Controversial ‘Mockery’ by Drag Artists at the Olympics Not ‘Last Supper'”
The Olympic Games shared a post claiming that the controversial ‘mockery’ by drag artists is not a reference to the ‘Last Supper.’
The recent opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024 has stirred up some controversy, but not for the reasons many might think.
Some viewers mistakenly thought a performance by drag artists was a reinterpretation of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, “The Last Supper,” which portrays Jesus Christ’s final meal with his disciples. However, this was not the case.
According to official sources and the Olympic Games’ social media posts, the performance was actually inspired by the Greek god Dionysus and the ancient festival known as Bacchanalia. Dionysus, also known as Bacchus in Roman mythology, is the god of wine and revelry.
The Bacchanalia was a festival celebrating Dionysus that predates both Jesus and “The Last Supper” by at least 200 years.
The explanation clarifies that the performance was meant to emphasize the absurdity of violence among humans, drawing from the rich history of Dionysus and his festivals.
Recently, Mara Chua, a Facebook user, has pointed out that the confusion might stem from a misunderstanding of the reference.
She emphasizes that the accurate reference for the performance is not “The Last Supper,” but rather a painting titled “Les Romains de la Decadence” by Thomas Couture from 1847.
Many Catholic and Christian viewers were initially upset by what they believed was a disrespectful take on a sacred image.
However, understanding the true inspiration behind the performance might help resolve some of the misunderstandings. The portrayal of Dionysus and the Bacchanalia was intended to celebrate cultural history rather than provoke religious sentiments.
Here is the full post:
The social media users expressed their reactions to the post:
Too many under-educated people who have never been to an art museum or studied cultural history to understand iconographic interpretation.