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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, December 5, 2014 | 6 This week the Oakville Beaver covered a story (online and in our Thursday edition) regarding the Oakville Galleries' reaction to a resident's complaint. It boiled down to a question of the suitability of placing an advertising poster -- containing sexual imagery to promote a current exhibit -- on the facade of the Oakville Public Library Central Branch at Navy Street and Lakeshore Road. It was an advertisement for The Illuminations Project, by artist Shary Boyle and writer Emily Vey Duke, on exhibit at the Oakville Galleries' Centennial venue; a space the gallery shares with the public library. The story, we believe, was not about censorship of art -- either in the complaint or the gallery's reaction -- but the display of sexual images in a public venue. Even one of the artists agreed the poster was provocative. The Galleries removed the ad, which was a segment -- and much tamer portion -- of a larger illustration. We believe artist Shary Boyle gets it. The issue is tricky, censorship or art or what's legal or suitable for broad public consumption. It's our belief the artist had the best handle on the situation. It was not about censorship of the piece itself, but rather the suitability of the placement of a "sexual image in a common area." Granted, the content of the exhibit could be deemed explicit, or not... either frolicking humans and animals or bestiality. That question drew Halton police to peruse the exhibit. While deeming the artwork "a point of artistic merit," police agreed, removal of the publiclydisplayed ad was a wise decision, according to Halton police spokesperson Sgt. Chantal Corner. Art is art. The extrapolations taken from the creative talents of others are in the eyes of the viewer. What is one thing to one person, can be something completely different to another. The key to the story is not about whether the exhibit is explicit, but rather the appropriateness of this poster displayed on the front steps of the local library. The complainant, and others like him, questioned the suitability of the promotional material in a place where children often enter the library. No one would think to place an ad for an adult magazine on the front steps of the public library square, so why do so for an adult-themed art exhibit? Indeed, Boyle summed it up best when she told the Oakville Beaver she did not feel it was a case of censorship, but about "a sexual image in a common area." "If a member of the public is uncomfortable with a sexual image in a common area, I support their voicing it and am happy to exchange the image with something less provocative," she said in an email. "I believe the public has a right to express their boundaries, and I enjoy engaging in that conversation and nding a creative compromise. This is not censorship -- my artwork is freely exhibited upstairs at the Oakville Gallery and anyone is invited to view The Illuminations Project in the safe and welcome space of the gallery." While we support artistic merit, we also support sound decision-making that is in the interest of all members of the public. While we support freedom of expression, particularly for artists, we must also remember that people have the same right to freedom of expression. In the eye of the Letters to the Editor Remembering what the holidays are all about beholder Editorial "Connected to your Community" 447 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 52 | Number 132 During a time of year when we all new pair of boots for Christmas. get lost in gift buying and receivHer response was "No, donate ing, I am inspired by my daughter, the money." I thought: Well, yes. who has given up all gifts for the Of course, I will donate, but how betterment of others. about a new pair of boots too? I mean don't you want something For Christmas this year, my to open Christmas morning? She 14-year-old daughter Michaela looked at me very seriously and Coleman does not want any gifts. said, "No, Mom. I don't need anI mean nothing -- no stocking, other pair of boots, but the kids in no gift cards, no Santa presents Africa need water." under the tree. It was one of those moments, She has decided to forego all as a parent, you realize I could Christmas gifts to raise money learn a thing or two from my teenfor clean water projects around ager. She has gone from being the world through Charity Water. a kid with a Santa list 10 items Any gifts that friends and family Michaela Coleman deep to this sel ess and giving would have bought for her are to young woman. And I'm in awe. be given in donation form instead to her campaign. Christmas is about family, kindness and the Michaela has been thinking about ways to spirit of giving. It's not about how many presents give back for a while. She has gone to We Day are under the tree or how much those items for the past few years and always felt inspired cost. We could all take a lesson from kids like to do something great, but didn't know where to this to remember the true meaning of the holistart. She also joined the Me to We club at T. A. days. Blakelock High School, which further drove her Michaela's link to her charity water campaign desire to help those less fortunate around the can be found here (Under Michaela Coleman): world. https://my.charitywater.org/michaelas-christIn October, she got an idea. She carefully re- mas-wish-2. searched and picked her charity, looking for an She now has less than 30 days to raise organization with low overhead and admin fees $1,000 -- she's hoping to exceed her target by to maximize her fundraising. She set up her as much as possible. All donations are matched account, and started to spread the word there corporately by the company, Keurig. So, double would be no gifts this year. And she means it. the impact. The other day, I asked her if she wanted a Laura Skelton, Oakville The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member No one opinion should outweigh public good Re: Oakville man says art poster depicts `bestiality,' www.oakvillebeaver.com, Dec. 1, 2014 Really? The most horrifying aspect of this story is that one person's interpretation of a work of art can affect such a dramatic change in Town policy. I was motivated to walk over to the library and have a look at the offending piece of art for myself, which, fortunately, hadn't been taken down yet. Yes, in the bottom left quadrant, there is a man (I think) in full body embrace with a horse. Given the context of the piece, wherein there is a lot of horse-hugging going on, I think it takes a leap of imagination to construe this as a sexual act. I grant that could be what the artist intended but it is by no means clear. To consider a piece of art obscene is certainly a matter of opinion and one's right. To label it as such, when no clear sexual act is depicted, is an overreaction. To remove this piece of art based on one man's interpretation strikes me as verging on cowardly. Would it be a stretch to ask the analogous question: "Had this individual complained about the language in To Kill A Mockingbird, would the book have been removed from the shelves of the library?" If one person's opinion carries so much weight then I demand an equal voice. The removal of this poster offends me as a citizen of this town, a lover of art and freedom of expression and a taxpayer. (There's a cost associated with changing this, isn't there?) I hope calmer heads prevail. Michael Walker, president The Walker Media Group Inc., Oakville Editor's Note: The Oakville Beaver has been made aware of more than one complaint being made to the Town of Oakville and Oakville Galleries regarding the poster's display. Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 5040 Mainway, Burlington ON L7L 7G5 or via email to; ablackburn@oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.