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Robert Fulford defends Langer paintings against accusations of child pornography By DIANE HART Special to the Beaver he "doomâ€"filled" controverâ€" l sial paintings by Toronto artist Eli Langer that have been at heart of a court battle are worth preserving as art, says one of the most wellâ€"known culture critics in the country. Robert Fulford a journalist for more than four decades, has worked for a variety of publicaâ€" tions, including the Toronto Star, the CBC, Toronto Life, and is curâ€" rently a weekly columnist for the Globe and Mail. Speaking at the first in a fiveâ€" part art discussion series at Oakville Galleries, Fulford said the paintings seized by police last December from the Mercer Union art gallery should not be destroyed as a form of child pornography. Fulford, who has been present at the hearings â€" where all five of the paintings in question are propped around the courtroom â€" described the content as "horrific." The five Langer paintings and 35 drawings about child abuse may be destroyed if a clear case for destruction is made out by Crown prosecutors. Two of the most conâ€" tentious paintings are of a young girl defecating and of an intruder peering at the naked figures of a sexually around man and a small girl sitting astride his collarbone. "The paintings are effective, powerful," said Fulford, in answer to a question about what he would Ratepayers in Ward 3 TAKE CHARGE of REGIONAL GOVERNMENT with JOHN GRAHAM. ...Council must select a new Regional Chair. ...Council must direct the new Chair and hold him or her accountable. Time for an end to government by an unelected Chair and the Administration. Your elected representatives must be clearly in charge! GRADUATION Saturday, October 22, 1994 at 2:00 p.m. WHITE OAKS SECONDARY SCHOOL 1330 MONTCLAR DRIVE, OAKVILLE said if he were called as an expert witness in the Langer case. As a young reporter in 1965, Fulford attend an earlier Toronto court case dealing with paintings as pornograâ€" phy. Charges were dismissed in that case. "But how they (the paintings) would encourage anyone to be a pedophile (as child psychologists called to the stand have testified), I can‘t imagine," Fulford said. He said the psychologist testiâ€" fied he had no real scientific data proving a definite correlation between viewing art and pedophilâ€" ia, but that he felt intuitively that a pedophile would become sexually aroused by the paintings. "He said a pedophile would like to look at this, but then he said the same about the Sears catalogue," said Fulford. "And he said the Sears catalogue is, in fact, a lot more stimulating than these paintings." Fulford said many in the artistic community have defended the works.on their artistic merit, the one defense that could save the works from being destroyed. The court can ‘He said a â€" pedophlle would like to look at e but then he _ saidthe same about . CatalogUE." Robert Fulford rule that "artistic merit" is an unqualified exemption of the child pornography law. He quoted artist Michael Snow who said the works reminded him of the Spanish painter Francisco de Goya, although also said clearly the 26â€"yearâ€"old selfâ€" taught Langer is not at the level of Goya. "But, you know, I don‘t think that‘s far from wrong," said Fulford. Langer has stated his reasons for making the paintings stem from the distressing stories he heard from many girlfriends about their own histories of child abuse. "He found this personally trouâ€" blesome because he was a man and began to think about how it related to his own sexuality," said Fulford, adding he has heard similar stories and has been "troubled" personally about it. "Well, it got to Langer ad he painted it." "Langer (his paintings) makes you very uneasy; no question. the world is shaking in these paintings." Asked later about his views on the Crown‘s contention that artists should have a responsibility for the behavior of society, in this case potential child abuse resulting from paintings, he said he disagreed. "Well, what about the Sears cataâ€" logue?" he asked. As to censorship, he pointed out that it has been around forever and will always be around. "The impeâ€" tus is we believe we can control evil by controlling the imagination and I don‘t believe we can." e NEWEST NCEPT in family 217 Cross Ave., Oakville e 842â€"9561 4 Overzm Items! Sat., Oct. 29th Sat., Nov. 19th »Accordian Cards *Window Surprise Cards »Wonder Wheel Cards *Holiday Creation Decorations *»Rubber Stamp Camp for Kide (7â€"12) Call Inkredible at (905) 84 STAMP (sarâ€"s2e7) for more information Infredible Rubber Stamps We serve Breakfast from 8 a.m. and include over 65 items, from fresh Belgian Waiffles to a wide variety of Omelettes. Don‘t forget, kids eat breaktfast for 99¢ when accompanied by an adult. Try our Montreal style smoked meat. BIGGALO‘S DOES IT BETTER!