Controversy about Larry Clark exhibit in Paris

On October 2nd an interesting photography exhibition opened at the Musée d´Art de la Ville in Paris focusing on the controversial work of Larry Clark. The director of the legendary film Kids (1995) Clark is first and foremost a prolific photographer, who has been documenting the seedier side of life and youth culture for decades. Both in his film work and photography, Clark is dedicated to representing lost youth, violence and rebellion.

The exhibition, entitled “Hello Kiss the Past”, features over 200 works by the photographer, some of them unpublished works which were recovered recently. His best-known works such as “Tulsa” and “Teenage Lust” will also be shown. In this way the exhibition provides a broad spectrum of photographer´s work, highlighting its direct and authentic way of looking at adolescence with everything that it encompasses: love, drugs, violence and sex.

However, the Musée d´Art Moderne de la Ville in Paris has caused a huge controversy for having taken the decision to refuse entry to minors under 18 to the exhibition. According to Sébastien Gokalp, curator of the exhibition, as a public institution, the museum could not openly allow minors access to sexually explicit images of Clark. Moreover, the management of the museum feared having to face a wave of protests from the Catholic community in Paris. However, considering that many of these works have been shown in other renowned museums and/or feature minors themselves, some criticize this move as being too drastic, and highlight that it threatens artistic expression in France. If you do not want to miss this interesting presentation and you are of age, rent apartments in Paris and visit the Musée d´Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris until January 2, 2011.

More information about the exhibition here: http://mam.paris.fr/