I was shocked today to find out John Curtin College of the "Arts" took down two year twelve student final art pieces. After months of preparation they were told that their artwork they had been working on all year could not be exhibited. One students work was taken down without any notice and the other student has been told that during the school tours her work will be turned to face the wall. Both artworks depicted some form of nudity and alluded to female sexuality. The students were told their work could "encourage the male gaze" and were too provocative and innapropriate to be exhbited at John Curtin College of the Arts, which claims to be a school focused on the encouragement of creativity and expression. Art is supposed to be about freedom of expression and the exploration of the human form and consciousness. What comes across as upsetting and frustrating is to see that even hundreds of years later art is still being suppressed by conservatism and fear of the female body.

In 1865 Eduord Manet's Olympia was first exhibited, the painting shows a nude woman lying on a bed being brought flowers by a black servant. The painting causes shock and asonishment because the nude looks at the viewer with a confrontational gaze and is adorned with a number of details identifying her as a prostitute. Both of these student's images were intended to be confronting and make a social comment on the relevant issues in society although they had already been tailored and toned back for the expectation and limitations of the Department of Education. That meant no breasts or genitalia was shown yet they were still deemed unacceptable and excluded from the exabition, showing that over 100 years on the female body and female sexuality is still shunned in art. Unfortunately both these images were deemed 'inappropriate' because one depicted two girls in what appears to be a romantic embrace and also because of the so called 'innapropriate nudity' and 'sexualisation' of young girls, which students were told would promote pedophelia. They were told their work will not be shown to parents, friends, teachers through the exhibition environment. This just shows how conservitism and suppression is alive within the school system, particularly in regards to the arts. Parents and teachers are happy to allow children to view violent films and play gruesome video games but as soon as any female nudity, sexuality or transgender themes are thrown in then it is deemed 'inappropriate'.

Let these students have the freedom to display their work.

 “No man has the right to dictate what other men should perceive, create or produce, but all should be encouraged to reveal themselves, their perceptions and emotions, and to build confidence in the creative spirit.”
― Ansel Adams