Olympia Nelson
Olympia Nelson (born 1997) is the Australian daughter of fine arts photographer Polixeni Papapetrou and art critic Robert Nelson, who writes for the Australian newspaper The Age. She is currently completing a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in English & Theatre Studies and Art History. She has attracted media attention twice: once for her nude modelling for fine art photography as a six-year-old child on the cover of the fine arts journal Art Monthly Australia in a fine arts photograph taken by her mother[1][2][3][4][5], which was criticised by the then Prime Minister of Australia[6] and once for the publication of her article criticizing teenage girls who seek social networking popularity by posting sexualised selfies.[7]
Nelson as a six-year-old fine arts nude model and response by the Australian state
Nelson was six years old when she was photographed nude by her mother for fine art photography purposes. After some years the photo, recreating Lewis Carroll's photograph of a nude Beatrice Hatch, was published on the cover of the fine arts journal Art Monthly Australia, as a form of protest against the police confiscation of fine arts photographs by fine art photographer Bill Henson, depicting nude children who had modelled in his studio with their mothers' consent.
The photograph of Nelson nude caused responses by the Australian state, with the then Federal Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson calling for a police investigation because the arts journal's cover photograph could be used by paedophiles and the then Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd stating that he "cannot stand the image", while the then Federal Family Minister Jenny Macklin said that "children were being sexualised in ways that rob them of a childhood" and the then Federal Arts Minister Peter Garrett criticised the journal's cover, calling it "needlessly provocative", and announced that the Australian Government would call on the Australian Council to establish rules governing the use of children in works of art and publications receiving government funding.[8]
Eleven-year-old Nelson and her father, Robert, while speaking to journalists outside their home, defended the journal's decision to put nude Nelson on its cover. Nelson stated that the photo "is one of my favourites, if not my favourite photo, my mum has ever taken of me. She has taken so many photos of me. I think that the picture my mum took of me had nothing to do with being abused, and I think nudity can be a part of art. I'm really, really offended by what Kevin Rudd had to say about this picture."[8]
In response to Nelson's defence of the photo, the then Australian Federal Opposition Leader, Brendan Nelson, stated, "The use and sexualisation of children in this way is indefensible, whether in the name of art, parental consent, or political protest. The child concerned defending the photographs in my view merely compounds what has happened."[8]
Nelson as an essayist and television interviewee
Nelson, with the support of her parents, published an essay she wrote when she was sixteen, analyzing discourse around selfies and how, at times, they can encourage harmful standards about how girls should look. The essay was republished many times by several media outlets, increasing its popularity.
Nelson was later an interviewee on television in 2013 to discuss her essay and her concerns over teenage girls who use sexualized selfie photographs as a means to gain popularity.[9]
Nelson has also published an article and corresponding video on the burden of exams, detailing the positive aspects and negative perceptions of student exams.[10]
See also
- Bill Henson, an unrelated fine art photographer who has also been the focus of media controversy. The Australian Art Monthly magazine once published a photograph of a young Olympia nude in response to media criticism of a display of Henson's art.
- The female name Olympia is of Greek origin and is also the name of an ancient city.
- Moral panic
- Nudity
References
- ↑ Kathy Evans. "Masking controversy after photo furore". Theage.com.au. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
- ↑ "Olympia". Polixenipapapetrou.net. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
- ↑ Polixeni Papapetrou. "An analysis of the Art Monthly Australia controversy". Polixenipapapetrou.net. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
- ↑ "The naked child in art: Polixeni Papapetrou and Olympia Nelson". NovelActivist.com. 2012-05-18. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
- ↑ "Olympia Nelson defends photo of her on Art Monthly cover". Herladsun.com.au. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
- ↑ "I'm offended by Rudd, says girl in latest nudity storm - National". smh.com.au. 2008-07-08. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
- ↑ "Bustle". Bustle. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Lorna Edwards (2008-07-08). "The naked truth is hard to come by". Theage.com.au. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
- ↑ "Olympia Nelson on 'The Drum' 11/7/13". YouTube. 2013-07-13. Retrieved 2014-02-19.
- ↑ Nelson, Olympia (13 May 2014). "Are Exams Ruining Your Life, Too?: The upside of exams". Birdee magazine. We Magazines. Retrieved 2015-04-26.
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