Sensation (art exhibition)

Sensation Exhibition 
18 September – 28 December 1997
Royal Academy of Art in London

Showed a collection of contemporary art owned by Charles Saatchi, mostly including works by the Young British Artists (YBA's). The show generated great controversy due to the Myra Hindley and Virgin Mary imagery. Many of the pieces were already notouriusly known to the public. Damien Hirst's The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living, and Tracey Emin's Everyone I Have Ever Slept With .

The Royal Academy disclaimer to visitors on entry:

''There will be works of art on display in the Sensation exhibition which some people may find distasteful. Parents should exercise their judgment in bringing their children to the exhibition. Our gallery will not be open to those under the age of 18.''

I cant decide if i find the fact that the exhibition came with a disclaimer warning of 'distaseful' works either highly strange or perfectly suitable! It is not a disclaimer warning of sexually explicit works unsuitable to younger viewers, which is common enough in a gallery, but is actually making the statement that 'people may find (the work) distasteful' if your planning to show serious artworks long laboured over and aimed to achieve respect and recognition in the art world, you would not want the word distaseful in anyway asociated with your exhibition, never mind in print before entering the gallery. It seems from the very start these art works are created to generate spectacle.