
“She was transported to the Midtown South Precinct, where she was forced to stand in front of a desk in the lobby of the precinct, still unclothed, for approximately fifteen minutes. Several officers gawked at her as she stood there, humiliated.
“At some point, a female police officer returned Ms. West’s clothing and brought her to a room where she was permitted to dress. As soon as Ms. West was dressed, the female officer searched her, patting her down.
“Ms. West had been at the precinct for approximately two hours when Sgt. Fusaro came into the juvenile delinquents’ room, where Ms. West was being held, and told her she was free to leave. Without apology or an explanation, Fusaro removed the handcuffs from Ms. West and she was released. No charges were filed against her.
Zoe West is now sueing for false arrest and municipal liability.
I wonder, as the Nudity appears the issue, why Sgt. Fusaro or one of the 3 John Doe officers did not provide a blanket or a jacket. continuing to maintain the model in her “offensive state” shows a lack of sensitivity but also a lack of understanding about the issues. if he had covered her up it would have reinforced his message and arrest, by leaving her nude he created more of a martyred figure, tragic and sympathetic. I don’t understand his behavior in this as it seems to run counter to his purpose. I understand Sgt. Fusaro probably did not apologize because an apology would constitute a legal admission of guilt, but I think his behavior was appalling throughout and I hope she is successful in her suit.
I haven’t heard if Golub intends to sue as well, I do know he has continued and will continue to create art on live canvasses throughout New York and I hope that his work is untroubled in the future.
Too rude? Speech part two – adolescent nudity in art
Part one is here..
These days the nude appears to have become more controversial as the line between nudity and sexuality has been blurred. The prevalence of porn and sexualized images In the media have led to an automatic association between nudity and sex. A belief that nudity is dirty, wrong, and disgraceful. All of this has led to nude art being pushed to the back corner, far from being the classic and honored subject of artists everywhere.
There is no image of vulnerability more powerful than that of a naked child. Take for example the iconic Vietnam Napalm photograph. Would this picture have as much impact if she was an adult? If she was clothed? The image of her running down the street, naked and screaming, is real, it’s powerful and it’s become a symbol for the horrors of war everywhere. This photograph won the Pulitzer and world press photo of the year.
A nude child is the image of vulnerability, of change. It automatically triggers protective instincts. Good art has the power to move us. It inspires emotion.
Would Bill Henson’s works be as emotive if the children were clothed? if they were small breasted adults? His works capture a moment in time. A fragile period in a teen’s life. These works make us empathize with the subject, I have heard abuse sufferers consider them both triggering works and uplifting and encouraging. Other see a coming of age, loss of innocence. fragile, strong. Whatever you see in this work you cannot deny that it has an emotional impact and that is the purpose of art.
The scandal with Brook Shields and the Gary Gross/Richard prince photographs is another good example. Gary Gross took photographs of a pre-teen Brook Shields for a magazine. These works were highly sexualized, with brook painted with oil and makeup. They were exceptionally adult, and in very poor taste. Brook shields did not get a say in modeling for these works, nor how they were used later on. Many years later Richard Prince took a photograph of the original Gary Gross, then changed it. The final work was seedier and turned the original on it’s ear. Where the first seemed to celebrate child pornography, the Prince version used the same image to condemn it. It still uses a sexualized image of an adolescent, but by using that image to make the viewers uncomfortable it made an excellent point about not turning a blind eye to child pornography.
Why being obsessive produces better art
The more I get absorbed in this complex steampunk series the more I wonder about my obsessive tendencies and artists in general.
Recently, I’ve been having a hard time painting, something was gnawing at the back of my mind. Like a face I couldn’t put a name to it was elusive and irritating.
Something was Not Quite Right in my last painting. The geometry of the gear was off. I didn’t like the model I chose to begin with and have since gotten some better gears, so I decided to redo from start. Or at least, redo the gear.
Just the act of making this decision was galvanizing. suddenly I wanted to be in the studio all the time again! On a roll, i also decided to revisit the gold embellishments on the bustle, to bring them into the shadows better and connect the shapes more. I painted furiously, and it has paid off. A little obsessive prod that was poking me has subsided. The itch stopping me from continuing to the next painting, that was thawing doubt up in the way has passed and I am fired up and ready to continue.
Sometimes obsessiveness can harm a piece, it can lead to overworking and losing a sense of motion, spontaneity and immediacy that draws people in.
National Classification Scheme Review – respond today!
Today I filed my responses for the review. I urge you to do likewise. this is the review that will determine if artists need to seek classification about their works. it’s the one that determines if we get censored internet and it’s the one that may allow us to get more games. the conservatives are responding in force, but we aren’t getting many responses from the arts and people who oppose censorship. please, show your support. you don’t have to answer every question, you don’t even have to type out giant paragraphs (like I did) just be heard. show your opinion and let the review board know that you oppose forcing artists to classify their works before exhibiting.
On 24 March 2011, Attorney-General Robert McClelland referred the National Classification Scheme to the ALRC and asked it to conduct widespread public consultation across the community and industry.
The review will consider issues including:
existing Commonwealth, State and Territory classification laws
the current classification categories contained in the Classification Act, Code and Guidelines
the rapid pace of technological change
the need to improve classification information available to the community
the effect of media on children and
the desirability of a strong content and distribution industry in Australia.
your response is due by 5pm tomorrow. please take 5 minutes to respond today.
Child pornography and art are different things, Hetty
One of the exonerated Nude Teen Pictures from 2008 by Bill Henson.
Picture by the Daily Telegraph
Bravehearts executive director Hetty Johnston has written to the Baillieu Government asking it to crack down on images such as those created by controversial artist Bill Henson.
But artists say they should not be censored and current guidelines for art are adequate.
A Senate committee has recommended classifications be applied to all media, including art in galleries.
It also called for a review of child pornography laws and for the “artistic merit” defence to be axed from child pornography offences.
Ms Johnston said her group did not oppose art or photographs showing children in real life, but set-up shots of naked children for “artistic purposes” should be outlawed.
“It crosses moral boundaries, and we believe it puts children at risk and it could exploit children,” she said.
Australia’s classification laws are under review and under attack once more.
Hetty Johnston and her band of fanatical cohorts are still not satisfied after Bill Henson’s confiscated works were reviewed by the clssifications board and deemed to be no more hazardous than PG. clearly it isn’t their views that are at fault, but the classifications board itself. when you don’t like the results- change the law. Clearly the problem with child pornography in Australia stems from artists. absolutely without a doubt.
I do believe, however, that the classifications rules do need to be reviewed and repaired. they are exceptionally ambiguous and are not helping us artists in our defences any more than they are helping Hetty. if anything they are already heavily on the Hetty side, but are so ambiguous that it comes down to the preferences and opinions of the board. characteristics such as breast size should not be a factor – breasts do not make a woman. they may as well choose testicle size as an indicator.
While a ban on the sexual depiction of minors will have strong community support, there’s a much greyer area involving adults or even animated characters who look young. Most adult movies (online or DVD) come from America and carry official government statements guaranteeing that all participants are over 18. These cut no ice in Australia. Furthermore, Hentai Manga (Japanese sexual comics) are so popular in Japan that they are freely available for browsing in 7-11 convenience stores and read openly on trains. But they are RC in Australia – potentially a rude shock for Japanese tourists visiting with such comics in their luggage.
Note too, that over the past year, the Classification Board has started using breast size as a criterion in defining child pornography: a less than precise indicator
[From ABC The Drum - Secrets of obscenity: the classification riddle]
I also believe that, more than the classifications system, the constitution of Australia needs to be reviewed, amended and honored. how many Australians even know there is a constitution here? who knows what’s in it? The US Constitution is one of the most powerful pieces of writing in the world. freedom of speech is one of the most honored of the freedoms and is celebrated. yes, occasionally it is abused, but it is such a sacred right that it cannot be denied. it seems to me that Australia needs some inalienable rights of it’s own.
artistic merit should not become a goto excuse for pornographers, that harms us more than it harms Hetty- but it must be allowed. we cannot create under a blanket of censorship and we cannot be the artists we need to be without freedom to create. art has the power to challenge our views, to make us think and and to change the world. I believe that the arts are one of the most powerful forces of humanity and should never be denied.
To thine own self be true.. Nude art and sensuality
One of the reasons i’ve had a hard time writing in this blog lately (apart from being insanely busy) is that i’ve been afraid that i’ve said everything there is to say on the subject of non sexual nudes. I’ve waxed lyrical and vehemently about the difficulties nude art faces because people cannot distinguish nudity from sex. As a nudist and an artist specializing in nudes this speaks very closely to my heart.
Lately, however, i’ve found myself a little trapped. I haven’t been able to explore all the work I would like for fear of being seen as a hypocrite. Because i’ve only presented one side. Nudity does not have to be sexual, you all know my stance on that, but it can also be sensual, and there is nothing wrong with that. As long as it doesn’t break any taboos. (I say taboos because I live in a country that has a new crazy law every week and nothing to protect free expression).
There is a difference, too, between sexual and sensual. There are as many shades of gray as there are stages of undress. Art can be arousing. It should be arousing. It should inspire passion. Not just sexually, but in all things. Arousal and passion are not just the pervue of sexuality, but of life. And art is life.
You can’t force artists to classify their art
There is talk in Australia, once again, of limiting artists rights. I am likely to offend people with these statements and I don’t care. Ratings classifications don’t belong in the arts. Frankly they barely belong in movies. Most people fail to notice them with regards to tv and movies and still they complain.
Bill Henson is once again exhibiting. This time in Melbourne. I was waiting to discuss the exhibition until after I had seen it In Person but this latest wave of protests have brought me out of my studio and indignant once more about the treatment of artists in this country.
After the press tried and failed to get people riled up about the latest exhibition the right wing nut jobs have taken a stand saying that thhe only thing that will protect the fair and delicate citizenry of Australia from the tyranny of artists is to force artists to undergo the same classifications procedures that movies and tv shows do. Here are some of the reasons this won’t work.
1. Classifications are expensive. Production houses can afford it, individual artists can’t.
2. When the classifications board reviewed henson’s work and came back with a PG rating the protesters were enraged. Even though this was something they requested. They won’t be happy regardless.
3. The ratings system in Australia is fundamentally flawed. Ask any gamer. It isn’t flexible enough to cover art.
4. How do you classify something as subjective as art any way?
5. By increasing the costs for artists you will be raising the price of art for all. In this economy this will probably drive the market further down and for ce more galleries to close.
6. This will fundamentally shift the way australian artists create. It will engender self censorship, make artists less likely to create for fear of the process, the costs and the issues. They may not create their best work, stick to safe things and in the end this may hurt the arts industry more.
I am not unreasonable. By all means make the classification board accessible to all artists to help in disputes, or even to prevent them for the artists that can afford it. But making it compulsory for all artists is irresponsible and despotic to say the least. In the States a bill like this would never reach the floor, here, well I only hope more sensible heads prevail.
Why is female nudity more acceptable than male?
@naturistnews: @minxdragon why is female nudity more acceptable than male nudity? Why is nudity considered shameful?
I was asked these questions via twitter, and there was no way I could answer them in 140 characters or less and do them justice, in fact, I don’t think I could satisfactorily answer them in an entire blog post! I will try it in two.
I think female nudity is generally more acceptable than male nudity for a number of reasons. largely, however it seems to come down to aesthetics and homophobia.
Despite all our efforts to the contrary we still live largely in a patriarchal society. While males dominate industry, advertising and the media there will still be a slight locker room mentality. While nudity remains mainly sexual in the minds of the general public, it will be more acceptable for that locker room mentality to gaze upon nude women than men.
Many men fear nude men, but women do not fear nude women. I do not know why this is. It could be media and advertising, it could be that we grow up seeing semi nude women constantly or it could just be that there is a homophobic backlash still in effect.
Women are more aesthetically pleasing than men nude. It’s the truth. No matter the shape of the woman she is beautiful. Men are interesting nude, but not necessarily beautiful. There is an inherent charm in the swell of a hip, the curve of the breast. We have been taught since ancient times to revere the female figure.
Taxpayer dollars, art and you- how it all fits
While I grant that not all public art is liked or understood by everyone, the tenor of this article at the herald-sun is that all arts funding is a waste and that the programs should be scrapped. The arts are seeing an all time high in funding at the moment and I think it is wonderful that artists are being given the funds to realize their grandiose dreams.
While it may not appeal to everyone, public art does not only benefit the rich, it beautifies cities, it gives everyone new and interesting to watch, to do, to experience.
Grants are not just there for artists to slack off and live off taxpayer dollars, but a chance to earn recognition, to create their visions and to create something to benefit everyone. Art costs money to make. Without the help of grants, residencies and funding, some projects would never get made.
Sadly, sometimes if the art is a little lacking, it isn’t the fault of the committee or a lack of funding (or too much as this article seems to suggest), it’s a lack of artists submitting their works. Grants are intimidating, they’re difficult and artists are often afraid that they will be rejected and that is enough of a reason not apply. But doing the hard work can pay off, not just in allowing you to create the work you want, but to also bring art to thousands who may never otherwise get a chance to see it.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
ditch the nagging b**** and reclaim the most important thing
bewitched – 36×24 Oils on Canvas
I’ve had a hard time getting started this year, the weight of so many things to do has left me running around in circles wondering what to start first. in my usual style I start things in dribs and drabs then get caught up in something else, then something else, then I get lost and end up adding more to my list than I took away!
which is why, when I saw this post topic from wordpress’ post a day and post a week challenges I decided I needed to write about it.
What’s the most important thing you’re putting off? And why haven’t you done it yet? What do you need to make it happen?
[From Topic: What’s the most important thing? | The Daily Post at WordPress.com]
The most important thing I’m putting off has to be painting. I always put it off. I don’t know why, painting is one of my greatest joys. I haven’t done any real painting since moving as my studio is still very much under construction. it will soon be in a useable state and then a huge pressure will be relieved. because I’ll tell you a little truth about being an artist- the less you paint the less you want to paint- the reverse of my statement in my post 8 reasons why making art is like making love
but that leads me back to my goals for 2011 and what I want to do about #5 on my list: I want to paint. I want to be disciplined and work effectively to create the paintings that are inside me. I don’t have a shortage of inspiration, I have a shortage of oomph. And that is something I want to correct!
it’s easy to say that I will paint when I have a perfect studio, but we all know there is no such thing, and I won’t even know what will make it a perfect studio until I get in there and paint in it! ah-ha! a catch 22!
but here is another truth about being an artist: suck it up princess, you just have to get in there and create! inspiration will come from creating, getting better will come from creating, feeling that wonderful sense of achievement and drive will come from creating
everything I want in my career can only be had if I paint. that’s the most important thing.
I will achieve my goals and paint more than ever by ditching that nagging bitching in my mind that tells me I can’t be perfect so why start.
how about you? what’s your most important thing?
nude nazi mickey enflaming viewers
The poster, which was unveiled a month back, is an artist’s take on what he calls the “horrors” of the American lifestyle.
“This art provocation is a form of violence
against the sensitivity of many people,” Norbert Napieraj told The Associated Press.The Prosecutors, however, claim that the poster is art which does not violate the country’s laws against glorifying Nazism.
The poster has been vandalised twice since it was put up but gallery director Maria Czarnecka said that she does not plan to remove it.Czarnecka told The Associated Press, “Art should be provocative and controversial.”
She insists that the poster does not intend to propagate Nazism but instead wants to explore “symbols and how they work.”
I admit that I find this work fairly unimaginative, it reminds me of the sort of thing you see first year art students creating as they rail against the status quo. it’s angry and designed to offend. the good news is that this time it isn’t the nude that’s causing the furor- thank goodness for that! I agree that art should be ‘provocative and controversial’, that is one of the many points of art, but there is a fine line between designing something to be provocative and creating it in order to offend people. The massive swastika does seem to glorify nazism – how can it not? it’s the first thing you see. it’s the primary focus. perhaps adding more symbols to reinforce their key concept may detract from the implied glorification, I don’t know, but it seems a little inflammatory to me.
I’ve always wondered about artwork like this. when the message is so blatant, and the intent is worn on it’s sleeve (frame?) what is there to ponder? what makes you return to the work? what makes it relatable to people?
Psych this!
So I have to start going to therapy soon. as part of my pain management I need to see the pain psych to treat my anxiety and depression issues. this is not something I want to do. apart from the fact that I can think of nothing worse than griping for an hour and then being told to go on mind numbing drugs, I really don’t want to dredge up all my old issues. They’ve suggested that I have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and that with counseling I could do really well. I think I’m probably fine as is (as long as I avoid certain triggers!)
I’m a burier. I like to suppress my problems and eventually paint about them. over the years I’ve come to terms with a lot of drama and I’ve reached a kind of understanding with myself. it may not be the healthy way or the right way but it works for me. most people are amazed that as a chronic pain sufferer I have few depression issues. the ones who know about all the other things that happened in my life to make me me are often really amazed that I am as sane as I am. but every time I have to rehash old ground, terrors and issues it gets harder and harder to reign in the crazy.
sometimes I wonder if I hold onto my issues because they give me fuel for my art. that if I were well adjusted and normal that my work would lose that emotive spark that everyone seems to like. I’ve seen some psychs in my day- some were good and others contributed to my traumas. but the picking at old wounds just causes them to fester it seems, rather than letting them close over and heal.
no Pride in censoring nude art
Many GLBT community members have become increasingly concerned that Pride seems less and less Queer friendly and more driven by the almighty buck. Jennifer Pritchett, owner of Smitten Kitten, states “When you let money make decisions for you, you run the risk of those decisions being antithetical to your mission.”
Debauch has been contacted via email by Dot Belstler, the current Executive Director of this year’s Twin Cities Pride. Belstler writes, “I am so sorry this has caused you and your colleagues such pain. It was certainly not the intent – nor was censorship. In the future, we will attempt to be more clear in the call for Art, but please understand that sexually explicit content must be handled with sensitivity.” She also addressed the issue of censorship in the following statement “In this particular case, I believe “Mansweat” may have been confused with the full frontal nudity pictured in “Morning on the Balcony.” Of course “Mansweat” is not too erotic, it is a beautiful painting and we would be proud to display it in the show.”
These comments have left many wondering what constitutes erotica in a digital age. Any search engine will pull up a flaccid penis photograph while searching for information about syphilis. As for art and nudes – sculptures of male nudes grace the entries of some of our most noted institutions including Westminster Presbyterian Church. In this age, why should an oil painting of a male nude without an erection be considered too hot to handle?
[From Too hot to handle: Pride drops artist’s work saying it’s too erotic | Twin Cities Daily Planet]
The issue of erotica and the queer community is a tricky one. there are the quite right concerns that the dollar is becoming too important, that the conservatives and sponsors are taking over and quashing expression. I hope this is not the case. there is also, often, a concern within the community itself that too much erotica can underplay the seriousness of queer rights, fostering and reinforcing the opinions that being queer is all about sex, that everyone GLBT are unrestrained hedonists. I don’t hear that in this article, but I have heard it voiced as a concern in other Pride style events and I can’t help but wonder if this so-called mix up is due to the dollar, to perception or just to plain fear. the email certainly smacks of frantic backpedaling.
When an artist is well known for their sexually explicit works it often becomes hard for them to gain acceptance for their non sexual art. combine that with the fact that the artist is (gasp) gay and there is a ticking time bomb waiting for a ‘misunderstanding’ like this. it’s unfortunate that it is so hard to straddle both sides of the fence in this respect. usually you have to be either one or the other. People always seem to want to put things, people, artworks, into a box, label it and put it away. Events like Pride should be about breaking out of boxes and away from labels- not reinforcing this habitual behavior.
self defeating nude censorship
Study No. 1 by Jeff Hebron
Besides, attending an art show is a matter of choice, not a requirement, and anyone easily offended can simply stay away.
Such censorship is ultimately self-defeating, because it only draws attention to the banned works. Would Hebron’s painting have received anywhere near the same level of attention had it remained on display?
People do not need protection from paintings. But Temecula residents should be worried when city government starts deciding which artistic works are appropriate for public consumption.
This article raises the issue that I have never understood about censorship. by censoring pieces indiscriminately there is a greater opportunity to create publicity for the very work that they are trying to squash. how does this make sense? if the aim is to sweep the piece under the rug then rely on the judgement of the patrons. they don’t have to look, they don’t have to attend and they will almost certainly not care either way. however, when a piece is censored, the artist receives publicity, the work receives publicity and the organizers receive flack.
would this piece receive publicity if it were just involved in the exhibition? are artists going to try to push the boundaries in order to receive this kind of publicity? the rewards are great for the great unknowns and the losses very few.
*edit* The city of Temecula has issued a formal apology to the artist. while a very nice gesture it doesn’t address whether the work will be shown and seems to be more about protecting their own interests and votes. you can read it here.
nude censored under glass in Britain
This Is Me (Who Am I) by Marie WhiteThe modesty of a nude sculpture has been hidden by frosted glass in a gallery’s window after complaints led to police intervention.
Police said the model at the A Gallery, in Wimbledon, south-west London, was deemed offensive under the Indecent Displays Act 1991.Artist Marie White, 24, said she did not intend the piece, entitled This Is Me (Who Am I), to cause offence.
Scotland Yard said officers gave a man and woman “advice” at the gallery.
Ms White, a student at the Wimbledon School of Art, said: “She’s not posing in a lewd, crude way so the reaction of males that they can’t view a nude sculpture and not imprint the sexual aspect onto her, I find that quite surprising really.
[From BBC NEWS | UK | England | London | Artist's naked ambition censored ]
it amazes me that something like this actually warrants a visit from the cops. don’t they have something better to do? I’m lucky enough to have A Gallery and their director in my contacts so I asked Fraser Kee Scott for his opinion on the matter.
Personally I find it strange that you can have naked breasts on page 3 of the biggest selling paper in England, but can’t put a nude sculpture in a window. If you hide something and insist it is hidden then it becomes a strange and curious thing – and to do that to something 1/2 of the people on Earth have – breasts – then that causes trouble.
This piece is entirely non sexual. in fact, it’s no more arousing than a storefront dummy that is in the process of being dressed. it’s an interesting concept and I would like to see more of the piece. England is very strange in it’s censorship laws. there seem to be many disparate and opposing views. from the sublime to the ridiculous.
I hope that the frosted glass will enable the gallery more walk in traffic, people intrigued by the censorship, what is obscured and what it all means. Perhaps the censorship will, in fact, create the opposite effect- I can always hope!
Won’t somebody please think of the artists?
Mr Hatzistergos will today release the recommendations by the NSW Child Pornography Working Party, set up after the Henson scandal.
The group, comprising Department of Public Prosecutions, police and Legal Aid representatives, was instructed to draw a clear line between pornography and art.
Its report, delivered to the Government on Friday, recommends art not be a consideration when reviewing images thought to be pornographic.
Mr Hatzistergos said the proposed laws would cover the production, distribution and possession of child pornography.
“The fact that it is art cannot be used as a defence. The report recommends that once such material has been found to be unlawfully pornographic, whether or not it is intended to be art is irrelevant,” he said.
I have been following this for the last week. there is a lot of information out there and I have not nearly digested it all yet. there are serious, far reaching implications for artists in NSW and in the rest of Australia. this extends not only to visual artists but to authors, directors, anyone. and the terms are broad enough that they could be inferred to apply to anyone or any work involving children. The working party will be judge and jury in this case.
The working party, headed by District Court judge Peter Berman, also examined the use of photographs depicting nudity in a news context.
Mr Hatzistergos said the new laws would ensure the rights of photographers to publish pictures – such as the iconic Vietnam war photograph of a nine-year-old girl running naked on a street after being burned by napalm – would not be infringed.
They openly acknowledge that this piece, although it contains a nude child, is not sexualized or pornographic. however, will the same generous liberties be extended to artists creating works now? the knee jerk reactions so far seem to indicate that all nude children are porn until proved otherwise. I have been reading the new proposed legislation in depth and the powers granted to the “working party” are enormous. I will provide my analysis as soon as possible, I think there are ways for legitimate artists to avoid self-censoring too much. but the fact that we may have to at all is a crying shame
Where is the First Amendment?
The more i think about it the more i think Australia needs a better constitution. There is nothing here that protects a person’s basic right to express themselves. Therefore we are at the mercy of a government that believes it has the right to morally guide us based on the whims of the party in charge.
It’s no news to anyone here that the compulsory internet filter has been approved. The blacklist of sites deemed too inflammatory will be blocked from public eyes. This list has been proven to have mistakes. Such as a dentist and a school cafeteria. And politically active sites that speak out against the government’s heavy handed censorship. What people overseas may not know is that the party in charge is considered to be the left wing party. it is becoming more and more apparent that both parties here are republican.
in addition to the clean feed mandating what we may or may not view online is a new legislation currently in the works to strike artistic merit as a defence for works containing nude children. Yet another knee jerk reaction designed by the government to try to stamp out child pornography. This, and the clean feed, are supposed to stamp out child pornography. And, like the clean feed, has a snowball’s chance of achieving It’s stated goal.
now, i think child pornography is beyond criminal. I belive it is one of the most disgusting things that exists in our society. However, i don’t believe for one second that targeting artists or individual websites will even make a dent in this issue. The government has gone to enormous expense, removing funds from task forces that were making a difference to fund a witch hunt that all the experts say will have no real results.
i try not to get too political. Especially in a country where i can’t vote, but what are they thinking? Rather than funding projects that do work and actively pursue the root of the problem, this government seems hellbent on attacking symptoms without treating the underlying problem.
I will probably write more later, right now I am too angry to think straight.
Sylvester Stallone’s nude art at Art Basel
Sylvester Stallone’s Nude Artwork
There’s many a celebrity that will turn up to the opening of an envelope. But Rocky and Rambo star Sylvester Stallone had a very good reason for his random appearance at the Art Basel Miami Beach fair.
It was the actor’s first gallery show, and it was his colourful expressionistic paintings which were being exhibited.
But judging by the scribbled quality of the work, which includes self portraits and what looks like a line drawing of a nude woman, the 63-year-old may not want to give up his day job just yet.
does it bother me that a celebrity can get into a top gallery during art basel and command insane prices at his first show? yes, yes it does. Leonard Nimoy is a different matter, his photography is beautiful and he has worked long and hard as an artist for years. but these.. well… I like the frame! These pieces are no better or worse than many artists’ – especially at their first shows – but to command $40-50,000 per work for a first time mocks artists who have been slaving away their whole lives with art as their only goal. Many artists, many brilliant and talented artists, will never see amounts like this on a yearly basis- let alone per work. It seems to me that shows like this occur and people buy the works purely based on the name involved. I think that’s a pity. If Stallone gains release and satisfaction from his work then that is wonderful, I see a lot of energy and emotion in the pieces. but I wonder if the exhibition itself is more of a publicity stunt than anything else.
perfectionism adjustment
I think the key to overcoming a block is to just go into the studio and paint. the trick is that you have to surrender to the possibility of creating crap. this is something I’ve been warring with internally for months now. this may have been one of my longest blocks yet. I could create ideas, I could sketch, but I couldn’t seem to create paintings. this happens to me quite a bit. often it is followed by a surge in creativity and an upgrade in skills. however, these days as a professional I don’t have the luxury of just waiting for it to come back to me in it’s own time. I have to create. I have to produce. I am also a perfectionist so every piece must be the very best I can do and an improvement on the last. anything less than an improvement is seen by me as a failure. and I don’t like to fail, it’s be perfect or don’t do it at all.
this is an attitude that needs adjusting.
I’ve been increasingly aware of my own anxieties about perfection and failure. I have also been learning the key life lesson that I have to make mistakes in order to grow. that my need for perfection and completion is holding me back from my dreams and goals. this probably seems stupidly obvious to most of you, but for me it’s been a real struggle to comprehend- and it’s something that has to come from within. one of these stupid things that everyone can tell you but you still have to work it out for yourself.
so last night I couldn’t sleep. I decided to hit the studio, see if a different time slot could shake things up a little. I am reassured that at the moment I am experimenting with volumetric lighting and that experimentation necessitates mistakes. this is a good way for me to move forward and hopefully progress beyond this block.
The lengths one goes for seo
The castle of Graymark was a dying place, sick with age nudeart disuse and rotten with decay. I gave it to a fairy girl who sang to me of beauty and light and things a dragon longs to hear. I have nudeart thinking about something all day. The overall sensation was one of eerie unreality, as nudeart they were lost in that primitive world nudeart half-dreams traversed by mortal and spirit alike in strange rituals that have no recognizable purpose. The entire situation was impossible, and nudeart was beginning to doubt that there was any real point to anything he had done. nudeart was so intent on watching her, nudeart fact, that he almost missed seeing Padishar Creel hand something to a dark-skinned boy who had come up to him. Traffic on Lincoln Highway was light, and the parking lot at the supermarket as they turned off Sinnissippi Road nudeart mostly empty. I know, he said, his voice almost sorrowful. He was in a small, nudeart furnished room lit by a single lamp set on a table at his nudeart With unbelievable fury Balinor pushed ahead, heedlessly knocking everyone in his path aside, his face grim and terrible.
This came up in my newsfeed alert for nude art and I wanted to include it as someone obviously spent a great deal of time on it. hey, copying and pasting and randomly substituting words can be an artform too nudeart. I am not including a link as, obviously, it led to a porn site.
guys, this is not nudeart. it’s not even nude art. please stop tainting my artform by association kthxbai. and google news, filter better! you can’t accept a site written by one person but you can accept this?
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