A poster in the southern Spanish city of Seville depicting a young, handsome Jesus wearing only a loincloth has caused a storm on social media. Some have labeled it an insult to the figure of Christ and others have posted obscenities and memes mocking the image.
The poster by the internationally recognized Seville artist Salustiano García Cruz shows a fresh-faced Jesus without the crown of thorns, no suffering face and small wounds on the hands and ribs. It was commissioned to promote the celebration of Holy Week leading up to Easter in Seville. The artist has dismissed critics of the poster as old fashioned. The mayor of Seville said he liked the poster.
As soon as it was announced last week, criticism of it went viral on social media and a debate broke out over how the resurrected Christ should be portrayed. Many consider it shameful, inappropriate, too beautiful, modern and not in line with the Seville Easter tradition.
Spain is predominantly Catholic and church traditions such as weddings, baptisms and religious processions are very popular among believers and non-believers alike. A campaign on Change.org to have the Jesus poster withdrawn has been signed by around 14,000 people from across the country.
Critics of the poster found the depiction of Christ to be “too modern.” AP
The artist, García, defended the work and dismissed critics of the poster as old-fashioned.
“There is nothing revolutionary in the painting,” García told the Atlas news agency. “There is contemporary, but all the elements I use are elements that have been used in the last seven centuries in sacred art.
“I don’t see at what point, at what element, people who don’t like it don’t like it,” he said.
In another interview published by the daily El Mundo, Garcia responded to criticism from conservative groups that the depiction of Jesus is “feminine” or “homoerotic.”
“Christ is gay because he looks sweet and handsome, come on! We are in the 21st century,” said García.
The artist said he used his son, Horacio, as a model for the poster.
“It surprised us because everything was done with respect,” Horacio Garcia told Atlas.
“A lot of controversy comes from the fact that the model is too good, Christ is too handsome, too attractive,” he said. But it’s not all bad: Horacio Garcia says he’s also received a lot of compliments and well wishes from the public.
The Brotherhood’s General Council has so far ignored calls to replace the posters before Holy Week at the end of March. In past years, several posters for different Catholic festivals have been withdrawn following criticism.
Seville Mayor José Luis Sanz labeled the controversy “fabricated.”
“I like the poster,” he said, adding that not all Holy Week posters can be the same every year. “Some posters are riskier, some are more classic, some are more daring.”
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
