German fashion designer and entrepreneur Harald Glööckler’s video from August this year has gone viral on social media platform X, formerly Twitter, sparking anger among the Christian community.
Michelangelo Buonarroti's Pietà 2.0 with tattooed Jesus Christ and trans Madonna. pic.twitter.com/nMtnBqQ4nf
— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) November 30, 2023
A photo starring trans artist Glööckler at the ‘Beyond Fame The Art of the Stars’ event in Dusseldorf in August has resurfaced on social media. The painting shows a trans woman Virgin Mary holding an adult-tattoed Jesus, posed by Glööckler himself.
The photo is an adaptation of Michelangelo Buonarroti’s Pietà which is a sculpture of Jesus and Mary at Mount Golgotha. It is displayed in Saint Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City.
In the video, Glööckler can be seen unveiling the photo amid nothing but the sounds of cameras clicking. The German artist can be seen pointing to the photo and calling it “Pietà”, much to his amusement.
The photo shows a trans woman dressed in a stark red cape and holding a trans and tattoed Jesus posed by Glööckler. Looking at his photo, one can tell that this Jesus had his (or her?) lips and nails done too.
The video was shared by a user on X named Radio Genoa captioned, “Michelangelo Buonarroti’s Pietà 2.0 with tattooed Jesus Christ and trans Madonna.
What an ovation. Not!
— Katie Hopkins (@Hellohowru12345) December 1, 2023
Replying to the post, British commentator Katie Hopkins said, “What an ovation. Not!” Another user shared their disgust at the “obscene cashing-in on the world’s greatest artist”.
Pay attention: This is an example of sac-religious and obscene cashing-in on the world's greatest artist. It is a mockery of everything wholesome and decent. It's a measure of how deeply putrefied our culture has become.
— Nancy Mackenzie (@NancyMa16153771) November 30, 2023
A user thanked god that Michelangelo was not alive to see the photo.
Thank god Michelangelo is not alive to see this!
— Lee Kuan Yew Wisdom! (@LKYMM23) November 30, 2023
Another user said, “Seeing the way they’re openly mocking their creator just made me feel an anger that I have never felt before”.
I'm not going to lie. Seeing the way they're openly mocking their creator just made me feel an anger that I've never felt before.
— SheepDog Society LLC (@QPsyOps) December 1, 2023
One user called it an abomination and an insult while another asked why such a thing is not done to other religions like Islam.
Funny how they only do this with Christian iconography, it’s such a boring and completely safe version of “look mom! Look how edgy I am!”
— Luka Hein (@onedonebun) November 30, 2023
You want to actually be subversive, why not do one of the other religions like Islam or Judaism? Or any other religion?
Some users also heavily criticised Harald Glööckler for his tacky appearance. The artist was dressed in a swimsuit-like black one-piece, bright red lipstick, a choker pearl necklace and high-heeled pump boots.
Both the painting and the painter are Hideous!
— Seriously doing nothing! (@menothingdoing) November 30, 2023
In a more funny response, a user wrote, “Why do all these people literally look like the capital city people from Hunger Games? They know they’re the bad guys, right? Right?”
Why do all these people literally look like the capital city people from Hunger Games? They know they're the bad guys, right? Right?
— Jilted Valkyrie (@JiltedValkyrie) November 30, 2023
The video has predictably irked a lot of conservative Christians, who find no qualms in perverting and distorting the beliefs of other religions under the pretext of Western ideals of ‘Freedom of Expression’ but get worked up and agitated when others take creative liberty to depict alternative narratives to Christian imagination.
