Sarah Rose Sharp | Hyperallergic
No place for hiding, vandals, no place to run! Spanish authorities have vowed to apply the law “with the greatest possible force” in response to a drawing in permanent marker on the face of a Medieval statue from the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, making over the figure with the iconic face makeup of KISS drummer Peter Criss. Not to put too fine a point on the reference, the vandal also wrote “KISS” on the sheaf of papers held by the statue. ¡Qué lástima!
This transgression took place in early August, following a restoration of the statue and other elements of the cathedral — a destination point on the historic Catholic pilgrimage route, the “Way of St. James,” since the 9th century. Construction began on the cathedral in 1075, and components of the sprawling complex continued to be built throughout the Middle Ages. A university was added in 1495, and the whole campus of Santiago de Compostela was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.
