In the Middle of it All - A Personal Text

From the perspective of one who has worked on the SA Classification of Publications Board. Argues that censorship is becoming increasingly unmanageable due to two trends which are detailed in the article. Also argues that public debate (with the exception of child pornography) in the media has declined. In contrast there is rising debate about sacrilege.

More from this Issue

Visual Culture, Pornography and Censorship

Editorial: hypocrisy in our attitude to sex. It is both celebrated and maligned, and the censorship laws allow young people to view explicit violence while classifying sex for adults only, based on psuedo-scientific analysis of 'normal' or 'aberrant'. This history of public attitude from the Enlightenment on, libertinism a radical opposition to status quo, advertising and porn, and artists exercising self-censorship.

Robert Crocker

Cosie: She Decorated a House and Called it a Home

Annette McKee and Helen Fuller Jam Factory Gallery Adelaide SA 16 May- 5 July 1998

Lisa Harms

Black Humour

Curated by Neville John O'Neill for the Canberra Contemporary Art Space. Tandanya, National Aboriginal Cultural Institute, Adelaide 10 July - 16 August 1998

Stephanie Radok

Garden of Earthly Delights: Erotica at Carrick Hill

Gone from Carrick Hill before it became a public collection are three Stanley Spencer erotic paintings and William Dobell's 'The Duchess Disrobes' (two versions). Smith examines the nature of the collection of works by Sir Edward and Lady Ursula Haywood.

Daniel Thomas

Dying Frightened: Gasps of Old Men in Suits

Explores the nature of censorship, how it is applied and the consequences of repression in artistic expression. Analyses the issues from a feminist perspective. "Censorship is about as effective as prohibition". Examines the censorship applied to the exhibition by Jasmine Hirst.

Linda Dement

Censor and be Damned

Julie Robb is the executive director of the Arts Law Centre of Australia. The centre advises artists and those involved in exhibitions and publication of risky material of the cultural responsibilities to make efforts to find ways of exercising their privileges. Looks at the current practices.

Julie Robb

Masculinity Below the Surface: Pornography and Suppression in Images of Broken Hill Miners

Mines and mining provide underground settings for a sub-genre of gay male porn. Features the work of artists George Gittoes and Avis Smith.

Murray Couch

Artrave

Artlink

Crossing the Fine Line: The Case of Concetta Petrillo

Photography has inspired more hysteria and censorship than paintings .... examines the situation in Perth Western Australia with child pornography and the photographs of Concetta Petrillo.

Allison Archer

An Accelerated Life: Lydia Lunch

Women need to fight for an alternative pornography. Women need a pornography that addresses all the alternatives of our sexuality, in every format, so that there's something for everyone....Farmer interviewed porn star Lydia Lunch on her visit to the MRC in Adelaide.

Caroline Farmer

The Museum, the Muslim and the Infidel: K L Revisited

Critically looks at the exhibition 'Kecurangan - Infidelity' curated by Dato Shahrum Yub in Kuala Lumpur where 90% of Malaysia's population is Muslim.

Pamela Zeplin

Political Pop-porn in Hong Kong

Much of the vibrancy of Hong Kong's contemporary culture manifests itself in unexpected new forms...explores how four artists construct images of sexuality within the compact (post?) colonial environment.

Cornelis (Casey) Van Sebille

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