ARTIST FEDERICO SOLMI'S CONTROVERSIAL CRUCIFIX THAT WAS CONFISCATED FROM THE ARTE FIERA IN BOLOGNA IN JANUARY IS TO BE RETURNED, AND CHARGES AGAINST THE ARTIST DROPPED. THE CROSS, WHICH FEATURES A POPE CHARACTER WITH A LARGE GRIN AND A PROTRUDING ERECTION, OFFENDED LOCAL JUDGE BRUNO GIANGIACOMO WHO ONLY HEARD ABOUT IT FROM A SECOND HAND SOURCE, HAD IT CONFISCATED FROM THE BOOTH OCCUPIED BY NAPLES' NOT GALLERY AND RELIGIOUS OFFENSE AND OBSCENITY CHARGES LODGED AGAINST SOLMI. THE CRUCIFIX HAD ALREADY BEEN SOLD TO A COLLECTOR, AND SOLMI FIRST HEARD ABOUT THE CHARGES AFTER HE HAD RETURNED TO HIS HOME IN NEW YORK.
BUT AFTER A THOROUGH REVIEW OF THE CHARGES, JUDGES IN A BOLOGNA COURT FOUND THAT THE CROSS WAS NEITHER BLASPHEMOUS, BECAUSE IT IS NOT A CULT OBJECT, NOR OBSCENE, BECAUSE IT COULD NOT BE UNANIMOUSLY RULED S SUCH. THE UNIQUE ARTWORK IS "UNDOUBTEDLY PROVOCATIVE IN LIGHT OF ITS ASSOCIATIONS OF SEXUALITY AND RELIGIOUS SYMBOLS", THE JUDGES SAID. "BUT THAT DOES NOT EXCLUDE ITS CONDUCIVENESS TO THE NOTION OF A WORK OF ART." THEY ADDED THAT THE QUESTIONS RAISED BY THE CROSS CAN BE RESOLVED ONLY BY AN "ELEGANT INTELLECTUAL GAME" THAT WOULD BE OF NO JUDICIAL VALUE.
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