No charges will be filed against the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth or artist Sally Mann in a high-profile case involving displayed pictures of naked children, according to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office.
Public outrage against the exhibit began when The Dallas Express broke the story, reporting on the disturbing images on December 23, 2024.
DX reported that the photographs included naked children and LGBTQ+ content. One image observed by the outlet showed a nude girl jumping on top of a table and another of a boy with an unknown liquid substance splashed across his genitals.
On March 26, however, the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office confirmed that a grand jury returned with a No Bill, choosing not to indict the two parties in a legal episode connected to four photos confiscated by police from the Diaries of Home exhibit.
“The case was presented to a Tarrant County Grand Jury, which returned a “No Bill” decision,” the Fort Worth Police Department said, per WFAA. “We respect the Grand Jury’s decision, and any items related to the case will be returned to their rightful owners.”
Even still, citizens have expressed deep concern about the implications of intertwining art with sexual exploitation and child pornography.
“Protecting society’s most vulnerable, particularly our children, was a key motivator for my decision to run for office. It is crucial that our legal framework leaves no room for predators to misuse the realm of art to display child nudity. Should any loopholes exist, we are prepared to address and eliminate them in the upcoming legislative session in Texas,” House District 91 State Rep. David Lowe previously told DX.
“There are images on display at this museum that are grossly inappropriate at best. They should be taken down immediately and investigated by law enforcement for any and all potential criminal violations. Children must be protected, and decency must prevail,” Tarrant County Judge Tim O’Hare told DX in December.
“This is emblematic of what happens when the culture of a city is focused on growth and business only. If you’re not also focused on upholding moral standards, this kind of degeneracy creeps in. Our wonderful museums should be promoting excellence instead of radical perversion. These values are indistinguishable from San Francisco’s,” Tarrant County Republican Party Chairman Bo French previously said to DX.
Mann’s work has provoked praise and outrage for 30 years. In 1992, a writer in The New York Times Magazine called her work “disturbing.”
Art critics have favored Mann’s artistic expression, and her work has appeared in various venues worldwide, including the United States, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Others continue to condemn her photos, noting that freedom of expression should not be at the expense of children.