Jens Galschiøt

"Hunger March" des Künstlers Jens Galschiot.


































A combination picture shows the sculpture "Pillar of Shame" before and after one side had been painted orange during a demonstration by the pressure group the Hong Kong Alliance in support of the Patriotic Democratic Movement of China to express their concerns over human rights in China at the University of Hong Kong April 30, 2008. The sculpture designed by Danish artist Jens Galschiot was created to symbolize those who died in the government crackdown in Tiananmen Square, in Beijing in 1989.























In the Name of God, Jens Galschiøt 2006.
The sculpture has just been exhibited for more than two months in front of the Cathedral of Copenhagen. Other copies have recently been displayed at the World Social Forum in Kenya. The artist is envisaging exhibitions on St. Peter’s Sq. in Rome, in the European Parliament, in the US and some other sites. The project is an artistic comment to the extreme Bible fundamentalists – with President Bush and the Pope in the lead – who preach sexual abstinence until marriage as the only method to avoid HIV contamination and unwanted pregnancy.
They will bomb back sexual education and ban information on contraception that they see as an invitation to voluptuousness. In the same token the Roman Catholic Church asserts that contraception is impermissible according to the biblical doctrines, so they advocate the absurd allegation that only ‘unprotected sex’ is admissible. The consequences may be disastrous for the proliferation of AIDS and HIV and so the result will be increased suffering, Jens Galschiot says and continues: The sculpture is not a comment on the issue of abortion or stem cells, but should be seen as an artistic advocacy for the right to contraception and unprejudiced sexual education.
Symbolism of the sculpture
The pregnant teenager symbolizes innocence. The child that has been lead astray due to ignorance, impulsiveness or maybe is the victim of rape is mercilessly exposed to the ultimate punishment. The association to Jesus as the innocent sacrificial lamb is apparent.
The sculpture is not a global accusation against Christianity. On the contrary, I admire those Christians who take the Gospel’s claim of charity seriously – and act accordingly. I think that progressive Christians should dissociate themselves from the abuse of ‘their’ God for the sake of a reactionary contraception policy, Jens Galschiot declares and continues: To sustain the debate we have uploaded comprehensive documentation on our website: www.aidoh.dk. There you’ll also find a debate forum.
The sculpture is close to the Cathedral of Aarhus
























'Pregnant Teenager' is another version of 'In the Name of God' by Danish Sculptor Jens Galschiøt 2006.
In this version the crucified teenager is dressed. Galschiøt doesn't want nudity to become the issue detracting attention from the essential message
The sculpture has just been exhibited for more than two months in front of the Cathedral of Copenhagen. Other copies have recently been displayed at the World Social Forum in Kenya. The artist is envisaging exhibitions on St. Peter’s Sq. in Rome, in the European Parliament, in the US and some other sites. The project is an artistic comment to the extreme Bible fundamentalists – with President Bush and the Pope in the lead – who preach sexual abstinence until marriage as the only method to avoid HIV contamination and unwanted pregnancy.
They will bomb back sexual education and ban information on contraception that they see as an invitation to voluptuousness. In the same token the Roman Catholic Church asserts that contraception is impermissible according to the biblical doctrines, so they advocate the absurd allegation that only ‘unprotected sex’ is admissible. The consequences may be disastrous for the proliferation of AIDS and HIV and so the result will be increased suffering, Jens Galschiot says and continues: The sculpture is not a comment on the issue of abortion or stem cells, but should be seen as an artistic advocacy for the right to contraception and unprejudiced sexual education.
Symbolism of the sculpture
The pregnant teenager symbolizes innocence. The child that has been lead astray due to ignorance, impulsiveness or maybe is the victim of rape is mercilessly exposed to the ultimate punishment. The association to Jesus as the innocent sacrificial lamb is apparent.
The sculpture is not a global accusation against Christianity. On the contrary, I admire those Christians who take the Gospel’s claim of charity seriously – and act accordingly. I think that progressive Christians should dissociate themselves from the abuse of ‘their’ God for the sake of a reactionary contraception policy, Jens Galschiot declares and continues: To sustain the debate we have uploaded comprehensive documentation on our website: www.aidoh.dk. There you’ll also find a debate forum.


In connection with the European Campaign on ending homelessness, otherwise known as ‘Project OUTSIDE’, artist Jens Galschiot will display 30 sculptures of homeless people in the capitals of the newly unified EU. The facts are as followed:

The artist has just finished the first sculpture of a homeless man. On 12 November 2008 Galschiot and his homeless fellow [went] to Cardiff, Wales to join the annual homeless conference of FEANTSA, the European Federation of National Organisations Working with the Homeless.

I'm sitting on the back of a man
He is sinking under the burden
I would do anything to help him
Except stepping down from his back."

Justitia (Western Goddess of Justice)

By Denish sculptor and activist Jens Galschiot. (That's him in the photograph)