Controversial artist set to light Spark

PENNY STEPHENS/The Age

FAMILY PICTURE: Olympia Nelson sits in front of her controversial portrait taken by her mother, Polixeni Papapetrou, back, with her father, Robert Nelson, and brother Solomon, sitting.

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A controversial Australian photographer at the centre of a media storm across the Tasman over a nude photo of her young daughter will be a guest speaker at Wintec's Spark Festival next month.

Photographer Polixeni Papapetrou drew criticism from Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd over the picture, which appeared on the cover of an arts magazine.

The photo was taken when Ms Papapetrou's daughter, Olympia, 11, was six years old and was heavily criticised as a form of child exploitation, but backed in some quarters as artistic expression.

Wintec School of Media Arts head Margi Moore said one of the functions of the Spark Festival was to provide a forum for debate on such matters.

She said she was delighted to have Ms Papapetrou as a guest speaker at the festival and expected "informed and intelligent debate".

Spark co-ordinator Susanna Wilford said the festival offered a context for robust debates on a variety of artistic issues.

Ms Papapetrou would talk about the ideas behind her work and some of the issues surrounding photographing children.

The photographer would be one of several guest speakers and would be speaking on August 5 at The Hub at Wintec's city campus.

Spark 08 is the 10th birthday of the arts/media/design festival in Hamilton. This year's festival will run from August 4 to 8.