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Calgary - City says art pulled because of kids
by SwobyJ on Thu Jun 12, 2008 9:53 am
Article obtained from the Calgary Herald: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/city/story.html?id=3a6f7d03-bf0d-47d6-92d3-cde2ad0b730c
City says art pulled because of kids
Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald
Published: Thursday, June 12, 2008
Calgary's deputy city clerk says a controversial photography display created by former sex-trade workers was pulled from the walls of City Hall this week because it was deemed inappropriate viewing material for children visiting the municipal buildings.
The city had agreed to show the exhibit, which consisted of 25 photos taken by five former sex-trade workers, Monday through Friday in the City Hall atrium. But it was pulled after only a few hours due to two of the photographs, including one that featured a mutilated Barbie and another of pennies that had the word "whore" in its accompanying text.
Deputy city clerk Barbara Clifford said the two photos were not included in samples sent to the city clerk's office by organizers. The exhibit, part of a year-long research project by the University of Calgary's social work faculty, the United Way and AIDS Calgary, was approved by the clerk's administrative department based on those samples, not the entire display.
Clifford said the photos received some complaints from the public. But the main reason it was pulled, she said, was because the atrium is often visited by Grade 4 students as part of Calgary's City Hall School, a program that brings schoolchildren into the municipal buildings.
"Young children can have all sorts of reaction to different things," Clifford said. "I understand one of the contentious works involved a Barbie doll. For Grade 4 children, Barbie dolls are very much a part of their life."
The full display was launched Friday at the Art Gallery of Calgary during an invitation-only gala that attracted roughly 160 people.
Susan Cress, executive director of AIDS Calgary, said she was disappointed with the decision and wished the city had contacted organizers before pulling the entire exhibit.
"We saw it as a unique opportunity to give voice to some of Calgary's most marginalized citizens," she said. "It's disappointing it would be pulled. Rather than have the photos (that were) deemed risky reduced or pulled on their own, the whole exhibit was sacrificed."
Gayla Rogers, head of the faculty of social work, said the city should have asked more questions before approving the exhibit. She said she would have preferred the city turn down the display in the first place, which would have given organizers an opportunity to find another venue.
City says art pulled because of kids
Eric Volmers, Calgary Herald
Published: Thursday, June 12, 2008
Calgary's deputy city clerk says a controversial photography display created by former sex-trade workers was pulled from the walls of City Hall this week because it was deemed inappropriate viewing material for children visiting the municipal buildings.
The city had agreed to show the exhibit, which consisted of 25 photos taken by five former sex-trade workers, Monday through Friday in the City Hall atrium. But it was pulled after only a few hours due to two of the photographs, including one that featured a mutilated Barbie and another of pennies that had the word "whore" in its accompanying text.
Deputy city clerk Barbara Clifford said the two photos were not included in samples sent to the city clerk's office by organizers. The exhibit, part of a year-long research project by the University of Calgary's social work faculty, the United Way and AIDS Calgary, was approved by the clerk's administrative department based on those samples, not the entire display.
Clifford said the photos received some complaints from the public. But the main reason it was pulled, she said, was because the atrium is often visited by Grade 4 students as part of Calgary's City Hall School, a program that brings schoolchildren into the municipal buildings.
"Young children can have all sorts of reaction to different things," Clifford said. "I understand one of the contentious works involved a Barbie doll. For Grade 4 children, Barbie dolls are very much a part of their life."
The full display was launched Friday at the Art Gallery of Calgary during an invitation-only gala that attracted roughly 160 people.
Susan Cress, executive director of AIDS Calgary, said she was disappointed with the decision and wished the city had contacted organizers before pulling the entire exhibit.
"We saw it as a unique opportunity to give voice to some of Calgary's most marginalized citizens," she said. "It's disappointing it would be pulled. Rather than have the photos (that were) deemed risky reduced or pulled on their own, the whole exhibit was sacrificed."
Gayla Rogers, head of the faculty of social work, said the city should have asked more questions before approving the exhibit. She said she would have preferred the city turn down the display in the first place, which would have given organizers an opportunity to find another venue.
~~ This is entirely new to me ~~
