Attractive Jesus Christ? The artist's painting has sparked controversy on social media

By Nicole Acevedo – NBC News

The controversy sparked in Spain and on social media by a poster of Jesus created to promote Holy Week in Seville has sparked mixed reactions among Spanish conservatives, who consider the image “deviant” and Jesus “sexual and derogatory,” and social media users, who defend the artist's artistic vision and create memes mocking the image.

The Fraternity Council, which organizes the main events of Holy Week in Seville, Months ago he hired the famous artist Salustiano Garcia Creating a poster for the celebration.

Garcia unveiled the final product Saturday during an event attended by the leadership of Seville's Brotherhood Council and the city's mayor, José Luis Sánchez.

The painter later explained to local media that the figure of the resurrected Jesus painted on a plain red background was inspired by his son Horatio. Garcia's work was highly praised and appreciated during the painting's unveiling.

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Speaking to the media after the event, Horacio said that he had heard people say that the portrait of Jesus that his father had made.Very attractive. […] thank you very much. That's all I have to say.”

But after this event, criticism erupted.

Javier Navarro of Spain's far-right Vox party said on the social media site

Pablo Hertfelder García-Conte, head of the religious freedom organization IPSE, known for its ultra-conservative Catholic views, Commented On the social network X “the poster is offensive” and a variant and “does not fit with what is meant by Holy Week in Seville.”

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Organization of Christian Lawyers a Petition They have demanded that the poster be removed And Francisco Vélez, president of the Council of Brotherhoods, resigned.

The petition had gathered more than 21,000 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.

In response to criticism, the painter announced Spanish newspaper ABC His portrayal of Jesus is “sweet, elegant and beautiful” and is made with “deep reverence”.

“You'd have to be sick to see sexuality in my image of Christ,” he noted, adding, “There's nothing,” he said, “that wasn't already represented in works of art from hundreds of years ago.”

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A social network user replied To the violent reaction with a message: “Prepare yourselves for the homophobia to be unleashed by the Holy Week poster in Seville.”

Rafa López is a well-known Spanish sociologist and political scientist replied For criticism in a news program: “Those who were scandalized by the Holy Week poster in Seville, not because it was a tradition, but because They are deeply racist and homophobic.“.