New centre celebrates Spain's botched fresco скачать в хорошем качестве

New centre celebrates Spain's botched fresco

(17 Mar 2016) RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY Borja - 16 March 2016 1. The Ecce Homo fresco alongside pictures of how it looked prior to a failed restoration attempt by an amateur painter in 2012 2. Visitor having picture taken with the Ecce Homo 3. Map where visitors tag their home countries 4. Gift shop at the information centre set up in the Ecce Homo's honour 5. Cecilia Gimenez, the amateur painter who attempted to restore the Ecce Homo in 2012 6. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Cecilia Gimenez, amateur painter who attempted to restore the Ecce Homo in 2012: "This is too much. I think God kept me this for the end of my life, after all I have suffered during my life." 7. Opening ceremony of information centre 8. Teresa Gloria Garcia, granddaughter of fresco painter, Elias Garcia Martinez 9. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Teresa Gloria Garcia, granddaughter of fresco painter Elias Garcia Martinez: "At the beginning I was laughing a lot because it was unbelievable. My family asked to restore it (to its original state), but after the news spread like wildfire, we went along with it." 10. Opening ceremony 11. SOUNDBITE (Spanish) Eduardo Arilla, Mayor of Borja: "A charitable foundation receives the money raised from tickets. The foundation runs a home for the elderly and, thanks to the money, they provide finance for people without resources." 12. Gimenez receiving a book on the Ecce Homo 13. Gimenez holding book 14. Close of book 15. Various of opening ceremony 16. Exterior of the Sanctuary of Mercy church STORYLINE: Following a botched restoration attempt by an octogenarian painter in 2012, the Ecce Homo fresco in the northern Spanish town of Borja now boasts its own information centre. Located in the town's Sanctuary of Mercy church, the fresco, originally depicting Jesus Christ, reached a level of worldwide fame when local parishioner Cecilia Gimenez attempted to restore it after damp caused parts of the image to peel away. Gimenez's alterations were originally mistaken as vandalism before she declared that she was responsible. The information centre was opened in the Ecce Homo's honour on Wednesday afternoon, offering tourists more information about the fresco and the social and media phenomenon that was created. Gimenez, 85, smiled as she entered the new centre for the inauguration ceremony. She became a sensation when pictures spread on the Internet of the changes she had made to the Ecce Homo - Latin for "Behold the Man." Twitter users re-dubbed it "Ecce Mono," or "Behold the Monkey." Also attending the Wednesday's ceremony was the granddaughter of the little-known Spanish painter of the nearly 100-year-old original, Elias Garcia Martinez. Teresa Gloria Garcia said her family backed away from requesting a full restoration of the fresco when they saw the interest generated by Gimenez's attempt. According to Borja Mayor Eduardo Arilla, 160,000 people had come to see the fresco since the story of Gimenez's restoration went viral. Local officials hope the centre will inject new life into the phenomenon and attract up to 30,000 visitors annually. The new centre offers the possibility to paint your own Ecce Homo and to make a photomontage with its face. With the entrance price set at two euros (2.25 US dollars), all proceeds will be given to a foundation that runs a home for the elderly. =========================================================== Clients are reminded: Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...