Allison Zema

Sally Mann’s Immediate Family and Debates about Obscenity in Art

The heated debates surrounding the aesthetics of pornography have been examined thousands of times over through many different mediums of visual art. The powerful photography of Sally Mann, which fuels this fire, first gained popularity through her third collection Immediate Family, which opened in the Institute of Contemporary Art in Philadelphia in the fall of 1992. The controversy surrounding it dealt with the depiction of her three children—Emmet, Jessie, and Virginia—in nude and natural settings. However, not many people agreed with Mann’s wishes to photograph and see her children as any mother would. The Wall Street Journal published a censored image of Virginia (Virginia at 4) with black bars over her eyes, nipples, and genitals, obviously criticizing Mann’s work as an artist. Some newspapers such as Artforum and The New York Times refused to publish any photographs at all—especially Hayhook, which features Jessie’s naked body while she hangs from a hook. Some have praised Mann for her depiction of the pure and natural innocence of children, while many others have condemned her for exploiting her children and subjecting them to be the subjects of erotic child pornography.

Although there is continuing debate over the nature of Mann’s portraits of her children, a majority agrees that Mann’s images provide a deeper appreciation of the soul as well as the body. A sensual and sexual emotion is portrayed, but with sensibility of the artist and a devotion to the photograph. This deeper message beyond the surface exemplifies why art plays such a crucial role in society. It reflects the motivation of the photographer, time periods, culture, and many other important points an image can offer. As an amateur photographer, exploring how the art of photography can spur such heated debate between individuals inspires me. What is it about Mann’s photographs that point to an obscene nature, and can images like the ones of Mann be classified into certain categories as simple as “art” or “pornography”?

Many secondary articles attempt to create strict classification boundaries between these two categories, defining the terms “art,” “beauty,” “pornography,” and “obscenity,” although usually defining in favor of their arguments. I plan to discuss the concerns with how the classification process is executed. What are the consequences of either classifying based on specific categories or judging each piece of art on a contextual basis? Also, which contexts play crucial roles in a decision? Through my research, I have also found a copy of the original exhibition, Immediate Family, as well as newspaper reviews of the art shows to help determine immediate reactions to Mann’s photographs, and how they were received individually and as a whole. These reactions provide insight to how society receives a piece of art, how they classify it, and what the consequences are of having a biased or contextualized perspective.

Many more insights arose while discussing topics among my group members. The Aschan School of Art Movement emphasized realistic, human interpretation, and dedicated itself to New York culture with depictions of New York slums. Why paint an image of a New York that is not beautiful? Why take an image of a nude child? Both questions lead to a mental image that is not necessarily beautiful or ideal. An ideal image would be one of a glistening city, or a child dressed in white. Mann’s work was not meant to be ideal and beautiful, but a true depiction of human life, like a true depiction of New York City. But what motivation occurred within the artists, though, to portray something outside of expectations of their audience? During the period of the Ashcan movement, an art show from Europe arrived in New York featuring artists such as Matisse. People condemned the art for being too modern, too abstract, and even some images… too pornographic. Society expected paintings to be of a certain theme and style, and became horrified when artists stepped outside of those boundaries. This movement directly coincides with Mann’s photography, and how controversial art plays a crucial role in society and its views.

Art should no longer be described as mere aesthetic discipline. How quickly art is cast aside, thought to be nothing more than “pretty pictures.” Art is a product of human creation and making, and has transformed societies with their capabilities for response and action. People have always felt a close connection to art, for it defines human life and documents it simultaneously. I plan to argue that Sally Mann’s art cannot be considered pornographic, yet for what reasons? Should all art be judged purely on a contextual basis? Through studying books on aesthetics of pornography, government documents, and newspaper articles on the reactions of Mann’s audience, I intend to explore how Mann’s photography is considered art or pornography. Two questions I hope to answer ask: Where does one draw the line? And how exactly is that line drawn?