Digital Editions
Newsletters
Subscribe
Digital Editions
Newsletters
Art market
Museums & heritage
Exhibitions
Books
Podcasts
Columns
Technology
Adventures with Van Gogh
Art market
Museums & heritage
Exhibitions
Books
Podcasts
Columns
Technology
Adventures with Van Gogh
LGBTQ
archive

Gay images censored after Vatican’s legal threat

Gonzalo Orquín received a letter from the Vicariate of Rome

Gareth Harris
30 September 2013
Share

A Spanish artist whose images of gay couples embracing in Rome’s churches have angered the Vatican says he now plans to show the controversial photographs abroad. Gonzalo Orquín hoped to unveil his 16-piece “Si Quiero” series at Galleria L’Opera in Rome late last month, but says that the threat of legal action from the Catholic Church prompted him to cover up the images.

The artist says that the Vicariate of Rome, which runs the diocese of Rome on behalf of the Pope, sent a letter demanding that the works be withdrawn. “The gallery received a letter threatening legal action if it showed the images. The letter said they had been taken without [the Vicariate’s] permission, and that the attitude in them was not appropriate to places of worship,” he says. The gallery decided to drape the photographs in black sheeting.

A spokesman for the Vicariate says: “The images could harm the religious sentiment of the faithful.” Orquín, who still hopes to show the works in Italy, says: “It will not be easy… it may be easier [to display the works] abroad.”

LGBTQRomeVaticanContemporary PhotographyDiscrimination
Share
Subscribe to The Art Newspaper’s digital newsletter for your daily digest of essential news, views and analysis from the international art world delivered directly to your inbox.
Newsletter sign-up
Information
About
Contact
Cookie policy
Data protection
Privacy policy
Frequently Asked Questions
Subscription T&Cs
Terms and conditions
Advertise
Sister Papers
Sponsorship policy
Follow us
Instagram
Bluesky
LinkedIn
Facebook
TikTok
YouTube
© The Art Newspaper

Related content

Obituariesfeature
21 April 2025

Remembering Pope Francis, for 12 years head of the Catholic church and proprietor in trust of the Vatican's library and art collections

The Argentinian pontiff was a powerful progressive voice in world politics, the first Jesuit priest to be spiritual leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics and the first from the Americas or the southern hemisphere to hold the office

Louis Jebb
Pope Leo XIVanalysis
8 May 2025

Robert Francis Prevost has been elected Pope Leo XIV—why does this matter to the worlds of art and heritage?

The Chicago-born pontiff—the new spiritual leader of 1.3 billion Catholics and the proprietor in trust of the great art and architecture treasures of the Vatican—has publicly supported his predecessor Pope Francis's lead on climate change

Louis Jebb
Italynews
5 May 2023

Artists take aim at Italy’s attack on same-sex parents’ rights

As the country's far-right government cracks down on LGBTQ rights, public artworks are popping up in protest

James Imam. With additional reporting by Gareth Harris