Italy museum defies pope anger over crucified frog

[7/4]

August 28, 2008

Italy museum defies pope anger over crucified frog

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 4:51 p.m. ET

ROME (AP) -- An art museum in northern Italy said Thursday it will continue displaying a sculpture portraying a green frog nailed to a cross that has angered Pope Benedict XVI and local officials.

The board of the foundation of the Museion in the city of Bolzano voted to keep the work by the late German artist Martin Kippenberger, the museum said in a statement.

Earlier in August the pope had written a letter to Franz Pahl, the president of the Trentino-Alto Adige region that includes Bolzano, denouncing the sculpture.

It ''has offended the religious feelings of many people who consider the cross a symbol of God's love and of our redemption,'' Pahl quoted the pope as writing in the letter.

Pahl himself has long opposed the display of ''Zuerst die Fuesse'' (''First the Feet'' in German), even staging a hunger strike this summer and saying he would not seek re-election unless it was removed.

In a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Thursday, Pahl said he was outraged by the museum's decision to keep the work, which he claims ''pokes fun at the Catholic population and offends religion and the pope.''

The 1990 wooden sculpture shows the crucified frog nailed through the feet and hands like Jesus Christ. The frog, eyes popping and tongue sticking out, wears a loincloth and holds a mug of beer and an egg in its hands.

The museum said the 3-foot (1-meter) -tall sculpture has nothing to do with religion, but is an ironic self-portrait of the artist and an expression of his angst.

''With humor and a tragicomic sense, which belongs to art since the times of Greek tragedy, Kippenberger ... faces his condition of suffering, which he expresses in many works, also, for example, in a video in which he crucifies himself,'' the museum said in a statement.

Born in Dortmund, Kippenberger moved from painting and sculpture to work in all mediums, often combining elements of Neo-expressionism, Pop and Dadaism. His art has been displayed across the world, including Zurich, Paris, Jerusalem, London and New York.

He died in 1997, aged 43.

Edited August 28, 2008 by 7/4

[AllenLowe]

that frog is brown -

[7/4]

pretty strange lookin' sculpture...

...touchy folks.

.

[7/4]

how 'bout one in silver?

[7/4]

in green:

[7/4]

Have an egg Allen...

.

[Shawn]

that frog is brown -

"How now brown frog" just doesn't have the same ring to it...

[7/4]

But it sounds fresh!

.

[Van Basten II]

Shouldn't it be the french who should be insulted by the sculpture....

[Christiern]

I could perhaps understand a protest from the FFFF (Flemish Fraternity of Frog Fanciers). Since when has the Pope's organization had a monopoly on crosses? Religious fanatics (regardless of sect) are ridiculous.

[Willard]

[GA Russell]

He died in 1997, aged 43.

Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord.

[7/4]

that frog is brown -

red...more red to me.

.

[Christiern]

Maybe Popie would prefer a white frog?

[7/4]

I like the silver one.

[Uncle Skid]

He died in 1997, aged 43.

Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord.

If the LORD is that much of a pussy that he gets pissed off enough to kill someone over a stupid sculpture, it sounds like the LORD could use some anger management classes.

[7/4]

He died in 1997, aged 43.

Vengeance is mine, sayeth the Lord.

If the LORD is that much of a pussy that he gets pissed off enough to kill someone over a stupid sculpture, it sounds like the LORD could use some anger management classes.

[Jazzmoose]

Man, that takes balls. Fortunately, it appears the frog is well equipped...

[Niko]

watched a group of japanese tourists last week posing for crucification photos in the cologne cathedral

[BillF]

watched a group of japanese tourists last week posing for crucification photos in the cologne cathedral

Could catch on!

[Christiern]

Will we see jittery people in need of a crucifix?

[jostber]

Santa has also been crucified one time:

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/stor...?hub=TopStories

[7/4]

But the frog looks cooler.

.

[king ubu]

[Rosco]

It ''has offended the religious feelings of many people who consider the cross a symbol of God's love and of our redemption,'' Pahl quoted the pope as writing in the letter.

The apparatus used to put someone to death is 'a symbol of God's love and of our redemption'?

So, if Jesus had been hanged the symbol of God's love would have been a gallows?