Intruders cut off the head part,
The damage before the controversy over the coronation of the Virgin Mary displayed in an Austrian cathedral / Photo = Linz Cathedral of Saint Mary’s homepage in Austria.,
, “The controversial sculpture ‘Coronation’ by the artist that sparked the blasphemy controversy was removed from an Austrian cathedral just a day after being displayed.”,
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, “According to the Washington Post and other sources on the 3rd local time, the Cathedral of Saint Mary in Linz, Austria, dismantled the sculpture ‘Coronation’ devised by contemporary artist Esther Strauss on the 1st.”,
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, ‘The damage to the sculpture occurred because intruders broke in during the night just a day after the artwork was displayed inside the cathedral, cutting off the head portion of the Virgin Mary statue.’,
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, ‘The damaged artwork depicted Virgin Mary sitting on a rock giving birth to Jesus, which sharply contrasted with the beautiful and solemn depiction of Virgin Mary seen in traditional religious art.’,
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, ‘In the piece, Virgin Mary is depicted with her skirt pulled back and legs spread in a posture commonly taken by women for childbirth. Her expression is also contorted with agony.’,
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, ‘The artwork also portrays Virgin Mary’s body in a less idealized manner, featuring a protruding pregnant belly and thick legs, which were realistically sculpted.’,
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, ‘As a result, this artwork had already caused dissatisfaction among some Catholics even before the exhibition, with criticisms that it was inappropriate to display it in a cathedral.’,
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, ‘There were also online petitions demanding its removal, claiming it was blasphemous towards the Virgin Mary. Over 12,000 people signed the petition.’,
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, ‘In response to the vandalism of the artwork, the Diocese of Linz stated in a declaration, “We were aware that displaying this artwork would cause controversy.” They expressed regret if the artwork had offended some believers but strongly condemned the attack on art and vandalism.’,
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, ‘The female artist who conceived the artwork, Strauss, defended her creation by stating, “The image of the Virgin Mary in traditional artworks is mostly created by men and trapped in the patriarchal system. In my artwork, the Virgin Mary has reclaimed her body.”‘,
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, ‘The sculptor Teresa Limburger, who sculpted the artwork based on Strauss’s concept, expressed, “I expected controversy, but I never imagined the artwork would be destroyed.”‘,
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