Controversial exhibition in Mexico generates criticism for sexualized use of religious

The Catholic Church in Mexico and activists in the country criticized an art exhibition that uses Religious imagessuch as the Virgin Mary or the Pascual Cirio, to show them sexualized.

The prelates regretted that art has been used to “hurt sensitivity and sacred symbols of any community, since this does not build bridges, but deepens the divisions in our society.”

The bishops made this statement after the controversy raised by “The coming of the Lord”, an exhibition by Mexican artist Fabián Cháirez, opened on February 5 at the Academy of San Carlos, an institution that belongs to the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) In Mexico City. The exhibition presents works that fuse religious iconography with sexual elements.

In its statementthe Mexican Episcopate Conference (CEM) regretted that art is used for “mockery, contempt and intolerance towards other community members.”

Without explicitly referring to the cháirez blasphemous sample, the bishops of Mexico pointed out: “This is the case of an exhibition that is currently offered in Mexico City, to our surprise, in a public studies house that has as the first value of its code of ethics, peaceful coexistence and respect for cultural, ethnic and personal diversity ”.

They also called on artists to use their gift as an “instrument of peace”, highlighting that authentic art does not need to “desecrate the sacred to be provocative, its greatest provocation must be the appeal to the most authentic of the human being, its Dignity, its importance and its ability to build a better world. ”

Within the framework of the Jubilee of the Artists, a special event within the Jubilee Year convened by the Catholic Church to recognize and celebrate the work of artists in evangelization and culture, the bishops called for “this jubilee is an opportunity To renew our commitment to art expressions that they build, that unann, that they heal and reveal the glory of God in every living human being. ”

Symbolic closure of the exhibition that “profane the sacred”

Members of the Activate Signature Collection Platform, together with members of civil society, carried out a symbolic closing of the exhibition. The protesters, with crosses in the mouth and the motto “Do not offend my faith in the name of the art”, entered the exhibition room and placed closing tapes around the works.

They also delivered a letter to the Rectory of the UNAM, signed by 113 students of the UNAM Catholic Community and backed by more than 10,000 citizen signatures on the Activate Signature Collection Platform, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the exhibition.

Speaking to ACI Press, Uriel Esqueda, who headed this action, said that the intention was to “make a disruptive action in which the message just to the Catholic community of rejection about these works that offends our religious freedom” and “and“ and “and“ They make fun of the Holy Spirit, priests and bishops. ”

Following this action, Esqueda commented that Fabián Cháirez expressed his willingness to dialogue, and that both parties could meet next week, waiting to define the place and date.

Finally, he invited more people to sign the campaign in Activate and announced that next week they will formally deliver the request in the direction of the institution that houses the exhibition.