Holy Week poster sparks heated discussion

A painting of Jesus by a Spanish artist is being heavily criticized by some Christians. A conservative organization is even threatening to sue.

Seville – A picture of Jesus is causing a heated controversy in Spain. The artist Salustiano García Cruz designed a Jesus poster for “Semana Santa”, Holy Week in Seville. There is great criticism among the citizens of Seville. The poster depicts Jesus as too pretty, too sexy, too profane and too kitschy. While a real debate arose, the artist takes it with humor.

Debate about Jesus picture for Holy Week in Spain – too sexy and too pretty

Many people are amazed when they see the Jesus poster from Seville. Jesus is depicted with unusual, fine, and for some even too feminine facial features. His long hair reaches down to his shoulders, and instead of a crown of thorns there is a kind of halo on his head. Only small wounds can be seen on one hand and in the chest area; the abdomen is covered by a cloth. There is no sign of the suffering of Jesus Christ during the crucifixion.

“To be honest, I don’t like it. I don't feel represented, not by a long shot, nor does it represent Seville,” said a passerby in a video from euronews. “Religion is based on a Christ, a certain kind of Christ. And the fact that he is portrayed as if he were 20 years old is unnatural,” is the verdict of a young woman. “We are used to other types of posters and we were a bit surprised,” one man tells the station. “I see it as something new and something we are not used to. We are used to other types of Holy Week posters in Seville,” he added.

Jesus picture for Holy Week in Seville: Spanish institute threatens to sue

The picture was commissioned by the General Council of the Semana Santa Brotherhoods. Holy Week in Seville, like many other Spanish cities and villages, is celebrated with processions. The work, which some have even castigated as “blasphemous,” is used as a poster to promote the Easter celebrations surrounding the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the traditional city in the south of Spain.

The Spanish Institute for Social Policy (IPSE), a conservative citizens' organization, wants to prevent the poster with a clear threat. The institute calls on all fraternities to remove the poster, according to the newspaper ABC reported. If this does not happen, the organization would file a lawsuit in court.

Criticism of Jesus picture in Spain – artist defends himself: “Follow his own dirtiness”

The artist took the criticism calmly and responded with humor. His son was the model and he wanted to show a resurrected Jesus, the brighter side of Holy Week. For critics who consider his work to be at least too sexy, García had a clear answer: “If someone sees something dirty in my picture, then it is the result of their own dirtiness, which they are projecting onto the picture.”

Salustiano García Cruz receives support from the mayor of Seville, José Luis Sanz, who defends the artist and his work. “I like it, it's brave and takes risks,” he quoted as saying ABC. All the excitement is a bit “artificial”.

In Germany, a debate arose during an exhibition in a Nuremberg church in the summer of 2023. The reason for this was the explicit depiction of homosexual love. (vk with material from dpa)