Comments on: “Touchy Subject”

By: Lily Mae Martin

Lily Mae Martin — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:37:22 +0000

Firstly, please try and not be abusive next time you wish to share your opinion on things (such as ‘stupid’) as that is unproductive and therefore there will not be much of a discussion… which is the point of this after all.

I don’t feel that you are attacking my ‘artistic ability’, but I do feel that you have made all sorts of assumptions about me and my intentions and I don’t really appreciate that. I never expect people to be or not to be offended by things, I do expect people to be tolerant when it comes to art; censorship is not tolerance and that is the issue that was at hand.

I wont be emailing you personally as it is fine to discuss it here, this was also a very long time ago and my work and the issues I deal with have moved far from this piece and the time I made it in. I probably wouldn’t put an image like this on facebook these days, simply because of what I experienced through this drawing. But I wont take this down either because I think it was interesting what happened and how people reacted to it.

Thanks for your time.

By: stiaan

stiaan — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 19:47:35 +0000

i am an art lover. i love all sorts of art, whether its poetry or a painting. but this, i dont like. why? because people allways have to take art to an new level, i have no problem with you drawing your own ideas and pictures, but when you come up with such an picture and paste it on facebook for everyone to see, now thats just plain stupid. you have also pasted an censored version of your picture witch in it i qoute “…if you are offended, please have the balls to contact me and tell me why”. please take a wild stab in the dark to why they were offended. i know i might sound as if i am attacking your artistic abillaty(if spelt incorrecly, please excuse) i have no doubt that you are a great artist, i just dislike the fact that you pasted it on facebook and expected no one to be offended. hopefully you have read my reply and thought about it. please if you have anything to say about my reply contact me on bruwerstiaan3@gmail.com i hope that we can converse in an orderly and well mannered way. thank you for your time. -Stiaan

By: Sarah Jane

Sarah Jane — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 20:53:58 +0000

Another beautiful and thought provoking piece, Lily. Well done. I’m truly sorry it has been removed by ignorant, thoughtless people. Keep drawing, keep painting, keep displaying, keep having the discussion. Teaching science, each year the task falls to me to teach sex ed, as I am the only one who is willing to have open and honest (and scientifically factual) discussions with my students (girls) about sex and sexuality. And each time I hear the cries and the gasps of shock, not from the students, but from the parents and older teachers, who are outraged that I dared mention anything more than straight penis in vagina sex makes a baby. Girls need deserve more than this. Lily, your artwork deserves better than this!

By: Lily Mae Martin

Lily Mae Martin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:19:06 +0000

I am sure I would be having the same problems if it was a picture of a man in terms of censorship, we as a society cannot seem to be able to see people in the nude, especially genitalia, without applying our blanket rules as to defining what is pornography… However, this is coming from a perspective about tailored pubic hair and designer vaginas, as well as it is more acceptable that man masturbate than woman do. So I can see your point, but I disagree. Woman’s sexuality is far more taboo than a mans. Woman know far less about their bodies, than men do about theirs, hence my original post.
Yes, I was surprised that my image was taken down. Due to the nature of the situation, it was on may art page, and was clearly there for artistic purposes. This image wasn’t censored in Australia, it coped most of the negative dibby-dobbers from America. I’m not surprised when it is removed from places like myspace. However I do find it interesting the amount of scantly glad teenagers and allowed to be on there, among other questionable content.
Thanks for your reply.

By: Mick Summerton

Mick Summerton — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:56:34 +0000

Lily,
Love your new piece and the way you pull no punches…

However not sure i buy the argument about feminism…As male sexuality is likely hidden, awkward and taboo. Im sure you would be having the same problems if this was a photo of a guy looking for his prostate or retracting his foreskin…

I think its reality people have a problems with. They don’t like confrontation, especially within their own home. I think most of your work
even the non naked stuff is very harsh, abrasive and confrontational… Thus making digital market places harder for you than most… Welcome to social leprosy, the only way out will cost your soul…

Are you surprised by the censorship? I’m not… We are from a country that doesn’t even have something as basic as freedom of speech… I guess most Australian are to busy glassing one another to ever need it…

By: tani jakins

tani jakins — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:18:50 +0000

interesting the comments about children. lil t saw this on my facebook page and barely even noticed it. Perhaps that is because she sees me naked? The bare body is not in any way unusual to her. On the other hand, smash hits is not allowed in my home….

By: Mr. Fantastic

Mr. Fantastic — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 18:41:06 +0000

This image is courageous and honest. This draw makes me remember a photography form M. Angélus called “phallocentrism”, and guess what?? This photo was been removed from many spaces as well… do you know that HR Giger had some judicial problems because of some lithographic images about sadomasochism exposed in a restaurant in Switzerland??

By: Judith

Judith — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 23:35:34 +0000

The touchiest of subjects indeed! I think the censorship of your work is absurd, ‘think of the children’ aside (and don’t they see much worse on tv anyway?). The points you made on your blog are very pertinent, even more so given the censorship of you latest image. That female sexuality makes people so uncomfortable is ridiculous, given that we live in a society so dominated by acutal pornagraphic imagery ie. in advertising. It seems that no one can view a naked figure without perceiving it as pornagraphic, rather than something beautiful, grotesque, or even purely formally pleasing (see the Bill Henson furore) which I think is a very sad thing. It just goes to show that women still, unfortunately, have a long way to go asserting their right to comfort in their bodies and as sexual beings.

By: Lily Mae Martin

Lily Mae Martin — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 21:10:23 +0000

Thanks everyone for your comments. It is great to have support and it is so important that people leave their responses here on issues like this.

Siobhan, Cunt Pride indeed!! I hope you know how much our talks on issues like this inspire me.

Tani, I will stand up! Thank you! I am tired of the ‘think of the children’ thing. I am thinking of the children, how we can educate them better so the don’t make mistakes out of ignorance. Also, if they are so concerned of what children see on the internet, there are measures they can take, and I don’t think children should be using facebook or any social network like that anyway, it does have adverse effects on peoples social behavior and they should learn to deal with the real world.

Gayle, I am sorry it makes you emotional, it makes me feel emotional too. If you like to share those poems, I’d be more than willing to read them. I am sorry that that happened to you.

Catherine, I will keep up this work! As long as I have support, I can share it too!

Peter, if your friend didn’t like it, they should alter the options themself. I guess in a way, they are censoring you too, and friends should not do that. If people are troubled about their children seeing it, it is their responsibility to control what they see. That being said, I am sorry your friend is offended and took out their feelings about my work on you.Thank you for your support despite the pressure.

Lana, thank you for commenting and supporting my work. I’ll perhaps leave the pornography/ artistic merit comment as it is a whole different discussion.. One of which I am up for!

Anthony, Doesn’t sound like this officer knows where to draw the line.. Which goes to show people who ‘police’ this are ignorant. How sad! Although, I don’t feel we are going victorian, as we promote all our clothes, ice creams, music with woman and men that look like they have just walked out of a porno movie. I think sexuality with intelligence is what is being censored. Especially if it is fro a female point of view. Female sexuality has and still is, the most touchiest of subjects.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:03:38 +0000

The picture still appears on my facebook page, though it may no longer be in your gallery, which is a great shame.
I was talking recently to a police officer who investigates “indecent images on computers” cases. Conversation went something like:-
A:’So what do you say about pictures of naked babies?’
PC: “Well, of course I’m sure they’d be indecent”
A:’ Really? Have you been to the National Gallery recently?’
(Incidentally, flying naked babies all over paintings are one of my pet hates!)
Welcome back Victorian prudery -not to mention ignorance- cover up all legs…chairs and tables included….and NEVER use the word ‘bottom’ !