Confronting Bodies: Spanish judicial authorities
Date of Action: 2001
Specific Location: Spain
Description of Artwork: "Alicia en el pais del amor" (Alice in Loveland). A collection of photographic portraits of children, inspired by the photographic work of Lewis Carroll.
Description of Incident: In 2001, I held an exhibition titled "Alice in Loveland" at the Museo de Siyasa, in Cieza (Spain). It consisted of a series of photographs of female children (aged 7 to 10), most of which had been previously exhibited at the near town of Molina de Segura a few months before. Some of the pictures featured nude children. After 20 days, the exhibition was prematurely closed as a result of the pressure by judge Concepcion Ferrer following a report from a Spanish Army officer. Immediately afterwards, the judge confiscated all the photographs and ordered a raid at my house seizing all my prints and negatives, the exhibitions' leaflets, as well as my literary works, videotapes and some art books by well-known photographers such as Irina Ionescu or Yoji Ishikawa. I was charged with corruption of minors.
Results of Incident: The judge decided the investigation should be kept secret. Up to this day, I have not been judged, nor informed of the case's development. The investigation is still secret and my works and belongings have not been returned.
Source: Violeta Gomez
Submitted By: Violeta Gomez