Thursday, July 17, 2008

Art Monthly Australia Ruled Not Pornographic

Australia's Classification Board ruled that the current magazine of Art Monthly Australia is not pornographic and gave it an "unrestricted" rating, meaning it can be sold anywhere to anyone, although it applied an "M" to the rating, meaning it is not recommended for children under 15.
A spokeswoman for the board said: "The Board notes that the images in this publication have been classified Unrestricted within the specific context of the publication as a bona fide and serious vehicle for the discussion of the arts.

"The overall tone of the publication and the debate contained therein is considered to be serious and have genuine artistic and educational merit.

"The Board notes that the images and text within the publication that relate to the ongoing debate about the difference between art and pornography and the sexualisation of children require a mature perspective.''
It's not clear whether or not the "M" rating was applied because of the nude images of children, or due to some other erotic imagery inside the magazine. It seems to be a contradiction to rule that the nude photos of children were OK, yet not recommended for other children to see. I have not seen the entire magazine, but it was reported that it contains some other photographs of a more mature nature. You can access the current issue of Art Monthly Australia online here.

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