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The Archbishop of Ottowa may be responsible for some of his parishioners having arachnophobia nightmares after he allowed a giant robotic spider to be perched on Notre Dame Cathedral.
The spider is one of two giant robots created by a street theater company of artists, technicians and performers based in Nantes, France. The company, La Machine, was in Ottawa July 27-30 as part of Canada’s 150th anniversary celebrations.
Thousands came to watch the show, which opened with the spider “waking up” to organ music from inside the cathedral. Suspended from cranes, it climbed off its perch between the towers, while “snow” fell from above.
Some called the spider’s placement “sacrilegious,” “demonic,” and “disrespectful” of a sacred space.
Others took the opposite view.
“While the viewer may find the juxtaposition jarring, I gather it’s supposed to be,” wrote Kris Dmytrenko.
“But sacrilegious? C’mon, give your archbishop a break. This civic engagement with art recalls the Vatican’s Courtyard of the Gentiles project. Culture is a bridge.”
Archbishop Terrence Prendergast says he was surprised by the negative reaction to an artistic initiative. Although he had expected some negative comment, he didn’t expect the level of concern some people expressed.
Prendergast said he thought people would see the show as a sign that the Catholic church was trying to be fun.
Source
- Inverse Source
- CatholicPhilly
- Image: CBC.ca
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