"My Sweet Lord"

**voivod** · 03.30.07, 09:47 AM

March 29: 'My Sweet Lord,' a chocolate statue by artist Cosimo Cavallaro of a naked Jesus hangs at Ranieris Sculpture Casting studio in New York.

Catholic Group Infuriated by Anatomically Correct Chocolate Jesus Sculpture

The Easter season unveiling of a milk chocolate sculpture of Jesus Christ, dubbed "My Sweet Lord" by its creator, left a sour taste Thursday in the mouths of a Catholic group infuriated by the anatomically correct confection.

"This is one of the worst assaults on Christian sensibilities ever," said Bill Donohue, head of the watchdog Catholic League. "It's not just the ugliness of the portrayal, but the timing — to choose Holy Week is astounding."

The 6-foot sculpture by artist Cosimo Cavallaro was to debut Monday evening, the day after Palm Sunday and just four days before Roman Catholics mark the crucifixion of Jesus Christ on Good Friday. The final day of the exhibit at the Lab Gallery inside midtown Manhattan's Roger Smith Hotel was planned for Easter Sunday.

"The fact that they chose Holy Week shows this is calculated, and the timing is deliberate," said Donohue, whose group represents 350,000 Catholics nationwide.

He called for an economic boycott of the hotel, which he described as "already morally bankrupt."

The gallery's creative director, Matt Semler, said the Lab and the hotel were overrun with angry telephone calls and e-mails about the exhibit. Although he described Donohue's response as "a Catholic fatwa," Semler said the gallery was considering its options amid the criticism.

"We're obviously surprised by the overwhelming response and offense people have taken," said Semler, adding that the Holy Week timing was an unfortunate coincidence. "We are certainly in the process of trying to figure out what we're going to do next."

The artwork was created from more than 200 pounds of milk chocolate, and it features Christ with his arms outstretched as if on an invisible cross. Unlike the typical religious portrayal of Christ, the Cavallaro creation does not include a loincloth.

Cavallaro, who was raised in Canada and Italy, is best known for his quirky work with food as art: Past efforts include repainting a Manhattan hotel room in melted mozzarella, spraying 5 tons of pepper jack cheese on a Wyoming home and festooning a four-poster bed with 312 pounds of processed ham.

The Christ sculpture will be on display April 2-7 from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a final showing from midnight to 1 a.m. on Easter Sunday. Its location on the first floor ensures attention from the thousands of passers-by in the busy neighborhood just north of Grand Central Terminal.

Semler was particularly upset by the call for a boycott of the hotel, which he said was not involved in the selection of "My Sweet Lord."

It's not the first time that Donohue's group and the art world have been at odds. A painting of "The Holy Virgin Mary" that used a splash of elephant dung drew outrage in 1999.

**Otis5150** · 03.30.07, 10:01 AM

Yeah. I'm more of a dark chocolate fan myself....

**MF5150** · 03.30.07, 10:30 AM

My Dad works for a company called Russell Stover's and for last Easter they were going to come out with a Chocolate Cross filled with some sort of cream or something. They were also thinking of coming out with other delectable Religious treats...

**chefcraig** · 03.30.07, 11:10 AM

Big deal, it merely encourages folk to partake of the lord. "Break of a piece of the holy host!"

Beats the heck out of that shitty Virgin Mary.

If this was Islamic territory, the guy would get a death sentence. Worked for cartoons, certainly would for chocolate.

**FORD** · 03.30.07, 03:09 PM

Well, Jesus DID say that you were supposed to take communion in remembrance of Him by eating his "flesh" and drinking his "blood". And a life size chocolate Christ looks more like Him than any loaf of bread I've ever seen. Let alone those little crackers that the Catholics use.

And Bill Donohue needs to pull the stick out of his ass. I wonder if he's a mean old jackass because he was the only altar boy who DIDN'T get fucked by the priest??

**DoHalen5150** · 03.30.07, 08:11 PM

The archdiochese in Boston, should jump on this band wagon, could make back all the money that they lost to the pedofile priest cases.

Maybe this is my way of making some cash as well. I'll make the chocolate treats, sell em to the church, they then sell em to the people. Everyone wins. Church can buy back all its land that it had to sell off, the people will think of Jesus while they gorge themselves on chocolate, and I will make a hefty profit.

**sisca** · 03.30.07, 08:54 PM

what, do they think Jesus wasnt packin a johnson? he was a man. get over it!

**voivod** · 03.30.07, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by sisca

what, do they think Jesus wasnt packin a johnson? he was a man. get over it!

Melts in your mouth, not in your hands...

**Wickett** · 03.31.07, 06:21 AM

The local news here reported this morning that the hotel has cancelled the showing.

The artist was asked in a interview "would you make a chocolate Mohammad?" he replied "no, I'm not Muslim, it's not something that I identify with." as he claims to be Christian.