The question of just what art is perhaps most relevant when it involves the photography of naked children. NSW Police raided an Art Gallery displaying a photograph of topless minors paving the way for what will perhaps be a landmark court case. Nothing like a legal ruling on what is art, eh?

The Australian Arts Law Centre claims the police have to prove that Sydney’s standards have 'considerably changed' for a successful prosecution of public indecency, overlooking the fact Henson has been charged under the NSW Child Protection Act not indecency laws.

Gallery manager Amanda Rowell said the gallery had received some angry callers who had ‘no concept’ on the exhibition, "It has never been like this before. This is no different to any other exhibition he's had and he's had many exhibitions here, he's a master, there's no one in the world like him."

Robyn Ayres, Centre executive director who is also understandably angry at the uncivilised mob which clearly does not share her fine taste in art, says the photographer "Bill Henson has for years and years been photographing children and women naked and it's never been considered an issue of indecency, so have community standards changed that much that it is no longer acceptable to see children or young people photographed naked?" I have to hand it to her, she honestly sounds surprised, ‘since when has the photography of naked children been seen as unacceptable?’

I recall due to paedophile hysteria back in 2006 photographing anything outside at certain beaches was made illegal. Needless to say the public has a history of reacting and in some cases overreacting to child pornography and paedophiles.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd seems to disagree since he describes the photographs as 'revolting' saying "I don't understand why we can't allow kids just to have their childhood and just enjoy their childhood. I really have a problem with this." Joining in with Kevin Rudd NSW Premier Morris Iemma said that he found "it offensive and disgusting. I don't understand why parents would agree to allow their kids to be photographed like this." Perhaps in response the art gallery perhaps as a response says it will take down the exhibition indefinitely.

Even the NSW Minister for Art Frank Sartor is joining the Bandwagon Jumping Politician Alliance. "I have been shown some of the images and I don't like them,” he said adding "I'm sure these images will be debated by the community. Ultimately, I think these images do push the boundaries and I can understand why people would be offended.”

Before the raids Bill Henson explained himself to the Art World Magazine saying "you apply yourself to the maximum of your ability but nature is always a step ahead of you. These portraits are much more connected to the suburban dimension of my work. Right down to the skanky fingernail polish she's wearing. But I think the more you look at her the more she draws back. There's an incredible sense of displacement. The models seem to get in a trance. And the slower their movements are, the more interesting they become."

Henson later defended his ‘art’ after the raids saying his artistic priorities were not swayed by the alarmist media adding the typical artist defence of "You can't control the way in which individuals respond to the work”. He says he was interested in "something which is absolutely inviolate and unknowable", like how the breasts of a 16 year old girl should remain ‘unknowable’ to old people such as yourself?

In slightly related news the sexualisation of children in advertising has also recently been outright banned, perhaps advertisers should claim an arts license.