Article: Cops shut down Henson show

In a throw back to the wowsers and scare mongering of the Howard decade, the plod has shut down an exhibition by Melbourne photographer Bill Henson. The exhibition of Henson's latest work features nudes of adolescents. It has been reported that the cops received a complaint from bible bashers. Henson's work has investigated and posed difficult questions about beauty and adolescent sexuality for over two decades now. Some in the art community are coming to Henson's defence claiming that acts of censorship are unnecessary. An AAP report posted on yahoo.com.au quotes Ann Elias, a senior art lecturer at the University of Sydney as saying the closing down of the exhibition is a "disgrace". The report also claims that the website of Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery is being investigated by "child exploitation internet detectives" from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). TV news services took delight in reporting the story tonight (22 May 2008) in their late night news programs.

Writer: David O'Halloran

David O'Halloran

David O'Halloran is an Australian visual art curator of 25 years experience working with some of the country's most important visual arts organisations including the Biennale of Sydney, the Contemporary Art Centre of South Australia, Contemporary Art Services Tasmania, and the Adelaide Festival. For the Glen Eira City Council Gallery he has curated important exhibitions that surveyed the work of significant Australian artists, including Elizabeth Gower, John Dunkley-Smith, Jon Campbell, Jan Murray, Stieg Persson and Victor Mazjner. David O'Halloran fondly remembers a maxim drummed into students at art school - "you can be so open minded your brains fall out".