Jock Sturges exhibition closed in Moscow due to unacceptable pictures

The organizers decided to close the exhibition “Jock Sturges. Without embarrassment” in the Center of photography Lumiere brothers in Moscow. The children’s Ombudsman and Public chamber is concerned about the reputation of the American photographer. And although “pedophile” photos on display was detected, the organizers chose “not to disturb public opinion”.

Photo Exhibition “Jock Sturges. Without embarrassment” held in the Moscow Center of photography behalf of the Lumiere brothers, was closed early. Sunday morning before beginning its work, the Center was visited by the representatives of the organizations “Officers of Russia” and “Center for prevention of offences” and blocked the entrances to the building. Inside allowed only press representatives. After negotiations the head of “Officers of Russia” member of the Public chamber of Anton Tsvetkov and organizers of the exhibition, the latter announced that it terminates.

Flowers explained his actions by saying that his organization had received “numerous complaints” to the exhibition, the authors of which stated that it demonstrates child pornography.

“If there was such a resonance, we can’t be away from it. We are prepared in coordination with representatives of the Public chamber of Russia to stop the work of the exhibition”, – quotes the Interfax the head of the Center Eduard Litvinsky.

Closure without incidents – except for penetration on territory of the exhibition of a man. He went inside under the guise of a journalist and tried to throw the exposure of urine, specially brought them in the bottle. The assailant, who introduced himself as “assistant municipal Deputy, was detained by the security Center. Journalists initially thought he came with the “Officers of Russia”, but Flowers said that is wrong and condemned his actions.

“I believe that municipal deputies, which, according to eyewitnesses, urged on his assistant to throw the pictures should be held accountable. His actions you must give a legal assessment”, – said Tsvetkov told reporters.

“They depict partially Nude children. From my point of view, these photos can not be put”

Exhibition of Jock Sturges opened on 8 September and had to go to the end of October. At first she did not attract special attention. However, a few days ago about the show suddenly started talking in Parliament. “This exhibition — public demonstration of child pornography, which is prohibited by the Russian legislation: the criminal code of the Russian Federation 242.1. In this connection, you need to check who gave permission for the holding of such exhibitions,” – said the member of the Federation Council Elena Mizulina. To conduct a Prosecutor’s check concerning the exhibitions, demanded and children’s Ombudsman Anna Kuznetsova.

The curator of the exhibition Natalia Grigorieva claims to the fair denies. “It’s not about pedophilia, but about the art. I do not see that, as evidenced by Mizulina. Sturges is a big name in the world of photography, he is famous not because he is Nude, but because he knows how to build a composition that is light. I don’t see any discrepancies with the laws of the Russian Federation is Nude — models, which were filmed with their consent, not secretly”, – quotes its RIA Novosti.

From Tsvetkova was an opinion different from the opinion Mizulina and Grigorieva. “The exhibition is about 30 photos, but those that caused public outrage, not among them. However, of the 35 photographs about 15 percent from my point of view is not quite correct – they depict partially Nude children. From my point of view, these photos can not be put”, – he said.

Jock Sturges is considered one of the classics of American art photography, but his work is not just caused scandals. The fact that the models for his art are, in particular, and visitors to nudist beaches USA, France and Ireland. Surveys are conducted with the permission of these people. Moreover, some models underage girl, aged 12 years. For this reason, a complaint to his exhibitions often voiced by law enforcement agencies.

The most serious problems with the law of Sturgis was in 1990, when he became interested in the FBI. For two years against him trying to press charges for creating child pornography. However, in the summary of the evidence which was presented, the court did not consider persuasive. Sam Sturges, by the way, said that the extremely negative attitude to pornography and pedophilia, and strongly denied that it was aimed at the creation of works of a pornographic or even erotic nature. His work, by the way, in legal textbooks is often cited as an example of how it is often difficult to distinguish eroticism from pornography.

In Russia in 2013, Roskomnadzor, the Federal service of drug control service and Rospotrebnadzor approved by the common criteria by which, in particular, it is possible to determine what is child pornography. To such, in particular, includes images of children involved in sexual acts, or any information describing such actions. The presence of such works among the pictures made by Sturges, the FBI failed to prove. It is not clear, whether the Russian law enforcement agencies attempt to do that failed their American counterparts. The closing of the exhibition is probably have removed the question about the Prosecutor’s investigation in relation to the Center.