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Paris Olympics faces flak for ‘Last Supper’ tableau; organisers apologise, say they ‘meant no disrespect’
Religious bodies around the world decried the segment, with the French Catholic Church’s conference of bishops deploring “scenes of derision” that they said made a mockery of Christianity
DJ Barbara Butch, flanked by artists, during the Olympics Opening Ceremony in Paris, France, on July 29, 2024
| Photo Credit: X/@Olympics
Paris Olympics organisers apologised to anyone who was offended by a tableau that evoked Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” during the glamorous opening ceremony, but defended the concept behind it Sunday.
Da Vinci's painting depicts the moment when Jesus Christ declared that an apostle would betray him. The scene during Friday's ceremony featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch — an LGBTQ+ icon — flanked by drag artists and dancers.
Meghalaya CM ‘deeply disappointed’ over controversial ‘Last Supper’ tableau at Paris Olympics
Religious bodies around the world decried the segment, with the French Catholic Church’s conference of bishops deploring “scenes of derision” that they said made a mockery of Christianity — a sentiment echoed by Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova.
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The Anglican Communion in Egypt expressed its “deep regret” Sunday, saying the ceremony could cause the IOC to “lose its distinctive sporting identity and its humanitarian message.”
No ‘Last Supper’ parallels, says artistic director
The ceremony’s artistic director Thomas Jolly had distanced his scene from any “Last Supper” parallels after the ceremony, saying it was meant to celebrate diversity and pay tribute to feasting and French gastronomy.
Screengrab of a story shared by DJ Barbara Butch on Instagram
Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps was asked about the outcry during an International Olympic Committee news conference on Sunday.
“Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, I think (with) Thomas Jolly, we really did try to celebrate community tolerance,” Descamps said. “Looking at the result of the polls that we shared, we believe that this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense we are, of course, really, really sorry.”
The Olympic spirit — a life of purpose
Jolly explained his intentions to The Associated Press after the ceremony.
“My wish isn’t to be subversive, nor to mock or to shock,” Mr. Jolly said. “Most of all, I wanted to send a message of love, a message of inclusion and not at all to divide.”
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