CNA Deutsch, Dec 12, 2025 /
10:11 am
On Dec. 8, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a prayer rally against an exhibition called “Du sollst dir ein Bild machen” (“You shall make yourself an image”) took place in front of the Vienna Künstlerhaus Vereinigung, a cultural center for artists.
The prayer rally’s organizers said the show, which includes a crucified frog and a depiction of the Virgin Mary as a transgender woman, is an attack on the Catholic faith.
Organized by the Austrian Society for the Protection of Tradition, Family, and Private Property (TFP), the rosary rally featured participants carrying placards calling for an immediate stop to blasphemy.
Protesters said the exhibition strikes “at the heart of the Catholic faith with abominable depictions, including a crucified green frog mocking Our Lord, a bearded man dressed as the Mother of God holding a child, a naked parody of the Pietà.”
The Austrian TFP also launched an online petition calling for the immediate closure of the exhibition, gathering signatures from Austria and internationally, with support from the American TFP.
Criticism rejected by curator
The management of the Künstlerhaus defended the exhibition against calls for its closure, rejecting criticism and invoking the legal protection of artistic freedom.
Günther Oberhollenzer, artistic director and curator of the exhibition, and Tanja Prušnik, president of the Künstlerhaus Vereinigung, said in the statement on Dec. 2: “We strongly oppose the calls for closure as well as all anti-art statements in this context. In Austria, freedom of art is a constitutionally protected fundamental principle that shapes democratic culture, enables critical social reflection, and is actively supported by the state.”
Oberhollenzer and Prušnik also said the exhibition was not intended to offend religious beliefs.
“We respect that people may feel irritated or even offended by works of art. Whether a work of art is provocative is often in the eye of the beholder. Many visitors, including Christians and high-ranking Catholic clergy, were very impressed by the exhibition, and there were repeated harmonious, profound discussions and conversations on an equal footing.”
Bishop Hermann Glettler of Innsbruck praised the controversial exhibition, calling it “evidence of the endless struggle to somehow do justice to the mystery of God, who has inscribed himself into a wounded world.”
The Austrian prelate explicitely mentioned the “crucified frog” and other pieces on display in Vienna in his statement on Instagram.
Pope Benedict XVI intervened in 2008
Back in 2008, the “crucified frog” caused international controversy when it was exhibited in Bolzano in northern Italy’s South Tyrol region. At that time, Pope Benedict XVI, among others, intervened in the debate.
In a letter to Franz Pahl, president of the South Tyrolean Regional Council, the Bavarian-born pontiff wrote at the time that the work offended the religious sensibilities of many people “who see the cross as a symbol of God’s love and our salvation, which demands recognition and religious veneration.”
Despite these words from the pope, the museum decided at the time to keep the exhibit, which is now on display again in Vienna.
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This story was first published by CNA Deutsch, CNA’s German-language news partner, and has been translated for and adapted by CNA.
Alexander Folz is a freelance journalist and contributor to CNA Deutsch, specializing in faith, politics, and culture. He grew up in Saarland and is currently studying economics at the Leibniz University of Hanover. He is particularly interested in Catholic social teaching, which he sees as a bridge between faith and economic practice. As a committed member of a Catholic youth movement, he is also dedicated to pro-life initiatives. In 2024, he took part in the EWTN summer academy in Rome.
