Comments on: Forewarned is forearmed? More on gallery notices http://blogs.walkerart.org/ecp/2008/05/15/forewarned-forearmed-gallery/ Just another Walker Blogs weblog Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:59:27 -0600 walker_blogs hourly 1 By: Mary Warner http://blogs.walkerart.org/ecp/2008/05/15/forewarned-forearmed-gallery/comment-page-1/#comment-152 Mary Warner Thu, 22 May 2008 18:07:10 +0000 http://blogs.walkerart.org/ecp/2008/05/15/forewarned-is-forearmed-more-on-gallery-notices/#comment-152 Who is to define naughty? While I don't consider the nude human body or sexuality naughty, others will consider a bare ankle naughty. There tends to be no pleasing these latter people. They will find fault with anything not done their way. Unfortunately, they tend to expect the same extremes in belief with their children, whether their children agree or not. How long can we expect to protect the youngest among us from the fullness of the human experience, disagreeable or not? It is not up to museums to be the morality police. In fact, I think we have to be cognizant of trying not to cater to the sanitized view of art or history. As for the forewarning, I wouldn't put one up. Let people live a little. Who is to define naughty? While I don’t consider the nude human body or sexuality naughty, others will consider a bare ankle naughty. There tends to be no pleasing these latter people. They will find fault with anything not done their way. Unfortunately, they tend to expect the same extremes in belief with their children, whether their children agree or not. How long can we expect to protect the youngest among us from the fullness of the human experience, disagreeable or not? It is not up to museums to be the morality police. In fact, I think we have to be cognizant of trying not to cater to the sanitized view of art or history. As for the forewarning, I wouldn’t put one up. Let people live a little.

]]> By: Margaret Pezalla-Granlund http://blogs.walkerart.org/ecp/2008/05/15/forewarned-forearmed-gallery/comment-page-1/#comment-150 Margaret Pezalla-Granlund Wed, 21 May 2008 04:57:17 +0000 http://blogs.walkerart.org/ecp/2008/05/15/forewarned-is-forearmed-more-on-gallery-notices/#comment-150 I can completely imagine that happening -- that my kid would read the sign, and then the rest of the trip to the gallery would be a seek-and-find for the "naughty" stuff. Good point! I can completely imagine that happening — that my kid would read the sign, and then the rest of the trip to the gallery would be a seek-and-find for the “naughty” stuff. Good point!

]]> By: Bill McGuire http://blogs.walkerart.org/ecp/2008/05/15/forewarned-forearmed-gallery/comment-page-1/#comment-151 Bill McGuire Fri, 16 May 2008 23:27:38 +0000 http://blogs.walkerart.org/ecp/2008/05/15/forewarned-is-forearmed-more-on-gallery-notices/#comment-151 I have an 8 year old and I'd rather there not be warnings on these exhibits. My daughter constantly asks my where the naughty stuff is. Even if I am not prepared for a situation, life is like that. You have to be prepared to explain life to a kid. It is one of the tools we can pass on to them to prepare them for life. Do parents really expect that kids don't run into "mature" content just because they are not with them in other parts of their day. If you can't teach them how to handle situations like an art museum then good luck with Junior High and High School. "If you hide your kids from everything they will most likely hide most things from you". - I think Ladybird Johnson said this. I have an 8 year old and I’d rather there not be warnings on these exhibits. My daughter constantly asks my where the naughty stuff is.

Even if I am not prepared for a situation, life is like that. You have to be prepared to explain life to a kid. It is one of the tools we can pass on to them to prepare them for life. Do parents really expect that kids don’t run into “mature” content just because they are not with them in other parts of their day.

If you can’t teach them how to handle situations like an art museum then good luck with Junior High and High School.

“If you hide your kids from everything they will most likely hide most things from you”. – I think Ladybird Johnson said this.

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