KET - Culture Shock on KET looks at works of art that have been at the center of controversy

Culture Shock on KET looks at works of art that have been at the center of controversy

For Release: January 10th, 2000

The power of the arts to enthrall and disturb its audiences is at the heart of Culture Shock, an evocative documentary series, airing on KET Wednesdays Jan. 26 and Feb. 2 at 9/8 p.m. CT.

The series tells the stories of cultural controversy surrounding now-classic works of art--in literature, painting, film and music. The programs explore important questions about the arts and society: How do new forms of art and popular culture emerge, and should there be limits? Who decides what constitutes good art? Should the arts ever be censored?

"Born to Trouble: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" (1/26) examines why one of America's most beloved--and most banned--books was attacked for its "low morals" when it was published in 1885. Later, it became part of the American literary canon, only to become controversial again on the grounds of racism--a charge that is still debated today.

"The Shock of the Nude: Manet's Olympia" (1/26) looks at the scandal surrounding Manet's painting--now regarded as a masterpiece--when it was unveiled in Paris in 1865. Manet painted visual art's most universal subject, the nude, as a prostitute who boldly stares at the viewer. By flouting the accepted ideas of propriety in art, Manet outraged audiences.

"Hollywood Censored: Movies, Morality & the Production Code" (2/2) looks at how the mass appeal of movies, including their graphic portrayals of sex and violence, has made them a target of censors since the medium's early days. Since the implementation of the 1930s Production Code, one question persists: Do movies reflect or cause social behavior?

"Devil's Music: 1920s Jazz" (2/2) explores the early days of jazz when it faced resistance across America. Like rap today, jazz was considered a dangerous influence on young people and society, and some fought to suppress the music on moral grounds.

Culture Shock, produced by WGBH/Boston, is closed-captioned for the deaf and hard-of-hearing. Viewers can find out more about programming on KET by visiting the KET Web site at http://www.ket.org, a Kentucky.com affiliate.

Contact: Todd Piccirilli

###

Download this release as an RTF file - 7 Kb

View or link to a public version of this release.