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The Forum > Article Comments > Bill Henson's art > Comments

Bill Henson's art : Comments

By Alison Croggon, published 29/5/2008

Open letter in support of Bill Henson from Creative Australia 2020 Summit representatives.

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Having friends in high places does not allow anyone an exemption from abiding by the law. In the past, defences were made from such high places -the church, elite schools, and other 'establishment' institutions. The almost reflexive response of respectable people who are astonished that one of their own could be so tarnished is familiar.

While in this case, the artist's intentions may be genuinely honourable, it would be even more honourable of him to acknowledge that there is a problem with exempting any photographer where the subject is an adolescent sans clothing. The practicality of then enforcing the law in subsequent cases would be made very difficult.

I can recall cases where pedophiles have persuaded themselves that what they are doing is beautiful and natural. Unfortunately, it is just too difficult to allow one artist to be considered apart without setting a precedent that could then be used to flout the child protection laws.You would be amazed at the subterfuge some people are capable of.

Perhaps it seems heavy handed to have policeman confiscating art work. But what is your alternative? The art establishment doesn't seem inclined towards self regulation.
Posted by Miss Bennet, Friday, 30 May 2008 11:38:31 AM
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Perhaps Bill Henson should take photos of himself, and then hang them in a gallery, and then see how many people go along to view them.

I’m inclined to think that there wouldn’t be very many.
Posted by HRS, Friday, 30 May 2008 11:47:54 AM
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hi all,
artist as above

I would also like to know how I can put, "teen porn brisbane",
through my browser and end up with tons of sites

I thought teen abuse was against the law ?
so how come these saved websites, are not taken off the net ?
really its about time
what on earth are the laws relating to this ?
and what are the internet police doing about it.... ?
...............

all types of abuse learning is one of my interests
as no doubt many in australia

its not about art, but using minors for photos, posed etc.

what happens is that children, can be damaged mentally
from adults using them, for posed photos, and or physical
manipulation

personally I am shocked to find the teen pornography online,
though I did know it was/is around
seems I am going to have to block a lot of things later on
through my general average home machine
or be writing a lot of emails to the appropriate people
which would be my way of doing it

no parent can break the law either, and give permission
for their children to be used/ abused

I am pleased myself that australians are standing up about
these laws

teen sites have to be stopped at their website production
and all laws followed through

there is no point in expecting people to veto pornography on
their machines....

most would not know how..... so one has to stop them at
the produced websites

.................

re Henson work, some of his work is beautifully photographed
but the content is searching for the mentality of the pre teen
say as with the image of the head of the young girl with the lovely jewellery

so what is he saying,

her expression says it all
there is really confused understanding on her part...
which is to be expected at her age

same for the young men in the photos

these expressions are also in teen porn

regards
JHH

JHH
Posted by JHH, Friday, 30 May 2008 12:44:45 PM
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As an artists adult nude model I know the job is hard work. Nude modelling for photography makes the role more difficult because an individual is recognizable by the very nature of photography. It is because of person identification that “many professional artists models prefer not to pose for photographic artists” Anon the Symposium discussion in the Bay Area Models Guild,California 24th June 2004. The photographic artist’s child models are not mere props but are working accomplices in the creative process.

These children have 'laboured’ hard for Bill Henson’s art in an area of work that adult nude models generally choose not to do. So why would child nude models decide to work in an area that professional artist models shy away from?The reason is simple,they are children and haven't the expereince to make the same decision an adult might make.

the Convention on the Rights of the Child recognizes the right of
the child to be protected from economic exploitation and from performing any work that is
likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's education, or to be harmful to the
child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social development.

And whilst one young woman in her thirties believes that it had no damaging affect upon her can she really speak for herself as a child in the past? And does she speak for all child nude models?

History is awash with examples of so called ‘high art’ exploiting children, we need only look at the barbaric practice of castration for the purposes of the castrati aesthetic which in one year alone mutilated 4,000 boys for the purposes of a musical fashion promoted by the Catholic church and the so called ‘high art society’ elites. Profit by the castrati singing for the elite through the sexual mutilation of young boys which made them unnaturally sing with the voice of a woman is much the same as profit through the fashion of exploiting children for the dubious craze of exploring the adolescent aesthetic through photography. The music by all accounts was breathtakingly beautiful.
Posted by think, Saturday, 31 May 2008 9:13:32 PM
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think, you are using equivocation. Look it up, because it's extremely disingenuous to try to suggest nude modelling is "child labour".

Also, I want a link to this document as I believe the context is very important (you are leaving it out of course). In fact, your highly discrete reference to it without any provision or attentiveness to the context is extremely suspicious. it begs so many questions:
-the guild 'rules and codes'?
-what artists/type of work do/do not pose for?
-ratio of guild models who said this?
-what do models not part of the guild do (far more numerous and not so flawed statistically)?
-who are the clients? for example, are they religious (America is extremely puritanical compared with other countries)?
-were the models religious?

The Convention on the Rights of the Child, indicates that religion should not be taught to children as it by definition it constitutes much of that harm. I hope you are not religious, otherwise you are abusing your child. :)

think>"can she really speak for herself...? does she speak for all of the child nude models?"

How do you exactly presume to speak for her and her parents? Don't you find that an outrageuos presumption? I certainly do. Would you let me speak for you and the models in that guild?

think>"History is awash with examples of so called ‘high art’ exploiting children"

This is misleading. History is awash with SOCIETY exploiting children. This includes parents, teachers, religious, capitalists etc...In fact no sector of society at all did not exploit children.

think>" The elitist high art card ignores the very real issue of exploitation of child labour where professional"

So a parent and child who consent to modelling for art is "child labour" that is "exploitative"? This premise more than anything shows you are a hardcore christian/socialist/fascist.

Try again, when you engage in less sophistry to make your points.
Posted by Steel, Saturday, 31 May 2008 10:27:03 PM
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hi all,

I have noticed that in many of the posts I have read
that people have not seen Mr Bill Henson's work

try yahoo france, images.....

even though many people say that they are not sexual
and have no sexual content, and admit they havent seen all his work

perhaps they have not seen a large amount of his work

there is definitely a sexual speaking in many of them

as with the young girl and the appropriately male figure and
placement of male hands

I did notice there was also a connection of the religious
placing, as with one nude girl being carried like jesus
down from the cross
this may have something to do with Mr Bill Henson's
association with religious buildings
which are dark, but perhaps not during the day ?

anyway there is no doubt that pre teens, should be not
allowed to be photographed fully nude by artists or anyone
else

children can and are effected daily, by posing, which
does effect them mentally
as any good research into the various abuse types will show

abuse comes under many headings

verbal
mental
emotional
physical
sexual
vd sexual and so on....

its simply about stopping pre teens being used by adults

as I said above

there is a great difference between childs play

and forced childs play

JHH

I noticed on another site that someone asked if he had
a blue card ?
must look that up

JHH

ps I have noticed that many of his works have a high quality of
photography technique....
and some are quickly presented as being what they are not
Posted by JHH, Sunday, 1 June 2008 10:15:12 AM
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