Artist Told to Remove Rabbi Jesus Paintings

LA CROSSE, Wis. (AP) — A hospital has asked an artist whose paintings portray Jesus as a rabbi to take them down because they could be controversial, the artist says.

Clara Maria Goldstein had put up 10 oil paintings Friday but was back at Gundersen Lutheran on Sunday night to take them down.

Goldstein said the hospital’s gift shop manager asked her to remove them because they could be controversial.

“It was insulting at first, but now I’m just sad,” Goldstein said. “The Bible says Jesus was a Jew, but no one wants Jesus painted as a Jew.”

The hospital issued a statement Monday saying its officials respect people of all faiths and acknowledge “an artist’s right to express their personal beliefs through their work.”

But it said they have “an obligation to determine what is appropriate for our diverse patient population, and our healing environment.”

Marna Holley, the hospital’s director of marketing and corporate communications, would not comment beyond the statement Monday.

Goldstein said she is not disputing the hospital’s right to choose the artwork. She said she created the Rabbi Jesus paintings to promote love and acceptance. “These paintings are about history and truth,” she said.

The hospital provides gallery space to Eastbank Artists, which rotates artwork from different artists every two months. Goldstein, president of Eastbank Artists, was taking her turn to display her artwork.

Goldstein said her paintings also were turned down by La Crosse’s Viterbo University for display at a Holocaust symposium because they might be controversial. She showed six of her paintings in an exhibition at the city’s Pump House Regional Arts Center earlier this year.

“Many people said the paintings were inspiring and eye-opening,” Goldstein said. “What’s sad is people won’t get a chance to decide for themselves what they think because it may be controversial.”

Of all the stupidest things…

Can you believe it – Jesus was a Jew? The next thing you know, someone will be telling you that the Pope is Catholic…

I guess it’s more important to have a hippie Anglo Jesus, fresh from the Norwegian ski team (or an irreverent ‘Buddy Jesus’) than one that might be more historically accurate.