Last month references to an article in a Texas newspaper made the rounds of art newsletters and there was a little commentary. But I have been waiting for responses from friends about the 28 year fifth-grade teacher who lost her job because her students saw a nude sculpture during a museum visit. Not a big deal, they think! (Note: the children were on a school approved trip.)
Perhaps they dismiss this as the complaint of one overly zealous mother. Perhaps they do not know of the "warning: nudity" disclaimer in a newspaper article on religion which was accompanied a photo of Michelangelo's Creation which shows a nude Adam. Perhaps they think it doesn't affect them -- all of it does.
Perhaps they've not been the subject of front page stories and student demonstrations about exhibitions of nudes in public places. Or perhaps they have not been chastised for making a "politically incorrect statement"about appropriate exhibition venues in a watercolor class on a college campus. I have and I do not take this lightly.
In our regional museum, there is the seven foot "Figure Dedicated to Peace." She is moved from place to place as exhibitions change, but her green presence is an important one and she is always somewhere in the museum. In the future, will this big green nude have to be removed or draped when there are children present?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
1 comment:
This incident happened in my own neighborhood. I makes me sick! I can't believe that one parent's complaint carries so much weight. I also have trouble with the fact that no one is coming to the teacher's defense. jeez
Post a Comment