Nude Six-Year-Old Put on Magazine Cover In Protest
The July edition of Art Monthly Australia has protested over the treatment of artist Bill Henson by putting on it's cover a nude six-year-old on this month's cover.
Editor Maurice O'Riordan hopes that some dignity and validity will be restored to the debate over children posing in the nude as art.
The image of the six-year-old is believed to be the daughter of Polixeni Papapetrou. Other images feature children posing naked in adult jewellery and naked teenagers.
that's fine, but don't force it on a six year old. They're old enough to be embarrassed and uncomfortable about being nude. Maybe this little girl did not want to do this. A child is not a prop for your political beliefs.
WTF? Einstein and pudding? Correct me if I'm wrong, but you're saying it doesn't matter if she didn't want to do it? Is that what you'll tell your 6 year old daughter when she tells you that her uncle is "showing her how to be a model" for his webcam? Hey, who cares what she thinks?
"They're old enough to be embarrassed and uncomfortable about being nude"
Haven't you ever heard that children are the most natural nudists? When I was a kid I took great joy in walking around the house naked until I was eight. It was my family that was uncomfortable with the idea in later years.
As much as they like to think they are grown ups, I think 6 is a little young to be doing this sort of thing.
Who at 6 really knew what they wanted and is currently doing those things? Or thought that something that was good then are relieved now they didn't do it as it turned out not so great.
There are child protection laws for a reason. Why can't we let her be a child for goodness sake, is that to much to ask these arty people? If they want to photograph naked people, there are plenty of adults who will do it.
I just think these arty people are messing up some peoples lives in the name of freedom of expression or some crap like that. Why rob a child of their innocence just so they can make some pointless point about how they think the world should run.
You may say the parents allowed her to do it. Well these parents will reap the fruit of what they've done now a few years down the road and they'll probably blame the government or society instead of taking a look at their own messed up choices.
Just to be clear: Freedom of expression is good. At the expense of someone else's innocence is bad.
considering a six year old's concept of art consists of trying not to color outside the lines, and macaroni pictures. I highly doubt the girl is completely aware of what she is participating in.
I guess our only recourse as an elevated society is to keep the electric chair warm and ready. Many people have deviant behavioral tendencies that you don't know anything about it until its too late (But at least we'd get points for posting the horrific stories here on SN); Guys shoot up their school, a nightclub or family and you can't say there's any connection to music or any other influences. IMHO
why look at it like that when that is not relevant.
the question is if you were a professional artistic photographer would you use a picture of your naked child in your artwork. and if anyone actually looked at the picture they would see it is art. the rest of the back ground is painted. in deconstructing the piece I would say they have taken the Photo of her naked at the beach (pretty normal for Aussie kids, would not have had a second though 10 years ago)and painted over the background to give the surreal image.
unlike the Bill Henson ones there is no display of gentialia so unless you are so perverted that you find the flat chest of a 6 year old arrousing how is this sexual or provocative.
The girl is now 11yo and just made a statement saying how she likes the photograph and is offended that Kevin Rudd (Australian Prime Minister) criticised it. http://www.news.com.au,
Her parents are the photographers. Of course she's conditioned to see it as OK. That these people are so blind to pedophilia (or supportive?) really sickens me.
There is no good nor evil but thinking makes it so
There are naked children running all over the place here, maybe people should get angry about that and attempt to censor Cambodia...and Africa. We need to force the children of the world to wear cloths just in-case there is a pedderass out there watching. (Sarcasm)
(3 and under) actually don't mind being nude in the slightest. Somewhere around 6-8 or so, they begin to become self-aware enough that they understand society's norms about clothes. So, there is s good chance the kid posing could not have cares less, and may actually have enjoyed the experience.
If you don't like it, don't look, Ethyl! (before you're mooned over by the radishes...)
<irony> They should ban all of it, it is so perverted. God would have never allowed humans to be naked. But it is only the first step. We should also outlaw mirrors in bathrooms. Last year when I spent a night at a hotel I saw that thing between my legs!! Think of the shock! I grew a belly just to cover it and they exposed me to it :-(
