A controversy has erupted in Spain and on social media over a poster of Jesus created to promote Easter Week festivities in the city of Seville. There was a mixed reaction from Spain’s conservatives, who deemed the image “abnormal” and “unwarranted.”sexual and feminine“Not just from Jesus, but also from social media users who defended the painter’s artistic vision or created memes making fun of the image.
The Brotherhood Council, which organizes the main events of Easter week in Seville, commissioned famous artist Salustiano García several months ago to create a painting to promote the celebration.
García unveiled the final product on Saturday at an event attended by leaders of Seville’s Brotherhood Council and the city’s mayor, José Luis Sanz.
The artist told local media at the time that his version of the risen Jesus, painted on a flat red background, was modeled after his son Horacio. Garcia’s work was met with high praise and applause during the painting’s unveiling.
in spoke to the media after the eventHoracio said he has heard people say about his father’s drawings of Jesus: “It was fascinating. … Thank you so much. That’s all I want to say.”
However, after the incident, criticism erupted.
Javier Navarro, from Spain’s far-right party Box, said on social media platform X that the poster was “aimed at provoking” and “encouraging faithful participation in Holy Week in Seville.” He said it does not further the mission.
Pablo Hertfelder García-Conde, president of IPSE, a religious freedom group known for its ultra-conservative Catholic views, said of It doesn’t match.”
A group of Christian lawyers has launched a petition calling for the posters to be removed and for Francisco Vélez, president of the Council of Brethren, to resign.
The petition had more than 21,000 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.
In response to the criticism, the artist told Spanish newspaper ABC that his depiction of Jesus was “gentle, elegant and beautiful” and was done with “deep respect”.
“You must be sick to see sexuality in my statue of Christ,” he said, adding that his paintings “have nothing to offer that isn’t already represented in works of art from hundreds of years ago.” He insisted that there was no such thing.
“Get ready for the homophobia that Seville Holy Week posters will unleash,” one X user wrote in response to the backlash.
Rafa López, a prominent Spanish sociologist and political scientist, also said on a news program: “Those who are scandalized by Seville’s Holy Week posters do so from the bottom of their hearts, not because it is a tradition.” “My body,” he replied to his critics. He’s racist and homophobic. ”
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