I was touring the National Gallery in London with a very dignified  
American friend when she spotted a large Rubens painting and  
exclaimed in a loud voice "Look at the fanny on that one".  Seems  
like a universal reaction.

(for my colleagues in the US, the word fanny has a very different and
much more intimate meaning in Britain).

Meredith

Meredith Greiling
Aberdeen Built Ships Project Officer

Neighbourhood Services (Central Area)
Aberdeen Maritime Museum
Shiprow, Aberdeen
AB11 5BY 
Tel: (01224) 337711

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>>> [log in to unmask] 27/09/2006 19:15:05 >>>
"...much of their humor is scatological. It's embarrassing and you
want
to wring their necks," 

 

Would that be scatological or Eschatological?

 

________________________________

From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Rebecca Fitzgerald
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 12:47 PM
To: [log in to unmask] 
Subject: Re: REsponses to nudity

 

Even though we've pretty well established that the Texas case isn't
directly about nudity viewed at the art museum, it is important for us
museum folks to understand childhood development so that we can
respond
appropriately. 4th-8th graders are either on the edge of puberty or
right in the middle of it, depending on individuals. As kids start
becoming aware of their own bodies...they take a greater interest in
the
bodies around them. And of course a heightened interest in nudity,
body
functions, etc. If you've ever been around kids this age in an
informal/relaxed setting you're surely aware that much of their humor
is
scatological. It's embarrassing and you want to wring their necks, but
it's perfectly normal. 

 

If you bring this age group into an art museum without preparation
you're likely to hear: "oooooh you can see the boobies on that statue"
and much, much worse. Years ago I was making my way to a museum
conference room for a meeting and passed several little boys staring
at
ancient statuary just in time to hear, "Look at the d*** on that one!"
The problem was that their teacher had allowed the kids to split up
into
groups of 3-4 to tour the museum, leaving behavior management to the
security guards. So...the kids were doing a self-guided tour, looking
at
the things that interested them! If only the teacher had given them
some
preparation and clues to look for in the art it would have been far
different. (A good friend/colleague was with me, and we still use the
boys' exclamation when we're privately describing ANYTHING of great
interest.) :-)

 

Becky Fitzgerald

Susquehanna Museum

________________________________

From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Darryl MacKenzie
Sent: Wednesday, September 27, 2006 12:18 PM
To: [log in to unmask] 
Subject: REsponses to nudity

 

I wonder how many of these parents know their children are listening
to
'immorality' in country and western music, or watching MTV, playing
video games? We can go on and on about the relative 'morality' of
different assaults on fifth grade sensibilities.

Recently I took my children to the Bodyworlds 3 exhibit at Telus World
of Science in Vancouver, British Columbia. The exhibit was treated
reverentially by the exhibitors and therefore by my children, one of
whom is a 7 year old with pervasive developmental disorder. He spoke
in
hushed tones. He did not focus on the nudity displayed, but on the
beauty of the human body.

If a 7 year old with challenges can understand this, so can normal 10
year olds.

All this hoopla serves to do is create shame of the human body,
including the bodies of the children seeing the display.

Darryl

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