CAPITAL TIMES, November 16 ,1990
PSH Graduate Raises Controversy
Editor's note: Due to a layout
error in our Oct. 26 issue we
decided to reprint the article on
artist Cecil Brooks.
Bob Fellman
Capital Times Staff
Where should the line be drawn
between art and the obscene? And who
should make the decision?
As people across America debate
these questions, the controversy hit
Central Pennsylvania this summer when
the Harrisburg center of Temple
University removed three photographs
taken by Cecil Brooks, a 1980 Penn
State Harrisburg graduate. Complaints
lodged by Temple students who felt the
photographs were obscene and exploited
women prompted the decision.
Although eventually rehung after a
panel of art experts ruled they are not
obscene, the removal of the photographs
caused a considerable reaction in the
local art community.
Louise Hoffman, professor and
coordinator of the PSH Humanities
graduate program, wrote a letter to the
editor of the Harrisburg Patriot-News
reminding the public that "censorship of
speech and expression is all too
common, but it's especially unfortunate
to see it practiced by a university."
Brooks said the objection that his
work victimized women really hurt. "It
appalled me that people thought I was
exploiting women," he said.
As a Spina Bifida victim confined to
a wheelchair, Brooks is no stranger to
public insensitivity. Describing himself
as sympathetic to the feminist
Students Plan Spring Break Trip to Soviet Union
Pat Byers
Capital Times Staff
The Penn State Office of Continuing
Education along with Dr.'s Nechemias
and Simko of the Public Policy
Department are leading separate study
tours to the Soviet Union and Eastern
Europe during spring break 1991.
The Nechemias tour will focus on the
reform era in the Soviet Union and will
include visits to a Moscow preschool
and secondary school in Leningrad along
with a visit to Latvia State University.
This is Dr. Nechemias's third year on
the tour as she refers to each tour as "an
adventure." This year's adventure also
involves discussions with Soviet church
groups ,environmental activists and
Latvian nationals.
Dr. Nechemias fondly remembers her
visit last year to a Tbilisi, Georgia high
school where a group discussion turned
into a festive affair.
"They prepared a feast for us," she
said, "complete with food wine, and
champagne, but after a few refills they
were singing and dancing on the tables.
You could feel the fun and warmth of the
Georgian people."
She also planned visits to the
Hermitage Museum and Kremlin
Armory along with evening theatre
performances .
The fee for the two week tour
PSH NEWS
movement, Brooks said his photography
celebrates, not subjugates, the female
body.
Obscenity is in the eye of the
beholder, Brooks said.
"I don't really know what obscene
means," he said, sitting in his
Harrisburg apartment. "It's different for
different people. There is an aesthetic
distinction between good art and bad art,
but obscenity is a moral judgment that
must be made by the individual."
His own definition of obscene is the
depiction of "violence, brutal
exploitation, and using people for
profit." This kind of obscenity is not
reflected in his work nor is it limited to
just the art world, he said.
Ironically, despite the amount of
attention Brook's nudes have drawn,
these studies make up only a small
percentage of his work. While many of
his photographs portray sensual qualities
in its subject,' the bulk of his ' work
consists of architectural abstractions,
still-lifes, portraits, and abstract and
representational photograms.
One still-life of a potted cactus plant
in front of a window shows the artist's
concern with craft as well as subject.
Brooks explained that it took several
attempts to develop the photograph to
get the backlighting to appear as though
it Was enveloping, almost caressing, the
cactus.
This attention to the effect of light
playing on various surfaces in the same
composition and the contrast produced
between light and shadow can be seen in
all his photography including the nudes.
One of the censored photographs
includes busfare to and from Harrisburg,
airfare to and from New York, first class
double occupancy accomodations, three
meals a day, English speaking guides,
taxes, tips and visa costs-- $2250.00. At
the time of print 20 seats remain.
The Simko tour of "The Changing
Eastern Europe" is his second. This
year's 12 day visit beween March 1-12
includes stops in Budapest, Hungary,
Prague, and Bratislava, in
Czechoslovakia. He also plans to visit a
controversial hydroelectric project on
the Danube and many castles.
Discussions with native folk dancers
and musicians further highlight the tour.
"I had schoolteachers from Philadelphia
and Washington PA participate last year
as well as our own Dr.'s Gilpen and
Young," he said.
"We also visited an English speaking
high school in Budapest last year and
were surprised to find the children being
served by older waitresses, using china,
in a decorum, quiet setting, unlike our
country."
The fee for the 12 day trip is
$1790.00 and includes busfare to New
York, roundtrip airfare to Eastern
Europe, first class double occupancy
asccomodations, all transportation
between cities, daily breakfast and
dinner, English speaking guides, and all
taxes, tips and visa costs.
depicts a close-up of the model from her
own point of view. The camera's eye
scans down the model's body, across the
pubic hair, and uplifted thighs. Brooks,
as a photographer, said he was drawn by
the interesting contrast between the way
the light reflects off the smooth contours
of the model's upper thighs and the way
it glistens through the texture of the
pubic hair.
Detail and close-ups play an
important part in much of Brook's work.
Just as he is able to capture the character
of an old musician by simply showing
Deadline for registration to Eastern
Europe is November 30.
Simko suggests a 3 credit, 400 level
course associated with the trip, yet
enrollment for academic credit for both
tours is optional.
For additional information contact
Dr. Nechemias at (717)948-6047 or Dr.
Simko at (717) 948-6049.
Photo by John Ru
Bicycling has become a popular form of alternate transportation at PSH. Engineering dy
student Dave Remley prepares for his ride back to Meade Heights. '
his hand, so too Brooks portrays
sensuous qualities in one photograph
through a high-contrast horizontal
profile of a single breast.
Brooks said it's unfortunate, but
typical, as in the Mapplethorpe
controversy, that critics concentrate on a
few controversial examples of an artist's
work and blow it out of proportion.
"It's frustrating when the public can't
view all the work together."
Four-Year
"The junior year should be more of a
set-up for design work instead of taking
courses over again," Structural Design
major Vince Seyko said.
Some students like the idea of
becoming a four-year school to make
college a better social experience.
"A four-year school would offer more
of an opportunity to meet people,"
Communications major Jeff Berrigan
said, "instead of being in classes with all
the same people."
"There would be more things to do on
campus," Paula Styer, another
Communications major said. "Right
now students have to go to Harrisburg to
find things to do."
EET major Qian Yuen likes the idea of
attending a four-year school because it
would give engineering majors more
equipment to work with.
"And it would cut the hassle of
transferring schools," he said.
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* STUDENT LEADERSHIP
* CONFERENCE :
* *
: Saturday, January 26, 1991 :
: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. * *
, :i Capital Union Building (CUB) l i
* • Student Center
*
* *
: Guest Facilitator (afternoon)--
: Dr. Terrill Joner
*
trifInfrAPKIMAYVVIFOZW#44.44I-414