The Vatican Hates Modern Art
Italian artist Oliviero Rainaldi recently unveiled a new bronze sculpture of Pope John Paul II outside the main train station in Rome. Quite an honor for an artist, we'd imagine. But the Vatican has decided to piss on Rainaldi's parade, saying the sculpture looks nothing like John Paul II (we're guessing Rainaldi wasn't going for the detailed wax figure look, but who knows, right?).
The AP reports that several people around the train station said the statue looks like Benito Mussolini. Touchy subject in (some parts of) Italy! The Vatican also wrote in its newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, that the statue makes it look like a bomb went off in the square. God damn, people! Chill out. It's an interpretation. But however harsh the reaction might be, Rainaldi probably expected as much, considering the subject.
[Image via AP]