RE: slightly OT - another photographic controversy
-----Original Message----- From: Catherine Rogers [mailto:chrogers@bigpond.com] As things seem to be a little quiet on the list, and I am putting off going into the studio to get down to some real work, I thought I'd pass on some news on a photgraphic scandal now in progress here in Sydney, Australia. in despair, Catherine I've noticed other news on this and so looked up Bill's work. It was not very controversial though I've not seen this work that has Australia in a tizzy. I write for where I teach, The San Francisco Art Institute, also just had a huge controversy and a show closed for the first time in our 135 year history. Ours was a Parisian based Tunisian artist's work of videos showing various animals (cow, sheep, goat etc) being bludgeoned by a sledge. They were in loops so the bludgeon kept repeating. The videos were made in Mexico where this action occurs. It greatly upset numbers of people and we received close to 10k emails condemning and threatening various people. This past August I was in Kathmandu, around Nepal and also touring through Tibet and living nearly a month in Ladakh. In Nepal, in the city of Kathmandu, there are ritual slayings of cattle by the dozens. So many there are gutters in the courtyard for running blood. Okay, yes, this is different than sexual exploitation of young people but it is the context in which it is presented and the eyes that view the work. Many years ago, a colleague, interesting image maker, made huge blowups of young boys and girls at the critical pre-puberty point of their lives. One of our daughters was photographed. That work was condemned. Recently it has been re-installed with some digital changes and nicely accepted. I put there words forth for Art is the stuff which seems to offend the public most. Think of the heinous crimes committed by my present government in the name of peace for the world and to rid us of terrorists. I don't wish to go there for I am so bitter and angered at their foolish viewpoint of what life and living and money is about. Yet my point is that censorship does not work but dialogue does. Now, if Robert Mugabe would just go on an extended vacation. <<attachment: winmail.dat>>
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