THREE days after the opening of Hereford's twelfth photography festival 'exposure', Herefordshire Council notified the organisers that it had concerns about two of the displays at one of the principal venues, Hereford City Art Gallery.

The Hereford Times reported last week on the council's decision to close the art gallery due to "some of the photographs being unsuitable for display".

Later developments involved the re-opening of the initially criticised 'Tory Story' exhibition in full and the removal of one entire exhibit, 'Baby Oil & Ice'.

The exhibitions in question both document life in contemporary Britain and consequently provoke a reaction in the viewer. Both represent long-term projects by the artists involved.

Robert Ashby, festival director, is on the one hand relieved that discussions with the council brought about a solution that meant 'Tory Story' could remain on show. On the other, he is disappointed in both local audiences and politicians who have bowed to the pressure of coping with contentious issues and strong images resulting in the closure of 'Baby Oil & Ice'.

Festival organisers reacted quickly to council concerns, immediately offering full-time invigilation to restrict access to people under 18 years to the exhibition, which explores the primarily private domain of striptease. The council was resolute in their response however, and the exhibition was removed a week ago.

Sarah Ainslie and Julie Cook, the photographers involved in putting together 'Baby Oil & Ice' spent two years documenting the lives of exotic dancers in East London. In doing so, they hoped to remove some of the intrigue surrounding the industry and, at the same time, give the women involved in the trade a voice. They met with Lara Clifton, herself a dancer, who was writing in her spare time and whose input gave the photographic work a context and dimension it would otherwise have lacked.

In denying the work of these three women public appraisal, the door is being forced shut on an underworld culture we cannot pretend doesn't exist.

The photographers were willing to allow some of the more explicit work to be removed from their exhibition as long as the overall message was maintained. Although this option was considered for 'Tory Story', the striptease work was judged more harshly.

Herefordshire Council is evidently trying to protect the genteel modesty of Herefordshire society, though to what end? No one was forced to view the exhibition if they found it distasteful.

The festival itself does not promote itself as being tepid or un-provoking so if elderly ladies in winter wool found themselves sweating under the collar then was that necessarily a bad thing?

The democracy in which we live should allow art to reflect society in its fullness, not just its sobriety.

We have to cope with much worse imagery every day in our media, deemed permissible because it comes under the banner of hard news. It seems a little fey to suggest we may take offence at, or not be able to cope with, women with their clothes off.

JULIE HARRIES