Well...I'm sure most of us have now heard of Bill Henson being allowed by a school principle to 'prowl' a primary school yard in search of 'models'.

According to a report the Principle accompanied Henson on his wanderings.

I can't help but feel more than a tad uncomfortable about this.
Surely at best is is unwise to provide such an opportunity given the almost hysterical media coverage of this mans work.

Surely parents who were belatedly informed "The Artist Bill Henson was allowed to peruse your children with a view to finding more models for his art" would have the right to be outraged by such a thing?

It matters not whether Mr Henson has the purest of motives..(in his view) but it matters very much how parents perceive his work, and that they be given a very serious 'say' in him being allowed to examine THEIR children at their school.

I wonder of those who previously supported the Henson work, will have the same level of support for this little exercise, and whether they can understand the feelings of many parents?

One it tempted to say that this is just the obvious outcome of not taking a harsh line over the whole idea of naked children in art.
Is this not the next logical step? and what would be the next logical step after that? hmmm how about the way children are posed..with whom..what..etc...

Henson seems to regard himself as an oracle.

"Nothing kills the thing we love quite so perfectly as our assumption that we always know what's best, what is right for someone else,"

err..what does he 'love'?
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24000566-2,00.html

"Art saves us from moralism" he says (and opens the gate of the primary school?)

Once you win the battle over presense...then surely the next battle is portrayal?

Polycarp

No doubt the defenders of this man will maintain his right to look over the young boys and girls for suitable models. It was not long back that we had a bloke charged for photographing adult topless woman on beaches. This bloke must feel pretty aggrieved knowing that Henson gets away with photographing nude kids. The Principle of this school must be very naive (or deviant) to allow this man to go on his recruiting drive.

Yes bro...it will be most interesting to see the 'position statements' of some of our spiritual adversaries here :)

It will be especially interesting given that a 'religious fundy' (me) raised the issue itself.

blessings mate... Matt 5:13-16 is our calling.. salt and light.

While we contend in the framework of Jude 3-4.. we glory in the truth of Jude 24-25 right ? :)

Another aspect of the whole event is the possible witchcraft connection.

If youve been a committed christian for a few years and done some study you will be aware of witchcraft and that there are those in the art world who recruit for covens.

Its abominable that any artist is allowed to wander around school yards measuring up children for anything rmeotely connected to sex or nudity.

Its abominable that state governments and police do not keep active files on warlocks and witches to know where they are and what they are doing... and, like in Victoria, decriminalise witchcraft so the covens can virtually do what they want.

I believe some of the annual missing persons numbers can be attributed to witches.
Some years ago I heard a local Pastor speak of statistics that showed that after pagan and witchcraft festivals in the US and the UK police were finding an increasing in the numbers of missing persons from those areas.

Gibo said: "Another aspect of the whole event is the possible witchcraft connection."

OMG That's great. Here I was just sitting here rolling my eyes at the two at the top and along comes Good old Gibo. Never lets me down. Well done.

Yeah, here we go again - this time it's the frootloop fundies leading the pack. Should be entertaining, if nothing else.

One point from Porky's title though - how can one be a "high priest" of art? Don't tell me the religionists are now trying to reduce art to the level of religion, as they do with atheism, environmentalism etc.