Interesting, this exact topic came up in the alt-process forum as well.
Completely apart from the artistic element, and on the legal, is where does he find models for work of this nature? Certainly through some form of an agency and, given the reported content of the work, he would certainly require extensive parental involvement (unless, of course, it was done in France). Good thing this was Australia and not the States. In the good old US of A, he would have dragged the parents down with him, who would have been cited as abusive as soon as child protective services were bought in.
It is one heck of a conundrum, however. I've always been right up there with Frank Zappa on the censorship issue. However, there is a point at which I begin to question motivation, regardless the level of credibility. I think everyone has their own limits. Mr. Henson's work was in a reputable gallery, and he holds a considerable level of respect in the Australian and global artistic communities. But even the gallery has chosen to limit the exhibit.
Without the full scope of the work in the exhibit, news of this sort is unfortunately out of context and leaves incredible potential for errant discussion. So, let me be the first to initiate:
"somewhere between zero and one...everything else is exaggeration" - Anonymous
Completely apart from the artistic element, and on the legal, is where does he find models for work of this nature? Certainly through some form of an agency and, given the reported content of the work, he would certainly require extensive parental involvement (unless, of course, it was done in France). Good thing this was Australia and not the States. In the good old US of A, he would have dragged the parents down with him, who would have been cited as abusive as soon as child protective services were bought in.
It is one heck of a conundrum, however. I've always been right up there with Frank Zappa on the censorship issue. However, there is a point at which I begin to question motivation, regardless the level of credibility. I think everyone has their own limits. Mr. Henson's work was in a reputable gallery, and he holds a considerable level of respect in the Australian and global artistic communities. But even the gallery has chosen to limit the exhibit.
Without the full scope of the work in the exhibit, news of this sort is unfortunately out of context and leaves incredible potential for errant discussion. So, let me be the first to initiate:
- Can a bona fide pervert bare his soul and be a respectable artist? (perhaps too easy)
- At what point does the construct outweigh the work?
----- Original Message ----
From: karl shah-jenner <shahjen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 5:00:59 PM
Subject: Re: art or ..?
----- Original Message -----
From: "karl shah-jenner"
: a respected photographer with works and exhibitions spanning 30 years, Bill Henson has hit the media here
:
: the artist:
: http://www.roslynoxley9.com.au/artists/18/Bill_Henson/profile/
:
in a followup
"They all participated in the Creative Australia stream of the national summit, and have written an open letter expressing their outrage at plans to charge Henson under obscenity laws.
"As members of the Creative Stream of the Australia 2020 Summit, we wish to express our dismay at the police raid on Bill Henson's recent Sydney exhibition, the allegations that he is a child pornographer, and the subsequent reports that he and others may be charged with obscenity.
"The potential prosecution of one of our most respected artists is no way to build a Creative Australia, and does untold damage to our cultural reputation."
<http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/national/henson-2020-backlash/2008/05/27/1211654016215.html>
<http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/big-names-speak-up-for-henson/2008/05/27/1211654033189.html>
<http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/arts-elite-attacks-pm-over-images/2008/05/27/1211654031654.html>
oddly, one online Australian newspaper has an actual 'offending' image up
<http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/05/24/1211183189567.html>
of course, australians shouldn't load the page, for doing so would constitute a crime by downloading the image
karl
From: karl shah-jenner <shahjen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: List for Photo/Imaging Educators - Professionals - Students <photoforum@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 5:00:59 PM
Subject: Re: art or ..?
----- Original Message -----
From: "karl shah-jenner"
: a respected photographer with works and exhibitions spanning 30 years, Bill Henson has hit the media here
:
: the artist:
: http://www.roslynoxley9.com.au/artists/18/Bill_Henson/profile/
:
in a followup
"They all participated in the Creative Australia stream of the national summit, and have written an open letter expressing their outrage at plans to charge Henson under obscenity laws.
"As members of the Creative Stream of the Australia 2020 Summit, we wish to express our dismay at the police raid on Bill Henson's recent Sydney exhibition, the allegations that he is a child pornographer, and the subsequent reports that he and others may be charged with obscenity.
"The potential prosecution of one of our most respected artists is no way to build a Creative Australia, and does untold damage to our cultural reputation."
<http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/national/henson-2020-backlash/2008/05/27/1211654016215.html>
<http://www.smh.com.au/news/arts/big-names-speak-up-for-henson/2008/05/27/1211654033189.html>
<http://www.theage.com.au/news/national/arts-elite-attacks-pm-over-images/2008/05/27/1211654031654.html>
oddly, one online Australian newspaper has an actual 'offending' image up
<http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2008/05/24/1211183189567.html>
of course, australians shouldn't load the page, for doing so would constitute a crime by downloading the image
karl
