PxlDan

In Virginia, a local newspaper "The Virginian-Pilot" sponsored an art contest at the Chrysler Museum with a $1,000 prize, called The Virginian-Pilot Student Gallery. After the top winners were selected by the judges, the newspaper's publisher, Bruce Bradley, decided to reject their decision because he felt the art was inappropriate.

"While it’s true we don’t specifically address this in the rules and regulations, the concern I had was to have a 17-year-old girl do a self-portrait of herself in the nude,” Bradley said. “I thought that was inappropriate for the contest."

According to the paper's description of the first place work by Nancy "Beth" Reid she "is crouching, with most of her private parts hidden, except for a small portion of her backside". There is no photo of the art because the publisher decided to censor that as well. There is however a photo of the second place work by Jasmine Childs; a ceramic torso depicting a nude pregnant torso.

A student of art history understands the role of the human form and would agree that Childs' sculpture is reminiscent of the some of the earliest female forms such as the "Woman from Willendorf" estimated to have been created over 25,000 years ago.

Both of these students have been excepted to Virginia Commonwealth University and plan to study art. How can our communities teach art appreciation (and awareness of all aspects of art) and at the same time punish students for their self-expression? Is it the job of the media to decide what topics are considered appropriate?

The publisher has agreed that the rules and regulations did not address these boundaries - which suggests that the judges were given the freedom to select the work based on artistic merit and that the rejection was based on nothing more than the publishers prudishness. If you going to put up the prize money - and your idea of acceptable art is rather narrow, than you had best judge the "The Bruce Bradley Student Gallery"  show yourself.

In response, the more creative-minded members of the community that felt the paper's actions were unethical have begun raising funds to replace the prize money denied to the rightful winner.

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