2006-04-17 - Western Daily
Press - Chocolate Christ
Originally uploaded by Guise Dugal.

Chocolate crucifix 'takes the mickey' out of Jesus

A sculptor has sparked fury among Christians at an Easter arts exhibition with his collection of chocolate crucifixes. Experimental artist George Heslop displayed all 17 of his white, milk and dark chocolate sculptures, complete with Jesus' iconic corpse, at a gallery in Bradford on Avon, Wiltshire.

The 47-year-old even created a life-size chocolate model of the crucifixion as the centrepiece of his three-week display.

But Christians in the town have attacked the exhibition as blasphemous and now want the gallery to pull the plug on the show. Father Conrad Lowry, from St Thomas More Catholic church, said: "The exhibition is making fun out of Easter and that saddens me so much.

"In reality, the crucifixion was anything but fun.

"It was a ghastly, painful and bloody event in which Jesus Christ was nailed to a cross and suffered the ultimate humiliation.

"So this exhibition is making light of one of the saddest days of the year, one of the greatest tragedies, which is both blasphemous and entirely without feeling."

Mr Heslop, a professional artist for the past 14 years, began creating chocolate crucifixes as a result of his fascination with religious iconography. The models are made using a mixture of supermarket own-brand and organic chocolate to resemble the texture of wood, bronze and marble used in more traditional sculpture.

Seventeen pieces, which measure between 10 and 12 inches in height, have been on display at Bradford on Avon's Ale and Porter Arts Gallery since April 8.

Mr Heslop, a father-of-one, travelled to the gallery from his home in Newcastle and constructed a lifesize model of Jesus on the cross.

Christ's body was formed with chicken wire and covered in dark chocolate, and was then 'nailed' to a 6ft 6in by 4ft 5in wooden cross.

Mr Heslop, a Christian, believes the display 'spreads the message' to non-believers about Christ's death and subsequent resurrection.

He said: "I was brought-up in a Church of England family and attended Sunday School as a boy. It was at this early age that I deyeloped a fascination with religious iconography which I developed later in life.

"I started making crucifixes out of chocolate a while ago, because it is such a great medium to work with, it lends itself to sculpture incredibly well.

"So I decided to use chocolate to make about 17 new crucifixes for the Easter exhibition.

"Chocolate is rather unusual so I hope that news of the exhibition will spread the message about Christ and his life.

"It is, after all, no more unusual than buying Easter bunnies or eggs, which have little significance at this time of year."

But Fr Lowry believes the exhibition is taking the mickey out of one of the most important days in the Christian calendar.

He said: "The gallery says the exhibition is intended to spread the Easter message, but I'm really saddened by it all.

"Jesus Christ was such an extraordinary person who did so much for mankind and in the end they crucified him.

"So to see an effigy of him in chocolate is taking the mickey out of the whole thing."

Despite the controversy surrounding the exhibition, gallery owner Fiona Haser said: "I appreciate that the exhibition could be described by some as controversial, but I believe it is an interesting way of highlighting the Easter message."

(Source: Western Daily Press, 17 April 2006)

If you are given a chocolate crucifixion scene at Easter, would you rather it was...

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