Greek art curator cleared of obscenity over crucifix painting

Greek art curator cleared of obscenity over crucifix painting

The court ruled that Christos Ioakeimidis had not intended to offend the Orthodox Christian faith and public decency by including the canvas in a major Athens contemporary art exhibition in November 2003.

"Asperges Me" ("Sprinkle Me"), by Belgian artist Thierry de Cordier, shows an erect penis ejaculating over a crucifix. Its showing at the state-funded "Outlook" exhibition, at the Athens School of Fine Art, outraged conservatives and Church officials, the AP reports.

The work was withdrawn, but the incident fueled a lively debate on art and censorship. Shortly afterward, a vandal attacked an artwork at the same exhibition showing a naked man copulating with a watermelon.