AN ART club has expressed their disappointment on a blanket ban on exhibiting the naked human body.

Members from Winchester Art Club were given an application form for their upcoming exhibition with the Hampshire Cultural Trust (HCT) forbidding them from including “portrayals of nude figures.”

The ban was imposed for all exhibitors using the ‘City Space’ in The Arc, previously The Discovery Centre, in Jewry Street due to the display being moved outside the closed-off gallery into public view.

Daily Echo: The ARC today

The president of the art club, whose role is to advise on art theory and practice, has said this is the first blanket ban he’s faced in 50 years of taking part in exhibitions.

President Tony Hunt said: “The depiction of nudes has been fundamental to art from the stone age to now, it’s the study of the human figure. The value of drawing and life drawing is the basis of art.

“I’m disappointed. One hundred years ago the world was much more prudish. This is an example of wokeness and people being too afraid of causing offence to anybody. And why should someone be offended by a sensitive portrayal of the human body?”

Winchester Art Club has its own tribunal and judging panel that monitor what content is suitable for display.

Mr Hunt added: “Any form of blanket ban is concerning because we have a very controlled process. I don’t think the Hampshire Cultural Trust’s ban is necessary as the judging panel monitor what’s appropriate.

“It should be looked at on a case-by-case basis. Artwork that has the qualities for the exhibition shouldn’t be banned simply because it is unclothed.”

Hampshire Cultural Trust’s visual arts exhibitions manager, Kirsty Rodda, said: “City Space was located in an enclosed area on the ground floor. This enabled us to give visitors sufficient pre-warning if an exhibition contained content that could be seen as either offensive or sensitive.

“During the building’s refurbishment earlier this year, City Space was moved to a new location outside The Gallery on the upper floor to create a greater connection between the two exhibition spaces. This move does, however, mean that City Space is now completely open to all visitors to The Arc and we no longer have the ability to warn visitors of any potentially offensive or sensitive content.

“As The Arc is a family-friendly venue and a public library that welcomes all ages and faiths, we have therefore introduced new measures, making the decision that it would no longer be appropriate to display any offensive or sensitive content – whether that be nudity or bad language – that the many different people and communities who visit The Arc may come across as they use the building.”

The new measures do not apply to the facility’s other exhibition space inside The Gallery where sufficient notice can be given of “potentially sensitive or offensive content.”

Winchester Art Club has held an annual exhibition at the arts facility for 10 years. Judging for this year’s competition will take place on Sunday, November 6 before the selected pieces are exhibited in City Space, inside the Arc from Thursday, November 17.

For more on Winchester Art Club go to winart.org.uk/.