School apologises after pupils as young as nine taken to explicit art show

One mother described the images as "pornographic" and totally unacceptable for children as young on nine who were touring the gallery.

Hafren Junior School took pupils to Oriel Davies Gallery in Newtown as part of a drive to promote art.

Part of the trip involved a tour of the gallery work, which included a section where there were images of women who appeared to have died violently.

One image depicted a bed splattered with blood stains and there was also artwork involving nudity.

Mother Stephanie Lockwood said the images had an impact on her 10-year-old daughter.

She said: "I was mortified when I was told what she had seen. Some of the children on the trip were as young as nine. Some of the pictures were disturbing and some I would describe as pornographic."

The pupils had been invited to visit the gallery to see their own artwork, which had been placed on display.

But as part of their experience the pupils were also allowed to take a tour of the gallery's own collection.

Headteacher Huw Jones said the gallery had an education officer who explained the context of the artwork, but added that some parents had expressed concerns.

He said: "Hafren School would like to apologise for any distress caused."

Gallery director Amanda Farr defended the work on display, which she says are connected to visual artists who work with theatre, films and opera.

She said the art needed to be placed in context, adding: "This exhibition is concerned with human endurance, vulnerability and the fragility of the human body.

She added: "The exhibition is about visual artists who work with the stage. This includes artists who design stage sets for film, opera and the theatre, and also performance artists – some of whom use their bodies as part of their art. The exhibition contains one video piece by Philip Lee and some photographs of performance artists, Franko B and Anne Louise Wilson. These have images of the artists without clothes on.

"Oriel Davies also had a live performance by Philip Lee at the exhibition's opening, and those who saw his performance found it a very moving and thoughtful artwork.

"It is our role as a public art gallery to show contemporary visual art in its different guises and forms, and we include performance art within this."

Stephanie Lockwood said she was shocked when her 10-year-old daughter told her what she had seen in the exhibition.

And she says she is "horrified" the school would deem it an appropriate place to visit without at least checking the content of the artwork first..

She said: "While at the gallery my daughter was shown what I would say is pornographic disturbing pictures.

"She is 10 years old and other class friends who also went were nine years old.

"When she came from school she told me what she had seen so I went to see the images my self. I was mortified.

"As well as the pictures there is also a video of a naked man covered in white and red paint, also there where images on the wall of what was made to look like dead people.

"I am horrified that Hafren School an the Oriel Gallery would expose my 10 year old to these images."

Headteacher Mr Jones said: " The school embraces opportunities for its pupils to experience art and culture as part of the national curriculum in Wales.

"After seeing their own work they were then shown a selection of artwork from the gallery's own exhibition which is open to the general public.

"Some art did show nudity and surrealism but the gallery education officer, who works with schools and planned this event, was careful to explain the artwork and the context that it was to be viewed in.

"Some parents of children in our school have expressed concern about the exhibition and in light of this we have decided that no more pupils will view this particular artwork and Hafren School would like to apologise for any distress caused."

• Star comment: Children shouldn't be exposed to X-rated art