The sculpture was scheduled to be exhibited for several weeks in St Mary's Cathedral in Linz, Austria.

"The intolerance, backwardness and lack of enlightenment in the Catholic Church is frightening" says Theresa Limberger. She spent 200 hours carving the figure which is based on a concept of Austrian artist Esther Strauss.

Aggression and intolerance

The sculpture of Our Lady was displayed at the cathedral as part of the DonnaStage art installation project on women's roles, family images and gender equality, the Linz Diocese said in a statement.

A guest book at the exhibition records visitors' strong feelings about the sculpture.

"There were definitely a lot of verbally aggressive and disturbing notes" says Martina Resch, co-initiator of the project.

"I was prepared for verbal statements. However, I would not have expected that the work with which I spent so much time would be destroyed" Limberger says.

Controversial idea

Cardinal Gerhard Müller, former prefect of what is now the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, is concerned about the controversy.

"If a pictorial representation of the birth of Jesus causes offence among the faithful and causes division in the church, the aim of Christian and especially sacred art has been missed" he says.

Alexander Tschugguel praises Müller. He is an Austrian traditionalist Catholic responsible for the so-called "Pachamama" act of vandalism during the Vatican's 2019 Amazon synod.

"I am happy that Cardinal Müller again defends the Church and especially our Lady!" he says.

Regardless of what people think, beheading the sculpture was wrong says Father Johann Hintermaier, the episcopal vicar for education, art and culture in the Linz Diocese.

"We were aware that we were also provoking debate with this installation.

"If we have hurt people's religious feelings we are sorry, but I strongly condemn this violent act of destruction, the refusal to engage in dialogue and the attack on the freedom of art" he wrote in a diocesan statement.

He says Strauss also condemned the attack.

"Most portraits of the Virgin Mary were made by men and have therefore often served patriarchal interests" Strauss said.

Her artwork gives Our Lady her body back, she added.

Resch, a theologian, said in the diocesan statement that the sculpture "is a very poetic work that shows the natural birth of Jesus. Mary is shown in her vulnerability but also in her strength".

She said that from a theological perspective "the work is a strong affirmation of God's incarnation". The statement added that she was deeply affected by the "brutality towards the female figure".

Source

• NCR
• The Guardian

Blake started the portrait in 2003, making it out of her bridesmaid's dresses and calico material obtained from Kolkata. She finished the piece in 2009.

Blake has been embroidering since 1996 and is self-taught.

St Teresa is not her first significant piece of artwork.

In 2001 Blake sent an embroidered picture of the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, to Buckingham Palace for her the Queen Mother's 100th birthday on behalf of New Zealand.

She is now taking the picture of St Teresa of Kolkata around Feilding rest homes and schools.

Wimbledon Villa resident Eileen Gourlay thought the portrait was a special piece of artwork.

"I think she's (Blake) a very clever girl, it's very precious.

"I think Mother Teresa was wonderful and she would be very proud if she saw that."

She said there was one particular quote from Mother Teresa that spoke volumes to her.

"The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow. It doesn't matter, do the good."

Before her marriage to husband Peter in 1992, Blake said she had no set religious beliefs.

"If I hadn't become Catholic I probably wouldn't have known who Mother Teresa was.

"She was there for the people. It didn't matter who you were and where you came from," Blake said.

"She lived an unselfish life and that's all I want to do."

Source

• stuff.co.nz
• Image: stuff.co.nz

The bishop of Auki, in the Solomon Islands, Chris Cardone, visited the Studio in 2014 while in New Zealand for a meeting of the Catholic Bishops of Oceania.

After consultation with the Studio about his hopes for a new cathedral, the Studio invited him to send two artists to gain training and experience in sacred art.

In early March, two artists from Auki, in the Solomon Islands spent some time at the Studio.

Liborio Maemauri and Stephen Maetora were sponsored by Caritas Aotearoa New Zealand to work at the Studio for three weeks to learn sculpture and iconography techniques.

They come from the island of Malaita in the Solomon Islands.

Both artists have already done work for their local churches.

Throughout the Solomon Islands new churches are being built which will need to be furnished with sacred art.

To achieve this, they will need high quality equipment and supplies, such as brushes, pigments, paper, sculpting and tools.

The Studio will continue to support the Malaita Studio with ongoing consultation and advice.

The are also asking for others to support the initiative.

To make a donation:
Online Banking:
Account number: 12-3072-0357838-000
Reference: Solomon
Cheques payable to: Studio of John the Baptist

All donations will go towards furnishing the new Studio of St John the Baptist in the Solomon Islands with the high quality equipment and resources they will need to produce excellent sacred art.

Source

• The Studio of John the Baptist
• Image: The Studio of John the Baptist