This combo pictures shows a sculpture before (right) and after being restored (left) on the exterior of an ornate office building in the city of Palencia, Spain, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2020. Restoration work on a sculpture in northern Spain has resurrected memories of a restored Christ fresco in another Spanish city eight years ago that drew ridicule as well as tourists. (AP Photo/Alberto Calleja -left image- & Agencia ICAL -right image-)
By Ciarán Giles
Restoration work on a sculpture in northern Spain has resurrected memories of a restored Christ fresco in another Spanish city eight years ago that drew ridicule as well as tourists.
The latest incident concerns a relief sculpture on the exterior of an ornate office building in the city of Palencia. What was once the bust of a smiling woman now looks more like the head of a cartoon character.
The disfigurement was bought to light by a local artist who lives near the office building and was tipped off by a florist on his street. Antonio Capel posted before and after photographs on his Facebook page, triggering a flurry of social media reaction and attention from journalists.
“I was surprised. How could they have done this?” Capel told The Associated Press on Wednesday. "This must be at least 10-years-old, and we’re only finding out now.”
He said the 20th-century building belongs to a bank but tenants decided to fix the façade some years ago.
Now, Spanish media are showing images of people stopping to stare up at the building and to take photos.
The poorly done restoration drew immediate comparisons with an “Ecce Homo” fresco in the northern Spain town of Borja. A local amateur artist decided the circa 1930 depiction of Christ at the Sanctuary of Mercy church needed restoration, but the face she produced in 2012 immediately drew comparisons to a monkey.
View of the deteriorated version of 'Ecce Homo' mural by 19th-century painter Elias Garcia Martinez, at the Borja Church in Zaragoza, Spain, Wednesday, March 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Javier Vinuela)
However, her work turned into a Borja tourist attraction. It remains to be seen if the Palencia job will have the same effect.
A Palencia City Hall spokesman who declined to offer a name following internal procedure was unable to say when the work was carried out or by whom but said the restoration would most likely be investigated by regional authorities.
Tinder is offering a new feature called Plus One, allowing users to signal that they're looking specifically for a date to a wedding or are open to attending one. The app is also partnering with WeddingWire to help single guests pay for wedding season with a grant giveaway promotion.
For the first time ever, the Food and Drug Administration authorized e-cigarette products for adults, authorizing the marketing of three new tobacco products. R.J. Reynolds Vapor Company can now sell its Vuse Solo products. According to the FDA, the company was able to show its e-cigarettes helped smokers either quit or significantly reduce their use of cigarettes. Derek Peterson, founder and CEO at Soter Technologies, joins Cheddar News to talk about the move.
"Star Trek" actor William Shatner's voice broke with emotion as he recounted his trip into space on the Blue Origin New Shepard rocket to Jeff Bezos on October 13, 2021.
Netflix has come out to defend Dave Chappelle following accusations of transphobia leveled at his recent comedy special "The Closer." Despite the backlash, the streaming giant announced it will not remove the special from the platform.
Britney Spears took to Twitter to thank fans for applying public pressure in the #FreeBritney campaign. The pop star said they ultimately helped in the removal of her father, Jamie Spears, as her conservator after 13 years.
