To think the Tate should not make families with small children walk through a Gilbert and George exhibit to get to a family activity

[KimiTheThreadSlayingAxeKiller]

They are not artist it is not art is is nasty stuff I do not want my 9 year old seeing.
Vile just vile

[tethersend]

catsmother- My issue is the OP saying it's not art.

It can be offensive, inappropriate, unacceptable and vile, but it is still art- you don't have to like it!

You wouldn't say a porn mag was not a magazine just because you were offended by it, and it didn't contain any recipes; therefore it's not a magazine

Why the inverted commas?

[TheMysticMasseuse]

I think YABU. A 9 year old should be able to have a fleeting exposure to "adult' material, with his parents there to explain and make sense of it and answer any question, and provide a moral frame to it if you think it really goes against the values you want him to have.

He'll see much worse, very soon, on sneaked magazines, tv, the internet...

[catsmother]

Fair enough Tethersend ..... I agree with your magazine analogy, and I did say art was subjective. I agree the OP can't say something she doesn't like isn't art just because she doesn't like it.

But I do also understand her annoyance at her kids being exposed to stuff she might find upsetting/distasteful/beyond their years or whatever. I agree that galleries are full of challenging material and personally find them all the more interesting for that ...... but ...... I'd feel equally aggrieved if the route to a family activity took me through what would normally be considered post-watershed stuff and I hadn't been prewarned ..... so I could make up my own mind, rather than feel it had been foisted upon my kids without my agreement, if that makes sense ?? Surely it wouldn't take too much effort for a gallery to place a parental advisory-type sticker (or similar) at the entrance to such displays ?

[tethersend]

Good point catsmother... stickers might be a good idea.

I am an art teacher, and have taken groups of students to galleries only for them to wander off and find the Jeff Koons/Chapman brothers exhibit, and produce fantastic detailed sketches of massive erections in their GCSE sketchbooks.

Still, they get marks for it

[foxinsocks]

it's interesting because we've been there plenty of times and I've not noticed them causing a problem

having said that, we went to Somerset House and there was an usher (don't know what to call them) who advised us that a display in one room had some very erotic pictures. In fact, the same happened in the Tate Modern (assume you are talking about the G and G's in Tate Britain) when they had put what they thought was a bit of an adult themed exhibition in a room on its own so children couldn't go in.

So some art galleries do think about stuff like this.

[Nancy66]

The Tate modern is well known for it's controversial exhibitions. You should have gone somewhere else.

[lovegalway]

I also agree why should OP not feel aggrieved
and want to protect them from this. I studied History of Art and my jury is still out on Jeff Koons and Gand G they went through a real coprohilia stage in their work
and it was and is unpleasant. Unfortunately you won't get much support from here as I notice a very "hippyish wannabee trendy anything goes kid of attitude" I love the Tate but they could have been more sensitive complain and good luck. And thanks for the warning kimi as I was planning to go in half term

[colditz]

My insane auntie covered my cousins eyes when she was about 9.

from Eastenders

I kindly asked her to show me her new stationary set to get her out of the room - not to spare her or my Aunt's sensibilities, but to stop my poor dad having a mirth induced apoplectic fit.

[pooexplosions]

"The problem I have with it is there was no other way in to the family activity and this stuff is NOT suitable for children to look at, and no one can really think it is"

Fair enough that you don't like it, thats up to you, complain and talk about it all you like, but DO NOT tell me that I can't have a different opinion on it, or that the rest of us HAvE to hold the same opinion as you.
You don't get any more subjective than art. You might want to remember that if you want them to take your complaint seriously.

[Fruitbeard]

I'd say the cophrorph poo bits of G&G would appeal very strongly to DD atm, as the words poo and wee are the height of sophisticated humour to her 4 yr old way of thinking...

Jeff Koons is a bit of a knob, though. I feel the 'factory assistants' who actually make his sculptures and pictures should be getting at least equal if not more credit for the work...

[smee]

Describing G&G as not artists is just daft, but to label them 'vile' actually makes me seethe - in what way are they vile, please explain OP? Am unusually for me seriously miffed by such a judgement. (Disclaimer: Am not a massive G&G fan!)
fwiw I genuinely do respect a parent's right to judge what their child sees. But G&G - personally I wouldn't blink + haven't, have been through that gallery with my 5 year old. Didn't seem a big deal to me or to him.

[lilygish]

Why do we need to see someone drinking from a catheter coming out of a penis, bring back the bricks all is forgiven.

[smee]

Well okay lily, each to their own and it doesn't do much for me either, but I can't quite see why it'd harm a 9 year old or why it's 'vile'. Now am departing, as I have a large glass of wine calling. Happy Saturday night everyone, regardless of what you think.

[puddinghead]

Better not go to the Musee d'Orsay and see, hmmm, l'Origine du Monde (big close up fanny, legs apart 'n all), or maybe two lesbians in bed together (), oh and don't set foot in anywhere 'classical' where you might get confronted by nude statues no less - lots of willies and boobs in your face .

If you didn't like the G&G exhibit, why not just say 'eergh yuk I don't like that' and just walk on.

[ninagleams]

I don't understand- what do you think is going to happen if your son sees this work?

And G&G is art although I find it a bit boring.

[lilygish]

ninagleams we dont have to expose our kids to evertyhing just because it is trendy. Bet you would not wnat your 9 year old son looking at Nuts Magazine (oh,hang on thats not hip and trendy so probably not)

[VulpusinaWilfsuit]

What? I am MUCH more bothered by my 10 yo having to watch endless crotch shots in music videos than art.

Of course YABU.

[pooexplosions]

Don't go to art galleries if you don't want to be confronted with, well, art!

[KimiTheThreadSlayingAxeKiller]

Sorry had to go real life took over.
I love art, I go to most of the exhibits and I am aq member of the Tate and royal academy, my membership keeps them going.
I am not in the least anti homosexual and I have been to a massive G&G exhibit. While I do not care for there work I can fully appreciate some do, I love Monet but I am not saying everyone should. My AIBU is that I do not think it is appropriate or nice that a family activity is placed in a way that a child should be exposed to this "art".
I am sorry some of you feel IABU but I do not want my 9 year old child to see such things. I am 38 so if I choose to go and look at such things that is a whole new ball game.

As a Christian I could say they are an abomination against God, but I am not saying that, I am saying I feel it is inappropriate to put a family activity in a place where a child of 9 or younger has to walk through an exhibit of such content, I have two sons both of whom understand a persons right to free speach, to be who ever and what ever they want to be and accept all our friends what ever gender, religion, colour, sexual orientation (shock horror we have gay friends) or what ever. I am proud I have a 13 and 9 year old who are so accepting of all the wonders life has to offer.

We had a party tonight and one of our friends who came is openly Bi sexual (male) and I ask him for his take on it all, and he (self confessed fan of G&G) said he thought it was inappropriate to send small children through a G&G exhibit so I do not think IABU in the slightest now.

My children have grown up with friends in same sex relationships, so to them it IS the norm, however I do feel this was inappropriate and will be complaining to the powers that be.ks, so hello will display hello. For underline use , so hello_ gives hello. For italics use , so hello^ gives hello. To strike out a word, surround it with two hyphens either side, so dog gives dog

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[KimiTheThreadSlayingAxeKiller]

oops do not know what went on there.
Pudding while I think G&G is not my cup of tea I do know people who rate it so each to there own
But I do not think a child should have to walk through it to get to a family activity.
And after discussing it tonight with real life friends including one who is a massive G&G fan and openly BI I am not alone

[KimiTheThreadSlayingAxeKiller]

Also this was Tate Britain NOT tate modern and while I do understand art is subjective, if I wanted my 9 year old to see Gay porn I would take him to see some or get him a copy of some porno or other.

I am sorry but I just think this is in poor taste, the same way as looking at a 6 year old in a sexual pose wold be.

My 9 year old is fully aware of same sex couples but the content of G&G is not something I would expose a child to anymore then giving them a copy of playboy or giving DP naked 4 year olds having sex to look at.

For an adult is is up to them, I have looked at G&G not liked it end of, I am old enough to decide what I like and what I don't. Exposing a 9o year old to it is just plane wrong however you look at it

[pooexplosions]

You are obtusely missing the point again.
Its not "plane [sic] wrong however you look at it", many of us look at it differently and believe you to be wrong. Its called a different point of view and you have no right to tell us that we cannot differ from your opinion.

Art is subjective, taste is subjective, censorship and what is porn is subjective..... you can't bulldoze your opinions in as absolute truth.

[Fibilou]

i googled Gilbert and George images thinking I was going to see graphic rape and murder scenes or something equally horrible. Thus I was greatly suprised to see that the most "offensive" picture was a man and woman naked. If the reason you think their work is so offensive is because people are naked in a couple of pictures, I think you have a bit of a problem. How are you going to explain the facts of life to them if you don't even let them walk through a display with nudes ?

YABVVVVVVU

[Fibilou]

and if you have already made up your mind, why come on here to ask other peoples' opinions that you clearly don't want ?

I hope to goodness none of your children turn out gay

[TheHeadlessWombat]

No really it isn't 'plane' wrong. It's your opinion that it is,not a fact. And if you aren't interested in hearing other's opinions why did you post in AIBU?