Facebook Bans ‘Ice Cream’ Painting As Offensive

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Facebook Bans 'Ice Cream' Painting As Offensive

Facebook has taken down “Ice Cream”, a painting by one of the world’s first pop artists, because it does not comply with the social network’s strict guidelines on nudity and adult content.

The painting of a woman enjoying an ice cream is deemed inappropriate for some reason by Facebook. The painting is supposed to represent the freedom of expression of a confident woman gratifying her ice cream cravings on a hot sunny day without a care in the world, with eyes shut in anticipation, while enjoying a lick of a multi-flavored ice cream cone.

Facebook suggests otherwise, implying sexual desire is aroused by the beholder while looking at the “Ice Cream”.

The BBC reports:

This image is of the painting Ice Cream which was created in 1964 by one of the world’s first pop artists, Evelyne Axell.

It was uploaded last week by the Philadelphia Museum of Art however censors removed it shortly afterwards.

The museum says Facebook told them it shows “excessive amounts of skin or suggestive content”.

Far from obscene, experts at the museum described the painting as “challenging typical standards by showing women…and their playful characteristics”.

They described the artist as one of “the first female Pop artists who, when it came to art, only had one thing on her mind – confidence.

“Evelyne aimed to paint pictures of women who were confident in their pursuit of satisfaction, rather than the decorative objects they were painted as in mainstream Pop Art.”

Not convinced by Facebook’s policy, officials at the museum revealed Facebook’s ruling on social media and asked its followers what they thought.

One person responded: “I think Facebook’s response is exactly the sort of thing Evelyne Axell was shooting for when she created this image, so good job Evelyne”.

Another user said the “image should be allowed”.

“Pop [art] was not just day-glow clean, it was often cheeky or gritty, but mostly the provocation was enacted through images of nude women,” the art fan said.

Facebook has not yet commented on its decision to remove the Ice Cream painting.

The story comes as Facebook faces criticism in the UK after a BBC investigation revealed the site had refused to remove obscene photographs of children being shared by secret groups on the social network.