--- description: The work was inspired by the former pope's comments on AIDS in Africa title: Portrait of Pope Benedict Made of Condoms Sparks Controversy image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc26a70ce9c55956d/69885904524fc08af8df35cb/eb-for-web.jpg?branch=production&width=1080&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Entertainment](/section/entertainment/) ## Entertainment Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Fine Art](/tag/fine-art/) ## Fine Art Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Portrait of Pope Benedict XVI Made of Condoms Sparks Controversy in Milwaukee by [Sarah Begley](/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 29, 2015 10:23 PM CUT  Niki Johnson American, b. 1977), "Eggs Benedict," 2013\. Latex condoms, 83 × 60 × 14 in. (210.82 × 152.4 × 35.56 cm). Milwaukee Art Museum, Gift of Joseph R. Pabst Niki Johnson American, b. 1977), "Eggs Benedict," 2013\. Latex condoms, 83 × 60 × 14 in. (210.82 × 152.4 × 35.56 cm). Milwaukee Art Museum, Gift of Joseph R. PabstCourtesy of Niki Johnson by [Sarah Begley](/author/sarah-begley/) ## Sarah Begley Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jun 29, 2015 10:23 PM CUT A portrait of Pope Benedict XVI made of 17,000 condoms has drawn fierce [criticism—and support](http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/milwaukee-art-museums-embrace-of-condom-portrait-of-pope-draws-disgust-b99527618z1-310570591.html "undefined")—at the Milwaukee Art Museum. “Eggs Benedict,” created by Niki Johnson, was purchased by a local gay rights advocate for $25,000 and donated to the museum, the Milwaukee _Journal-Sentinel_ reports. Johnson says she was inspired by the former pope’s 2009 remarks that condoms would only worsen the problem of AIDS in Africa. While some like-minded fans of the work have called the museum in support, it has also drawn powerful critics. Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki has condemned the portrait, and his chief of staff called it “either an intentional attack on a faith tradition and its teachings or a publicity stunt for the artist.” Several longtime friends of the museum have canceled their memberships in protest, and one docent resigned. The museum’s director, Dan Keegan, said in a statement, “Our hope is that the piece will bring not only controversy, but room for conversation—about the underlying discussion the artist intended as well as regarding the role of art in public discussion.” He added that the museum has sold a record number of memberships in the last 10 days. “Eggs Benedict” is scheduled to go on display this November after renovations are completed on the museum’s collections galleries; the institution is considering presenting an interfaith panel on debate around the work. \[[Milwaukee](http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/milwaukee-art-museums-embrace-of-condom-portrait-of-pope-draws-disgust-b99527618z1-310570591.html "undefined")[ _Journal-Sentinel_](http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/milwaukee-art-museums-embrace-of-condom-portrait-of-pope-draws-disgust-b99527618z1-310570591.html "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3940789/portrait-pope-benedict-xvi-condoms/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3940789/portrait-pope-benedict-xvi-condoms/"},"headline":"Portrait of Pope Benedict XVI Made of Condoms Sparks Controversy in Milwaukee","datePublished":"2015-06-29T22:23:33.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T08:39:06.947Z","description":"The work was inspired by the former pope's comments on AIDS in Africa","url":"https://time.com/3940789/portrait-pope-benedict-xvi-condoms/","keywords":["Fine Art","condoms","Pope Benedict XVI","museums"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc26a70ce9c55956d/69885904524fc08af8df35cb/eb-for-web.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Sarah Begley","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/sarah-begley/"}],"articleSection":"Entertainment","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltc26a70ce9c55956d/69885904524fc08af8df35cb/eb-for-web.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"eb.for.web","caption":"Niki Johnson American, b. 1977), \"Eggs Benedict,\" 2013. 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