Ecce Homo (exhibition)
Encyclopedia
Ecce Homo is a controversial exhibition
of 12 photographs of different biblical situations, in modern surroundings, taken by the Swedish
photographer Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin. The first vernissage
of the exhibition was in Stockholm
, July 1998 and attracted a lot of attention. As the exhibition was shown in the cathedral of Uppsala
, in September same year, it raised a national debate. The reactions was often very emotional, and both positive and negative. The photos portrayed Jesus
among homosexuals
, trans people, leatherpeople
and people with AIDS
. The exhibition toured Scandinavia
and continental Europe
between 1998 and 2004.
motif
s, but substituted the persons or the surrounding context with lesbian
, gay
, bisexual
and transgender
-related (LGBT
) issues and persons. An example of context substitution is the recreation of the motif of Mary holding Jesus (the Pietà
motif), with the surrounding context being that of a medical facility, with Jesus dying from AIDS.
The photographs are all connected to, and shown together with, quotations from the Bible
and depicts: Annunciation
Luk 1:30-31, Birth of Jesus
Luk 2:7, Baptism of Jesus
Luk 3:21-22, Woes of the Pharisees
Matt 23:13, The Arriving to Jerusalem Luk 19:37 -40, Last Supper
Matt 26:26 -28, The kiss of Judas
Matt 26:45 - 48, Jesus being weighed down by the cross Mark 15:17 - 20, Crucifixion of Jesus
Matt 27:45 - 46, Pietà
n Joh 19:26, Jesus showing himself to the women
Matt 28:9 - 10 and Heaven
Matt 18:18. Many of the pictures are inspired of classical paintings and all of them are photographed in a modern surrounding. The photographer has deliberately used homosexual models to communicate the likeness between biblical situations of being unaccepted and modern ones, and to show the all-embracing love of God
. On the photo of the Last Supper there are transgendered instead of homosexual models, as a comment of the fact that Jesus according to the Bible often partook in meals together with people not accepted by society.
, it sparked an intense debate both from within the church and from other churches. It was shown inside Uppsala Cathedral
with the permission of the dean
Tuulikki Koivunen Bylund, sanctioned by K. G. Hammar
, the archbishop of Uppsala
and head of the Church of Sweden. The opinion of Swedish society was deeply polarized, with some considering it to be a radical expression of Christian love while others considered it to be sacrilegious
. According to Hammar, "We had two piles of letters, they were about the same size all of the time."
Some LGBT
members of the church described the showing and defend the exhibition as the first time they felt at home in the church and embraced by it. Other LGBT
members felt the erotic pictures perpetuated stereotypes about their community, or felt more alienate
d from the church after the vitriolic debate that followed the exhibition. Tord Harlin, the bishop of Uppsala, described the exhibition as "At best it is bad theology
, at worst it is blasphemy." Reflecting upon the exhibition in an interview in 2004, K. G. Hammar said:
"Yes I found the picture difficult at a personal level, but that wasn't the issue. This was about homosexuals, a group who have a hard time to feel at home in the church. Should pictures which in a very charged way illustrated their part in Jesus be removed just because we found them difficult on a personal level? Then we would have sent the signal that the church and the homosexuals are two different worlds which are not to be mixed."
The photo considered most controversial was the one portraying the baptism of Jesus
, in which the penis
of the Jesus character was visible.
As a result of archbishop K. G. Hammar's sanction and defense of the exhibition, the Pope
cancelled the planned audience he previously had granted Hammar.
Art exhibition
Art exhibitions are traditionally the space in which art objects meet an audience. The exhibit is universally understood to be for some temporary period unless, as is rarely true, it is stated to be a "permanent exhibition". In American English, they may be called "exhibit", "exposition" or...
of 12 photographs of different biblical situations, in modern surroundings, taken by the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
photographer Elisabeth Ohlson Wallin. The first vernissage
Vernissage
A vernissage is a term used for a preview of an art exhibition, often private, before the formal opening. Guests may be served canapés and wine as they discuss with artists and others the works in the exhibition...
of the exhibition was in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, July 1998 and attracted a lot of attention. As the exhibition was shown in the cathedral of Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
, in September same year, it raised a national debate. The reactions was often very emotional, and both positive and negative. The photos portrayed Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
among homosexuals
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, trans people, leatherpeople
Leather subculture
The leather subculture denotes practices and styles of dress organized around sexual activities. Wearing leather garments is one way that participants in this culture self-consciously distinguish themselves from mainstream sexual cultures...
and people with AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. The exhibition toured Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
and continental Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
between 1998 and 2004.
The photographs
The photos recreated classical ChristianChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
motif
Motif (art)
In art, a motif is an element of a pattern, an image or part of one, or a theme. A motif may be repeated in a design or composition, often many times, or may just occur once in a work. A motif may be an element in the iconography of a particular subject or type of subject that is seen in other...
s, but substituted the persons or the surrounding context with lesbian
Lesbian
Lesbian is a term most widely used in the English language to describe sexual and romantic desire between females. The word may be used as a noun, to refer to women who identify themselves or who are characterized by others as having the primary attribute of female homosexuality, or as an...
, gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
, bisexual
Bisexuality
Bisexuality is sexual behavior or an orientation involving physical or romantic attraction to both males and females, especially with regard to men and women. It is one of the three main classifications of sexual orientation, along with a heterosexual and a homosexual orientation, all a part of the...
and transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
-related (LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
) issues and persons. An example of context substitution is the recreation of the motif of Mary holding Jesus (the Pietà
Pietà
The Pietà is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, most often found in sculpture. As such, it is a particular form of the Lamentation of Christ, a scene from the Passion of Christ found in cycles of the Life of Christ...
motif), with the surrounding context being that of a medical facility, with Jesus dying from AIDS.
The photographs are all connected to, and shown together with, quotations from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and depicts: Annunciation
Annunciation
The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her...
Luk 1:30-31, Birth of Jesus
Nativity of Jesus
The Nativity of Jesus, or simply The Nativity, refers to the accounts of the birth of Jesus in two of the Canonical gospels and in various apocryphal texts....
Luk 2:7, Baptism of Jesus
Baptism of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of Jesus Christ's public ministry. This event is recorded in the Canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. In John 1:29-33 rather than a direct narrative, the Baptist bears witness to the episode...
Luk 3:21-22, Woes of the Pharisees
Woes of the Pharisees
The Woes of the Pharisees is a list of criticisms by Jesus against Scribes and Pharisees and Lawyers that is present in the Gospel of Luke and Gospel of Matthew...
Matt 23:13, The Arriving to Jerusalem Luk 19:37 -40, Last Supper
Last Supper
The Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "communion" or "the Lord's Supper".The First Epistle to the Corinthians is...
Matt 26:26 -28, The kiss of Judas
The Kiss of Judas
According to the Synoptic Gospels, Judas identified Jesus to the soldiers by means of a kiss. This is the kiss of Judas, also known as the Betrayal of Christ, which occurs in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper, and leads directly to the arrest of Jesus by the police force of the...
Matt 26:45 - 48, Jesus being weighed down by the cross Mark 15:17 - 20, Crucifixion of Jesus
Crucifixion of Jesus
The crucifixion of Jesus and his ensuing death is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross...
Matt 27:45 - 46, Pietà
Pietà
The Pietà is a subject in Christian art depicting the Virgin Mary cradling the dead body of Jesus, most often found in sculpture. As such, it is a particular form of the Lamentation of Christ, a scene from the Passion of Christ found in cycles of the Life of Christ...
n Joh 19:26, Jesus showing himself to the women
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
Matt 28:9 - 10 and Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
Matt 18:18. Many of the pictures are inspired of classical paintings and all of them are photographed in a modern surrounding. The photographer has deliberately used homosexual models to communicate the likeness between biblical situations of being unaccepted and modern ones, and to show the all-embracing love of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. On the photo of the Last Supper there are transgendered instead of homosexual models, as a comment of the fact that Jesus according to the Bible often partook in meals together with people not accepted by society.
Controversy
As the exhibition toured Sweden, primarily in churches and congregations of the Lutheran Church of SwedenChurch of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...
, it sparked an intense debate both from within the church and from other churches. It was shown inside Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala Cathedral
Uppsala Cathedral is a cathedral located centrally in the city of Uppsala, Sweden. It dates back to the late 13th century and at a height of 118.7 m is the tallest church building in Scandinavia. Originally built under Roman Catholicism and used for coronations of the Swedish monarch, since the...
with the permission of the dean
Dean (religion)
A dean, in a church context, is a cleric holding certain positions of authority within a religious hierarchy. The title is used mainly in the Anglican Communion and the Roman Catholic Church.-Anglican Communion:...
Tuulikki Koivunen Bylund, sanctioned by K. G. Hammar
K. G. Hammar
thumb|K. G. HammarKarl Gustav Hilding Hammar , commonly referred to as K. G. Hammar, is a Swedish clergyman. He was Archbishop of Uppsala, head of the Church of Sweden, from 1997 to 2006...
, the archbishop of Uppsala
Archbishop of Uppsala
The Archbishop of Uppsala has been the primate in Sweden in an unbroken succession since 1164, first during the Catholic era, and from the 1530s and onward under the Lutheran church.- Historical overview :...
and head of the Church of Sweden. The opinion of Swedish society was deeply polarized, with some considering it to be a radical expression of Christian love while others considered it to be sacrilegious
Sacrilege
Sacrilege is the violation or injurious treatment of a sacred object. In a less proper sense, any transgression against the virtue of religion would be a sacrilege. It can come in the form of irreverence to sacred persons, places, and things...
. According to Hammar, "We had two piles of letters, they were about the same size all of the time."
Some LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
members of the church described the showing and defend the exhibition as the first time they felt at home in the church and embraced by it. Other LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
members felt the erotic pictures perpetuated stereotypes about their community, or felt more alienate
Social alienation
The term social alienation has many discipline-specific uses; Roberts notes how even within the social sciences, it “is used to refer both to a personal psychological state and to a type of social relationship”...
d from the church after the vitriolic debate that followed the exhibition. Tord Harlin, the bishop of Uppsala, described the exhibition as "At best it is bad theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
, at worst it is blasphemy." Reflecting upon the exhibition in an interview in 2004, K. G. Hammar said:
"Yes I found the picture difficult at a personal level, but that wasn't the issue. This was about homosexuals, a group who have a hard time to feel at home in the church. Should pictures which in a very charged way illustrated their part in Jesus be removed just because we found them difficult on a personal level? Then we would have sent the signal that the church and the homosexuals are two different worlds which are not to be mixed."
The photo considered most controversial was the one portraying the baptism of Jesus
Baptism of Jesus
The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of Jesus Christ's public ministry. This event is recorded in the Canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. In John 1:29-33 rather than a direct narrative, the Baptist bears witness to the episode...
, in which the penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
of the Jesus character was visible.
As a result of archbishop K. G. Hammar's sanction and defense of the exhibition, the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
cancelled the planned audience he previously had granted Hammar.