The Women's Museum in Denmark
Hosting Crucified Pregnant Teenager
On 14th February a 5 metre high crucifix
in copper with a pregnant teenager is set up in front of the Women's Museum in
Aarhus, beside the Cathedral. The crucifix is a global sculptural outcry from
the controversial Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot against Bible fundamentalists’
allegation that God allows nothing else than chastity and unprotected sex.
The sculpture is
titled In the Name of God. The sculpture has just been exhibited for more
than two months in front of the Cathedral of Copenhagen. Other copies have
recently been displayed at the World Social Forum in Kenya. The artist is
envisaging exhibitions on St. Peter’s sq. in Rome, in the European Parliament,
in the US and some other sites. The project is an artistic comment to the
extreme Bible fundamentalists – with President Bush and the Pope in the lead –
who preach sexual abstinence until marriage as the only method to avoid
HIV contamination and unwanted pregnancy.
They will bomb back
sexual education and ban information on contraception that they see as an
invitation to voluptuousness. In the same token the Roman Catholic church
asserts that contraception is impermissible according to the biblical
doctrines, so they advocate the absurd allegation that only ‘unprotected sex’
is admissible. The consequences may be disastrous for the proliferation of AIDS
an STD’s and so the result will be increased suffering, Jens Galschiot says
and continues: The sculpture is not a comment on the issue of
abortion or stem cells, but should be seen as an artistic advocacy for the
right to contraception and unprejudiced sexual education.
The first sculpture
was put up in front of the Cathedral of Copenhagen on 1st December, the
international AIDS day. Dean Anders Gadegaard, the municipality of Copenhagen
and Our Lady’s Church had authorized the sculpture to be set up on the square
in front of the Cathedral. Anders Gadegaard explains: It is important for
the church to join this art manifestation to emphasize that the Bible should
not be used to preach against contraception, but on the contrary churches
everywhere should join the efforts to combat the proliferation of HIV and
display compassion and solidarity with those infected and their families.
The pregnant
teenager symbolizes innocence. The child that has been lead astray due to
ignorance, impulsiveness or maybe is the victim of rape is mercilessly exposed
to the ultimate punishment. The association to Jesus as the innocent
sacrificial lamb is apparent.
The sculpture is not a global
accusation against Christianity. On the contrary, I admire those Christians who
take the Gospel’s claim of charity seriously – and act accordingly. I think
that progressive Christians should dissociate themselves from the abuse of
‘their’ God for the sake of a reactionary contraception policy, Jens Galschiot
declares and continues: To sustain the debate we have uploaded comprehensive
documentation on our website: www.aidoh.dk.
There you’ll also find a debate forum.
The American
development aid for family planning and fight against AIDS is only granted for
programs advocating sexual abstinence until marriage, while information about
safe sex and condoms has been banned. The fatal consequences are already
apparent in many countries: increasing number of HIV contaminations and
unwanted pregnancies, particularly in Africa.
The Roman Catholic
Church is deeply rooted in many developing countries. Hence it has a
considerable impact on their sexual policy. But also in the West it’s becoming
a powerful factor. After 2004, with the admission of several East European
countries, Catholicism has at a single blow become the biggest religion of the
Community. The Vatican is exerting a massive lobbying effort in the EU and the
UN. Due to their special status of being a state and a religious community they
join the negotiation of the inner political circles.
The Bush government and the
Vatican make up a powerful alliance in their common crusade against
contraception and sexual education with a considerable sway on the sexual
policy as well in the West as in the developing countries. Their strategies
represent a frontal attack on the advances of feminism, on women’s right to
decide about their body and on the right to education about sex and health,
including contraception.
Jens Galschiot, Denmark, born 1954, sculptor. He stakes his art to defend the ethical
values of our society, regardless of political, religious or economic
interests. His sculptures suddenly appear in public areas and start the
performance. Best known are My Inner Beast (European cities in 1993) and
the Pillar of Shame (Hong Kong, Mexico and Brazil).
The projects are financed through the sale of Galschiot’s bronze
sculptures to art collectors all over the world. He has a huge industrial area
in Odense, Denmark with a bronze foundry, gallery and workshop.
More information: www.aidoh.dk/InTheNameOfGod