by Chris Price

A Gravesend artist has been left "bemused" after his painting of Jesus was covered up for alleged indecency.

The piece by Matthew Atkinson of Pine Avenue was due to be shown in the foyer of a London cafe as part of an art exhibition.

Organisers of the Deptford X Festival took down the work after five complaints within four days because it showed Jesus "touching his breasts."

Since then the piece called Absolutely Convergent has been reinstated in its previous position but with a curtain covering it and a warning next to it.

The warning, written by Mr Atkinson in a bid to keep his work on display, states that the work "has not been deemed appropriate for public viewing."

It contines that viewers must "agree to take responsibility for their own responses to the imagery."

Mr Atkinson, 26, said: "At no point was my painting created to be controversial.

"I cannot believe the reason for the strong reaction was not because of the religious iconography, but because Jesus looks like he has his hands on his breasts.

"It is political correctness gone mad. Yet I have to adhere, as the space itself is a public access space which has kindly been offered to me free for the duration of the Deptford X Festival.

"If the painting was hung in a gallery, there would not necessarily be any problems. It’s just a bit silly and has probably made the piece more provoking.

"In all honesty, I am incredibly surprised and bemused."

The painting is an interpretation of the Sacred Heart, one of the art world's most famous religious devotions to Jesus' heart. It took Mr Atkinson nearly four months to make last year.

Mr Atkinson’s work was chosen by festival organisers to feature as part of the Deptford X Festival Fringe and went on show at the Creekside Cafe on the Faircharm trading estate on Monday (September 19).

By Thursday (September 22) the curtain had been put in place.