Chaos' recent ad campaign with model Itay Atias

September 26, 2005 - from Caspari Center Media Review:

Israeli fashion model Itay Atias poses for Chaos as Jesus in Church of the Holy Sepulcher

reprinted from Israeli newspaper Yediot Ahronot, Aug. 22, 2005:
A large two-page article reports on the controversy that erupted after the Israeli textile and fashion company "Chaos" decided to photograph their fashion catalogue in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Chaos "received permission" for the photographic sessions after stating to the Vatican that they were "researching Christianity and needed to take some photographs." The paper says that the Vatican is in deep shock about "the kind of research" that Chaos intended. Chaos intended to promote their winter collection with male model ITAY ATIAS posing as "Yeshu the Christian, in a mystical atmosphere of an ancient religion."

Ibrahim Zahrur, an Arab Muslim who is responsible for overseeing any photography in the Church, is reported as saying, "these photos are making Yeshu cheap, and making money off his back, which we never agreed to." He claims that he had "no idea that they intended Atias to pose as Yeshu."

The producer of the fashion catalogue says that "following the controversy, we decided to drop the idea," although Zahrur insists that the decision was that of the Church. In a side paragraph titled "Yeshu is turning in His grave," the reporter points out that "Jesus" is already a brand name in Holland and "it is trendy to use elements of Christianity when it comes to fashion." The article says that in Holland the name "Jesus" was chosen to "shock people in a humorous way," and "there was no opposition from the church."

ATIAS, who has posed as Jesus once before for another photographer, comments, "I don't think it's necessarily because I look like Yeshu, but rather that I portray pain and faith in a positive way."