Protest Over Bill Henson Hysteria

Battou · Jul 7, 2008

Miaow said:
This is the cover shot in question:
http://polixenipapapetrou.net/work.php?cat=Dreamchild_2003&img=4

Am attempting to find the other 2

PL's admin gave me that link along with a second one but neither of them work for me. The other one he found was this one.

http://polixenipapapetrou.net/work.php?cat=Phantomwise_2002-03&img=3

But Like I said It does not work for me me so I don't know what's there.

*EDIT*
Ok, now that I have seen these two (one in quote is cover art) them I maintain my previous position.

passerby · Jul 10, 2008

If I make an analogy of Henson shooting naked 13 yo as hurting someone with the knife that will take months to heal, this front page naked of 6yo is kind of bludgeoning the body with an axe. I don't know how they (the art) communities will recover from this. The word of the publisher when he was asked about the possibility of negative public response? He said: "I don't care".

Bifurcator · Jul 10, 2008

LaFoto said:
To my mind, in this very case the "used in battle over..." is the worst part. Not the 6-years-old. And not the "nude".

I begin to feel that I must be very fortunate to live where I live so I could photograph that swim meet (with young swimmers of 10 - or 9 and turning 10 at some point later this year - and up) and all those young swimmers in nothing but their swimming outfits... :roll:

Right on! Perfectly put!

Bifurcator · Jul 10, 2008

Miaow said:
This is the cover shot in question:
http://polixenipapapetrou.net/work.php?cat=Dreamchild_2003&img=4

When I grew up you could see like that everyday on the streets in summer. What a beautiful photograph!

The Dread Pirate Robins · Jul 10, 2008

I just cannot get worked up about the cover shot for the magazine. What's the problem? I am concerned for anyone who finds this photo alluring.

passerby · Jul 10, 2008

The Dread Pirate Robins said:
I just cannot get worked up about the cover shot for the magazine. What's the problem? I am concerned for anyone who finds this photo alluring.

There is no alluring in it et all considering that my 8 yo still running around naked in the house every now and then. There are nudist beaches in australia for all ages. But when you take their pictures for publication (that is for the public to view) than the people start wondering: Who are these people, and what are their intention?

These people have destroyed the good name of art to feed their egos. Instead of stepping back and let it die down they rise their fist for a fight that they are not qualified to do. And see what happen now? the general public look at the art with suspicion because the behaviour of the few.

At work my workmate was asked if he is somehow related with Bill henson the artist?. He object to it: "With all due respect mate, my surname is Hensen not Henson. I am not that low you now".

Bifurcator · Jul 10, 2008

But under that logic we should be upset about pictures of garden hoses on the cover of Planters because there is some one somewhere who have bad intensions about that hose. Who are those people? What are their intensions? What pervs... getting excited about a hose.

Or if you want to make it about people only then underwear catalogs. We used to snicker at those when i was 8 or 10. Sears & Robuck should be jailed!

Senor Hound · Jul 11, 2008

Bifurcator said:
But under that logic we should be upset about pictures of garden hoses on the cover of Planters because there is some one somewhere who have bad intensions about that hose. Who are those people? What are their intensions? What pervs... getting excited about a hose.

Or if you want to make it about people only then underwear catalogs. We used to snicker at those when i was 8 or 10. Sears & Robuck should be jailed!

Bifurcator raises a good point. Pedophilia is a psychological disorder, and if we are banning photos to help deter people with psychological disorders than other styles of photos should be outlawed also. Making the argument that one photo of an underage child is more likely to encourage pedophilia in general is like saying pornography raises the people who watches its libidos. And in my opinion, as the old cliche goes, that's putting the cart before the horse.

I don't believe that a photo of an underage child will encourage a person to become a pedophile, just as I don't think seeing a photo of a sheep or other animal would encourage a person to become a zoophile.

I think any immorality of the photo is limited to the feelings the subject has about said photograph. Now I could wholeheartedly believe that as this model matures throughout life and understands more about human sexuality, she might find the event of her being photographed to be traumatizing. But as far as encouraging foul behavior by the masses or even to those predisposed to pedophilia, no. Without divulging any details, I can personally understand how a situation which seems innocent to a six-year old child, can be sick and horrifying to a sixteen-year old child. And memories never disappear.

And from a legal standpoint I think if she (the child) ever wants the photo taken down, even 10 years from now, it should be done. If a nude model release signed by the parents of a six-year old is legally valid (which if you really think about it, this in itself raises some questions), the minor in the photo should at least have enough input on the situation to disallow a photo of her own body, whether he or she happens to be six or sixty.

Senor Hound · Jul 11, 2008

The more I think about it, the more this seems illegal to me. A person should, IMO, have to sign their OWN model release if nudity is involved, and since contracts are null and void when signed by minors, there wouldn't be any way around it (except for signature of both child and parent). And considering you would probably have a hard time proving the mental competence of a six-year old, at least to the capacity of understanding the implications of her being photographed in the nude, it seems in a court of law (at least one to my knowledge) this would be turned down any day of the week, moral or not.

Miaow · Jul 11, 2008

Well as I've posted here the now 11yo doesnt seem to mind on the shot....

Miaow said:
Another article from today's paper with what the girl in the picture thinks about it all.

Girl defends nude cover shot

I do however wonder if people are going to go on and on 'testing the waters' with shots of younger NAKED children on covers:/ This shouldn't be allowed in my opinon - Where will it stop??????

This is a quote from the artist/photographer ( MOTHER) on her pics of her daughter...

People generally want to see children in a romantic or idealised light, untouched by sexuality, power, gender roles and behavioural and moral conformity. So I sometimes feel that I belong to a generation destined to falsify the perception of childhood. In my work, I am conscious I may be upsetting this notion of the innocence by trying to present a more knowing, active and involved picture of childhood." Polixeni Papapetrou

http://exhibitions.acp.org.au/exhibitions/2004/room_notes/img/papapetrouolympia_sm.jpg
Above is a pic that i feel really isn't that tasteful to publish (imo) (IS one thats been shown in the tv shows on it)

Garbz · Jul 11, 2008

OMG that's disgusting! She should be wearing a bra!

After the comical troll post in the other thread I think i'll just lose all faith in humanity and join the everyone is a closet paedophile and terrorist and respectfully bow out of these threads.

There are too many opinions in the world which are so contrary to my own. My open and trusting mindset combined with my idea that people should be assumed innocent until proven guilty, and that the human body is wonderful and has artistic potential regardless if shooting newborns, teenagers, or adults, a mindset which seems to have been lost mostly in the country I live in.

By the way miaow this isn't directed at you or anyone specifically here, but at the observation of these threads in general. I'm sure many will be happy that I'm not opposing their opinions here. :er:

Bifurcator · Jul 11, 2008

Damn! We're losing a good man! We could have used you on the front lines soldier!

Rick Waldroup · Jul 11, 2008

Aw, don't leave. We need all the voices of sanity that we can get, in these discusssions.

:thumbup:

Garbz said:
OMG that's disgusting! She should be wearing a bra!

After the comical troll post in the other thread I think i'll just lose all faith in humanity and join the everyone is a closet paedophile and terrorist and respectfully bow out of these threads.

There are too many opinions in the world which are so contrary to my own. My open and trusting mindset combined with my idea that people should be assumed innocent until proven guilty, and that the human body is wonderful and has artistic potential regardless if shooting newborns, teenagers, or adults, a mindset which seems to have been lost mostly in the country I live in.

By the way miaow this isn't directed at you or anyone specifically here, but at the observation of these threads in general. I'm sure many will be happy that I'm not opposing their opinions here. :er: