Scottish Artist, David Mach 'To Burn Jesus at Exhibition'

SCOTSMAN
By Brian Ferguson

An earlier Mach work, Robert Louis Stevenson,
was set alight at the city’s Gallery of Modern Art two years ago

SCOTLAND - ONE of Scotland's most celebrated artists has unveiled plans to set faces of Jesus Christ and the Devil ablaze during this year's Edinburgh Festival. David Mach has been spending months making two busts out of matchsticks which will be set alight on the street outside the City Art Centre, Edinburgh, which is hosting his religious-themed exhibition. He says he wants to use religious themes to "expose the hypocrisies of the contemporary world". The artist, who admitted having no religious beliefs himself, said he was expecting a lot of interest in the burning of the sculpted heads, but did not anticipate any protests or problems with the authorities. "We don't really need to ask anyone's permission, we can just burn them outside. I think it is fair enough to burn the head of Jesus if you're going to do the same with the Devil." He has been planning the exhibition for nearly three years to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the publication of the King James Bible in 2012. It is costing Edinburgh Cuty Council around £115,000 to stage, and will run from 30 July to 16 October. [link]