The Last Supper Vs. Feast Of Dionysus: What We Actually Witnessed At The Olympics
(ANALYSIS) You saw it. I saw it (well, later, after a nap) and — truth be told — many of us just saw a still frame, captured and shared on social media along with the painting of “The Last Supper" and “How Dare They?” reactions.
The shot shared ‘round the world following last Friday’s Olympic Opening ceremonies was actually a brief matter of seconds in a four-hour live presentation. Whether it was — in fact — a shot at Christ and his followers using Leonardo da Vinci's iconography or just a misunderstood tableau for the feast of Dionysus, as the show producers claim (rather dubiously, then sort of apologized for, dubiously), the moment is better understood in motion, as video shows better than stills.
As a television producer of newscasts and other live events and a teacher of those who go on to direct productions of their own — I can say this much is clear: No shot happens by accident.
READ: Drag Queen ‘Last Supper’ At Olympics Opening Ceremony Sparks Outrage
Watching the full video — which by the weekend was hard to find, so good luck — I saw a totally steady shot to open the sequence, framed like the tableau you’ve seen. Only after an unusually long hold on that framing does the shot begin to slowly move, in what we call a “pull” or “zoom out.” The director does not cut to another camera, but tracks this same camera to the right to reveal the “fashion show runway” and then, later in the program, adds “Blue Man God” (my label) who, I guess, is the fabled Dionysus.
The point is, everything in this sequence appears planned and practiced. In a side note: We may never know how much of this was an NBC decision or one framed by the event organizers. Massive live broadcasts often use a combination of pool and network cameras. The longer version I mention here did not show up when I reviewed NBC's archive, suggesting some possible edits or clips from the international feed were posted to social media and then later removed.
So, what does this very long, single camera shot mean? You can only make an informed guess, since artists rarely communicate their intentions. Shifting from producer to critic, I see the held shot at the beginning as an obvious nod to da Vinci. Whether intended to evoke or provoke, the framers of this moment knew what they were doing.
But as an observer and a Christ-follower, I wonder if we are outraged about the wrong thing. Is it the still image or the whole sequence?
Early reactions pointed out the presence of transgender drag queens in the shot and a woman playing “Christ.” Offensive to many, indeed, but, frankly some of the other drag queen dancing in the program was more immorally suggestive than this fashion “table.” For me, the camera move and what came next in the “festivite” scene reveals more of the producer’s intentions than any still moment.
By conflating the “Last Supper" with the pagan Feast of Dionysus, these French artists seem to be telling us us life is just one big party, where the only article of faith is — inclusion.
Photos via (top) NBC screenshot and (bottom) Wikipedia Commons
Believers would be wise to recall the occasion of the actual last supper da Vinci, rather inaccurately, painted. Far from the nihilism of eat, drink and be merry, Jesus said He “earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” (Luke 22:15, ESV)
And the biblical last supper was no party for inclusivity, nor an open table — but the most exclusive occasion “in remembrance” for those who had repented and left their former lives and then hundreds of millions who would follow later.
Some of us in His fold even believe this moment more sacrament than symbol and to see even a frame of video merging this event with pagan celebration is the ultimate blasphemy.
So the final question is, how should we respond? Let this believer and fellow offendee suggest we do not have to match social media outrage with more outrage, like for a like, meme for a meme. Are we winning that culture war yet — on Facebook?
On the same night Jesus broke bread with his followers for the last time before His death, John’s gospel account says He went on to wash the their feet and teach them about what came next: betrayal, denial and persecution.
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 16:18-19 ESV)
Everything that comes after that evening and, indeed, Jesus’s three year ministry on earth tells us we should not match the style nor substance of the world’s attacks. Jesus met scorn with suffering, legalism with rebuke and, mostly, lostness with love. And communicating love for the lost — which is what these French artists are — is much harder than clicking “like.”
So, do we retreat in the face of blasphemy?
No. This Olympic ceremony had moments of glory and moments of travesty. We should recognize both and critique. But let’s remember, the video in motion shows us the true meaning of the moment — that these French artists believe life really has no meaning at all. To quote another pop work, “nothing really matters.”
If we know that is not true, our response must be speaking THE truth, in love (Ephesians 4:15), which may require a little more thought and prayer than tapping a screen.
Randall E. King, Ph.D. is a professor of communication at North Greenville University in South Carolina and a former television reporter and news producer. He has more than 40 years of experience in media work as educator, journalist and content creator.