its art, stupid

SYDNEY, Australia — A debate over censorship versus art raged in Australia on Wednesday, nearly a week after police shut down an exhibit by a leading Australian photographer and confiscated portraits of nude teenagers.

The exhibit by Bill Henson was shut down before it could even open last Thursday night. Since then, two other galleries in New South Wales state have removed his work from their walls. Police said Wednesday they are still investigating whether the photographs violate obscenity laws.

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The raid on Roslyn Oxley9 Gallery came after some people complained about photographs of naked 12- and 13-year-old boys and girls. Police on Friday seized 20 photographs from the gallery and said they were seeking to interview the subjects of the photos and their parents.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd dismissed the photos as "absolutely revolting" and child advocacy group Bravehearts labeled them child pornography and called for Henson and the gallery to be prosecuted.

Henson, 52, a renowned artist whose work is displayed in galleries around the world, has not spoken publicly since the controversy erupted.

But his supporters have rallied around him. Prominent members of the arts community, including actress Cate Blanchett, and politicians have decried the police actions as censorship.

"The potential prosecution of one of our most respected artists is no way to build a creative Australia and does untold damage to our cultural reputation," Blanchett and 42 others said in an open letter to the prime minister released Tuesday. Other signatories included writer Peter Goldsworthy, playwright Michael Gow and filmmaker Ana Kokkinos.

κι εγώ νόμιζα ότι είμαστε η μοναδική χώρα που κατεβάζει πίνακες από εκθέσεις επειδή προσβάλλουν τα χρηστά ήθη

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