The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games sparked controversy, with the Catholic Church and conservative politicians accusing the scene of mocking Christianity.
Central to the debate is a voguing performance featuring drag queens on a long catwalk, which some observers interpreted as a reference to Leonardo da Vinci‘s Last Supper (1495). The accusation of blasphemy, fueled by high-profile figures like Elon Musk and House Speaker Mike Johnson, quickly spread on social media.
Critics claim that the performer wearing a star crown in the middle of the catwalk represents Jesus, with dancers around her symbolizing the disciples. But the catwalk, covered in a red carpet, differs significantly from Leonardo’s depiction of a table, and the number of performers does not match the 12 disciples. Meanwhile, the star crown—a symbol often associated with Mary rather than Jesus—complicates the comparison.
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Voguing is a dance style that originated in New York’s queer subculture. It often incorporates religious imagery, playing with themes of ecstasy and redemption.
The Olympics performance featured allusions to Bacchus, the Roman god of wine, leading some to say the reference point was not actually The Last Supper.
Dutch art historian Walther Schoonenberg highlighted the resemblance to Jan van Bijlert‘s Festival of the Gods (1635), which depicts a feast among Roman deities. This aligns the performance more with ancient mythology than with Christian traditions, even though van Bijlert was likely inspired by Leonardo’s painting.
The ceremony, directed by Thomas Jolly, featured a range of art allusions, including a film where the Mona Lisa was stolen by the Minions of the “Despicable Me” franchise.
At a press conference on Sunday, Anne Descamp, a spokesperson for the 2024 Olympics, said, “There was clearly never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, I think we tried to celebrate community, tolerance. We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense, we’re of course really sorry.”
Jolly, in an interview with a CNN affiliate, said The Last Supper did not inspire the sequence, but rather “the idea was to create a big pagan party in link with the God of Mount Olympus — and you will never find in me, or in my work, any desire of mocking anyone.”