Govt Consider's Rating System for Artworks in Galleries

THE ADVERTISER | HERALD SUN

"Only woman bleed" (2008) By Adam Cullen

AUSTRALIA - The visual arts industry is appalled by a proposal to apply a classification scheme to artworks exhibited in galleries across the nation. In 2008, the inclusion of [Adam] Cullen's "Only Woman Bleed" in the Blake Prize for Religious Art prompted one judging panel member to quit and another label his work "really offensive". Throughout his career Cullen, who in 2000 won the Archibald Prize for his portrait of actor David Wenham, has courted controversy with his works having been described as "crude" and "puerile" by detractors. The 200-page report, released late last week by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs References Committee, says the defence of "artistic merit" is not enough to allow some controversial works of art to be exhibited, particularly when it comes to those that depict children. [link]

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Blake Prize Challenges Artists to Examine Religion

THE DAILY EXAMINER
By Ana Vlastaras

Blake Society chairman Rev Dr Rod Pattenden

AUSTRALIA - An alternate and insightful look into the world of religion is on offer at the Grafton Regional Gallery, since the travelling Blake Prize exhibition came to town last week.
The prize, which was established in 1951, is an open art prize that challenges artists to explore the religious and spiritual in art. It is open to all faiths, artistic styles and media. "We encourage artists to do works about what really annoys them or touches them and to do it with innovation. “I also think that to live fully within a religious organisation, you need to be able to make fun of it and have a laugh. Many of our entries do exactly that,” Rod said. [link]

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