Steel

I was referring to posters who are turning this discussion into a discussion about nudity (ie. all nudity, adult nudity) and covering our bodies etc.

For me who is comfortable with nudity, this is not the same discussion.

Even democracies enact laws to protect children and thus have to make distinctions based on suitability vis a vis children on a number of fronts.

Those who are interested in this topic may wish to know that ABC1 TV has a feature about Bill Henson on Artscape tonight at 10pm.

On the 7.30 Report this evening, Hetty Johnson, Executive Director of Bravehearts vehemently wants to see Bill Henson charged, because she reckons he has clearly broken the law.

I’ve never had much time for Johnson, despite Bravehearts being an honourable organisation in its primary motives…and I certainly don’t here.

A clear infringement of the letter of the law, if indeed Henson’s pubescent nude photos do constitute as much, is not enough to demand that charges be laid.

Why not?

Because what is accepted as being lawful, by the police and society, and what is strictly lawful are often quite two different things. Eg, speed limits.

Henson’s earlier major exhibition and indeed his whole career (see ABC1 tonight at 10pm) have been along a similar theme to his latest work. As I said in an earlier post, the Art Gallery of NSW and Henson himself would have been sure that they were on firm legal ground, after monitoring where they stood with the law over a period of many years.

OK, son there might be a need to undergo a bit of re-evaluation of just where the boundaries lie with this sort of art and what is in some peoples’ minds pornography. But there is NO need for the police to be involved or for charges to be laid.

Indeed, for the police to take such heavy-handed action when they have in the past let such exhibitions go unchallenged is duplicitous and quite frankly, totally outrageous.

It is the same sort of thing as allowing drivers to do 10 kmh over the stated limit and only booking people for doing 11 or more ks over, and then changing their policy without any notification and booking everyone that is doing 3km over….when they have effectively trained drivers to travel at a cruising speed of about 5kmh over.

I’m outraged at this sort of policing. But it seems that no one else is interested in this aspect of the issue at hand.

So are the police now going to charge the ABC for showing Bill Henson’s pictures of nude adolescents, beamed directly into peoples’ living rooms, reaching a more diverse and probably wider audience than any art gallery?

I agree Ludwig re the police and charges. Remember though that the police were just acting on a complaint - that is their job.

I think it was the Art Gallery owner who said that there obviously needs to be public debate over what is appropriate and where to draw the line but that there are no need for charges to be laid in this instance.

Henson may be naive and remiss in his duty of care but from what I can glean, this case does not constitute an 'intent' to make and distribute porn no matter how inappropriate the material.

Perhaps we can view the issue of child nakedness from a different perspective.

A report this morning, (one of must many that filter through) speaks of WIDEspread sexual abuse of vulnerable victims of natural disasters by UN and AID groups.

This is suggestive of a flaw in our natures which seeks to capitalize on sudden 'power' in ways which exploit people in weakness desperation.

Of course.. all the 'No..not me' among us, may be speaking truth, but widespread.. means widespread. Many.. not 'a few'..but many.

Perhaps given that human nature is not determined by 'race', it is valid also to say that 'widespread' potential abusers lurk among us, and with this in mind, maybe it's better not to pander to such people with exhibitions which appear to portray vulnerability?

Maybe.. such things are better confined to the groups which think alike and more appropriate for 'in house' art communities than open for all the public?

Don't know.. just floating ideas.