Beast-Jesus Restoration Society

Until recently few people in the Spanish village of Borja paid much attention to a depiction of Jesus Christ painted on the wall of the Santuario de la Misericordia. One exception was Cecilia Giménez, an octogenarian parishioner so angered by disregard for the peeling fresco that she chose to fix it herself. The result of her inept restoration – which the BBC described as “a crayon sketch of a very hairy monkey in an ill-fitting tunic” – has since become an internet meme rivaling even LOLcats. Photosharing sites have amassed thousands of parodies, and Ryanair has arranged flights for hipsters to make ironic pilgrimage to Borja. All of this activity, though entertaining, distracts from serious consideration of what Giménez has achieved. Before Giménez recreated it, the Santuario de la Misericordia Jesus was an uninspired academic painting by a minor 19th Century artist named Elias Garcia Martinez. Now it’s an intensely personal expression of religious faith. More here: http://www.forbes.com/sites/jonathonkeats/2012/09/27/why-every-church-should-be-blessed-with-a-muralist-as-uncouth-as-cecilia-gimenez/