A painting featuring President Barack Obama in a Christ-like pose is getting poor reviews from some religious authorities, Fox News Radio reports.
The painting by New York-based artist by Michael D’Antuono is titled “The Truth” and features Obama with a crown of thorns on his head, in a position that is reminiscent of the crucifixion.
Currently on display at Boston’s Bunker Hill Community College Art Gallery as part of D’Antuono’s politically charged “Artists on the Stump – the Road to the White House 2012″ collection, the piece was actually supposed to debut several years ago at New York City’s Union Square.
The painting was “meant to be displayed as an art installation in New York’s Union Square Park on President Obama’s 100th day in office,” according to D’Antuono’s website. “The painting was to be in a mock voting booth for people to view privately and then interviewed to express their own views.”
D’Antuono said he received 4,000 emails “mostly from the irate Christian Right who misinterpreted the art as blasphemy” and canceled the event, a decision he now regrets.