2009 - HENRY SCOTT TUKE RA

 

Intercom Trust, Exeter decided to remove all reference of Cornwall artist Henry Scott Tuke RA from LGBT History in the region. Dr Michael Halls referring to Tuke paintings in minutes from their Intercom Trust meeting as ‘pedophilia’.  

 

 

This quote from the minutes of The Intercom Trust meeting states:-

 

 

 

1.2 Michael (Hall) (of Intercom Trust) made it clear that Intercom could not support the use of the artworks of Henry Scott Tuke in this event or any future events. He made it clear that pederasty and paedophilia have no place in an LGBT History pride event: these are part of the history of abuse and exploitation.

The group agreed that the Tuke’s work was perceived as abusive and sexually exploitative of young people and was not an appropriate exhibition to include in a family event.

 

 

Intercom not for the 1st time behaving more like rampant homophobes than an LGBT support group by turning on anyone who queered their anti-male art stance

 

The Intercom Trust subjected Lidbury to a very personal attack for for  his raising concerns about Intercom's banning of the iconic & highly respected formerly Cornwall based artist Henry Scott Tuke.  Intercom had expressed intent to remove all reference of Henry Scott Tuke & his paintings from  southwest LGBT history. Gay persons or groups who dared express a difference of opinion to that of Intercom Trust quickly found themselves excluded from LGBT groups over which Intercom had sway in the southwest.

 

In 2008 a restrospective exhibition of Tukes work was held at Truro City museum, Cornwall.  Sir Elton John lending the exhibition seventeen of his Tuke paintings.

 

May 2008; The BBC Sir Elton John & Tuke Exhibition

May 2008 Daily Telegraph  Sir Elton John & Tuke Exhibition

 

Some of the organisations & businesses Intercom Trust were by proxy concluding & condemning for  harbouring pedophilia in the form of Henry Scott Tuke paintings of young men:-

 

City Art Gallery, Leeds
Royal Polytechnic Society
Falmouth Art Gallery
National Tate Gallery, London
Bristol Museum & Art Gallery
Roy Miles Gallery, London
City of London, Guildhall Art Gallery
Dublin Municipal Gallery
Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
Pyms Gallery, London
Cornwall County Council
Private Collection of Sir Elton John
The Royal Academy of Art, London
Royal Institution of Cornwall
Scouting Association- Baden Powell House
Bury Art Museum, Lancashire
Whitford & Hugues Gallery, London
New South Wales Gallery, Australia
Bonhams Fine Art Auction
University College Famouth
Royal Cornwall Museum
Matt & Andrej Komasky Gallery

&

Sir Elton John 

 

Feb 2009: Video  ‘Henry Scott Tuke – it’s not child porn Stupid’ (18,329 views up to 2015)

 

Peter Tatchell, Human Rights Expert had this to say:-

Re: SW LGBT History Month and the Henry Scott Tuke controversy:

While I agree wholeheartedly that we must protect children and must never condone child exploitation or abuse, I am alarmed to learn that this commendable concern has led some people to propose a ban or censorship of artistic works by the renowned painter Henry Scott Tuke.

First, his paintings are not sexual and only a deeply perverse mind would view them as such.

Second, since there is nothing indecent or shameful about the naked human body there is, equally, nothing indecent about its artistic depiction.

Third, Henry Scott Tuke is an acclaimed artist of international repute. His works have been exhibited in many prestigious galleries, where they have been viewed with appreciation by adults and children alike. I am sure these esteemed artistic institutions would not have hosted his paintings if there was anything depraved about them.

Fourth, if Henry Scott Tuke's paintings are obscene or unsuitable (for adults or children) I am sure they would have long ago been prosecuted or banned. They have not been either prosecuted or banned .

Fifth, since a very significant proportion of art involves the depiction of nude or semi-nude figures, also often of young persons, a judgement that brands Henry Scott Tuke's work as exploitative or abusive must, logically, also brand much of the entire canon of art as exploitative and abusive. This is obviously an absurd osition to take.

I would, respectfully, urge you to reconsider any decision to exclude Henry Scott Tuke and his paintings.

In our quest for LGBT acceptance, we should never sell our souls and bend to the demands of the new puritans and the baying mob, but stand firm and steadfast for what is right, just and fair - and defend art and beauty against the ugliness of narrow-minded prejudice.

Yours sincerely and with best wishes,

Peter Tatchell

 

Intercom Trust has remained unrepentent and although removing references directly to Henry Scott Tuke, Intercom  has continued in its hostility towards traditional male nude art & any who disagree with Intercom Orwellian dictates on LGBT issues.

 

NB:  Hostility carried out by Intercom Trust resulted in a Hate Crime incident being recorded against Intercom Trust by Devon & Cornwall police in 2015.

 

The Intercom Trust, Police & other of Cornwall's authorities re-writing factual LGBT history was the catalyst for compiling this LGBT history archive from factual reference materail.  The conduct of Intercom Trust a timely reminder of a quote from George Orwell's 1984 -

 

"Everything faded into mist. The past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie became truth".

 

It is for this reason gay people must not allow our history to fade, or be erased, re-written by gay equivelent of modern gay  Uncle Tom's, contemporary Kapos who would appease & toady too the very homophobic organisations & authorities, like Devon & Cornwall police which traditionally have been (& still very much are) homophopbic.

 

In response to continued Intercom Trust ban of C19th/20th  gay artist Henry Scott Tuke  a Cornwall LGBT History Month Art Sculpture Project for 2016

 

#Cornwall Guide:

http://www.cornwalls.co.uk/events/2016-02-13-cornwall-lgbt-history-sculpture-project.htm

#South West Federation of Museums & Art Galleries

http://www.swfed.org.uk/news/cornwall-lgbt-history-art-sculpture-studio-exhibition-2016/

#WhatsonCornwall

http://www.whatsoncornwall.co.uk/arts-crafts-exhibitions/open-studios/sculpture-exhibition-lgbt-history

#CornishGuardian

http://www.cornishguardian.co.uk/event/Cornwall-LGBT-History-Open-Studio-Art-Sculpture/event-28402046-detail/whatson/event.html

#Cornwall Art Craft Directory

http://www.cornwall-arts-and-crafts.co.uk/events/event-details.php?id=8460

#Gscene

http://gscene.com/news/gay-art-sculpture-exhibition-during-lgbt-history-project-in-cornwall/

#WestCornwallEvents

https://westcornwallevents.co.uk/events/cornwall-lgbt-history-art-sculpture-exhibition-2016

#Outeverywhere

http://www.outeverywhere.com/events/openstudiogay-523526.html

#CornishLinks

http://cornishlinks.uk/events/lgbt.htm

#Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kZyZCqXG0A

#GayHistoryCornwall

http://www.gayhistorycornwall.com/#!gay-sculptures-lgbt-history-2016-/c156a

 

 

Cornwall Lesbian Line Closure

NB: June 2009 Cornwall Lesbian Line closes after 20yrs of community service, having been unable to obtain financial assistance from Intercom Trust to continue running the women only helpline.   As a condition of financial assistance Intercom had wanted CLL confidential contact list.  Those running the CLL were unwilling to hand over their confidential contacts to Intercom. 

 

Next go to  Police bury Gay Witness testimony & ban gay radio broadcast

 

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