Homeless Jesus sculpture,, at Christ Church cathedral Dublin - by Canadian artist, Tim Schmalz, installed 2016
Homeless Jesus, also known as Jesus the Homeless, is a bronze sculpture by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz depicting Jesus as a homeless person, sleeping on a park bench. The original sculpture was installed at Regis College, University of Toronto, in early 2013. Over 100 casts of the statue have been installed worldwide since 2016 Homeless Jesus was designed by Timothy Schmalz, a Canadian sculptor and devout Catholic. It depicts Jesus as a homeless person, sleeping on a park bench. His face and hands are obscured, hidden under a blanket, but crucifixion wounds on his feet reveal his identity. The statue has been described as a "visual translation" of the Gospel of Matthew passage in which Jesus tells his disciples, "as you did it to one of the least of my brothers, you did it to me". Schmalz intended for the bronze sculpture to be provocative, admitting, "That's essentially what the sculpture is there to do. It's meant to challenge people." He offered the first casts to St. Michael's Cathedral in Toronto and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York, but both churches declined. One spokesperson for St. Michael's said the church declined because appreciation "was not unanimous" and it was undergoing restoration. The cast intended for St. Michael's was installed at Regis College, the Jesuit School of Theology at the University of Toronto. Similarly, a spokesperson for St. Patrick's complimented the work but declined purchasing the cast due to ongoing renovations Reception of the statue has been mixed. According to NPR, "The reaction [to the cast in Davidson, North Carolina] was immediate. Some loved it; some didn't." However, according to Buck, residents are often seen sitting on the bench alongside the statue, resting their hands on Jesus and praying By early 2016, some 100 copies of Homeless Jesus were on display worldwide. The first sculpture outside of North America was installed on the grounds of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin
Size: 5472px × 3648px
Location: Christchurch Place, Wood Quay, Dublin 8, Ireland
Photo credit: © Tony Smith / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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