As an example of different community standards, we can look at the events that took place right here in the tri-state. The Contemporary Arts Center of Cincinnati tried to open a show displaying a collection of Robert Mapplethorpe’s photographs called The Perfect Moment.

Perhaps one of the most disturbing pieces of artwork was a piece done by Marcus Harvey. Harvey had used the handprints of hundreds of children to piece together a portrait of Myra Hindley who was sentenced to life in prison for the sexual torture and murder of five children. (Grace 1). What is the point of idolizing a child molester and killer by creating a portrait of that person, and especially through the use of something so closely identified to their heinous crime? Where are standards of these artists?

Among these amazing finds were sexually explicit objects. Though the king wanted to put the finds on display he feared that they might have a dangerous influence on those who saw them. The decision makers of the time thought that some viewers such as women, children and uneducated lower class people would not know how to view the pieces. The pieces were put in a separate room where they were guarded and only people with permission from the king could enter. The room became known as the “Cabinet of Obscene Objects” and in 1860 it was renamed the “Pornographic Collection”. When these artifacts were discovered the judging of obscenity was based on its ability and its result of arousing the individual viewer (Douzinas and Nead 203-205).

At a minimum prurient, patently, offensive depiction or description of sexual conduct must have serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value to merit First Amendment protection” (Lerner and Bresler 728). The problem with Claudio’s work was the same as many works of art today. The total lack of appreciation for that which is proper and acceptable in today’s society. Arts should meet our standards because we are the one the art is being created for.

Some topics in this essay:
Lerner Bresler, Myra Hindley, Lankford Pankratz, , Laws Coathangers, Douzinas Nead, Virgin Mary, Arts NEA, Marvin Miller, Dennis Barrie, community standards, “art art’s sake”, artistic political scientific, lankford pankratz, “art art’s, art’s sake”, artist intent, political scientific, literary artistic, artistic political, today’s society, literary artistic political, create simply reaction, unconstitutionally vague violation, standards money,