We don't normally use our beloved blog to make political statements but this week we feel compelled. The ladies of HML would like to come out in public support of Australian artist Bill Henson. Yes we do find his work confronting, sometimes distasteful and always challenging. We don't find his work pornographic or exploitative. Adolescence is a troubling and sinister time even more so now when female role models are train wrecks and Australia's Next Top Model is on in prime time. We've reached a very dark point in our cultural history when it is acceptable for police officers to go marching through art galleries. Once these images hit Today Tonight they were so out of context we were almost defenseless in the face of uneducated public scrutiny. This is why we've chosen not to put one of the contentious images on the blog - it's not the right context for viewing the work.We encourage you to write, as we have, to our lame Arts Minister who has been completely silent on the subject. 'Beds are Burning' indeed....
29.5.08
STATEMENT OF THE WEEK
We don't normally use our beloved blog to make political statements but this week we feel compelled. The ladies of HML would like to come out in public support of Australian artist Bill Henson. Yes we do find his work confronting, sometimes distasteful and always challenging. We don't find his work pornographic or exploitative. Adolescence is a troubling and sinister time even more so now when female role models are train wrecks and Australia's Next Top Model is on in prime time. We've reached a very dark point in our cultural history when it is acceptable for police officers to go marching through art galleries. Once these images hit Today Tonight they were so out of context we were almost defenseless in the face of uneducated public scrutiny. This is why we've chosen not to put one of the contentious images on the blog - it's not the right context for viewing the work.We encourage you to write, as we have, to our lame Arts Minister who has been completely silent on the subject. 'Beds are Burning' indeed....
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3 comments:
Where are we Toto?
In some bible bashing southern American state?
Really it has taken the whole 'political correctness' to a whole other level.
Are we going to remove paintings of bare buttocked cherubs from our galleries as well?
Sitting working today I was thinking about this whole issue and really felt quite disillusioned about this situation.
..........and the 2am lock out that is getting my back up as well and I don't even go to bars anymore!
I was also very disappointed in our Prime Minister. It is not intelligent to comment on photos of artworks that have been altered by a shock radio show. The images that came out -face blanked and black strip across breasts de-humanised the subject way more than Bill Henson's art.
COULDN'T AGREE MORE SHANNON!!!
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