Art v Porn
Laura Cumming questions society’s ambigious approach to sexual depictions of children in art. Whilst singularly omitting any form of historical analysis or recognising changing concepts of social and cultural mores or attitudes towards children. This allows her to make this glib interpretation:
‘We would never remove these paintings from the National Gallery or the Louvre. Not only are they prophylactically sealed against affront by virtue of time and status in these cathedrals of sanctified art, but they have the figleaves of myth on the one hand – not real people, only gods indulging in the usual revolting ways – and moral content on the other. To the pure of mind, everything is pure; filth is in the eye of the beholder.’
‘When does art become child porn?’ Laura Cumming, The Guardian 01.10.09
Read more:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2009/nov/01/art-child-porn-old-masters
Mark: 6/10, good effort but would benefit from some extra reading. See me after class
