Re: <nettime> Censoring Porn: An Experiment in Waste

[andrew garton <agarton@toysatellite.org>]

Lisa Logan, from Experimenta (Melbourne, Australia) has asked me to post
this response to Ned Rossiter's comments on the WASTE exhibition.

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Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2001 13:33:23 +1100
From: Lisa Logan <lisa@experimenta.org>
Organization: Experimenta
To: trash group <trash@lists.toysatellite.org>
Subject: sexy flowers

Dear Ned
The issue of not exhibiting Sexy Flowers is not one of censorship. It is
illegal for Experimenta to exhibit the work that was sent to us as it is
x rated pornography. The work sent to us by the artist for the Waste
exhibition is different from that on the website that we first viewed
and more extreme. It is not legal to exhibit the work anywhere in
Australia (refer to Classification (Publications, Films and Computer
Games) Act 1995, Australia). I am curious to know where it would be
legal to exhibit this work. I cannot imagine that it would be legal
anywhere in the USA.
There are some dramatic emails flying about which are missing the point
of why the work could not be exhibited.
I hope you understand how serious it might have been for the
organisation if we had proceeded, a consideration for other arts
organisations who also may not be aware of the legal ramifications of
exhibiting the work, as I was not. The penalties are harsh.
This is the reason Experimenta was not able to proceed with the
exhibition. There was no disrespect intended toward the the artist or
her work, the premise of which I respect.
I would appreciate it if you would post this rejoinder to your email on
the nettime list. Thank you, and thanks to Andrew Garton for bringing
the post to my attention, as it was not forwarded to Experimenta.
Lisa Logan

------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXPERIMENTA MEDIA ARTS exhibits and promotes media arts that explore new

aesthetic, conceptual and technological boundaries.

for information about EXPERIMENTA recent and forthcoming events:
www.experimenta.org

Experimenta Staff
Executive Producer: Fabienne Nicholas
Artistic Director: Lisa Logan
General Administrator: Trish Stoeckli
Co-ordinator: Nag Vladermersky


Address:
PO Box 1102
St Kilda South
Victoria, 3182
Australia

Contact:
ph: 61 3 9525 5025              fax: 61 3 9525 5105          email:
experimenta@experimenta.org

Experimenta Media Arts gratefully acknowledges the support of the
Australian Film Commission, Cinemedia and Arts Victoria.

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