An art exhibition featuring a Hindu god Lord Krishna smoking drugs outside a gay bar is stirring controversy both in Australia and overseas.
In an art gallery in the inner Sydney suburb of Darlinghurst, Krishna is depicted smoking the drug ice.
The Australian Hindi Indian Association's Tilak Kalra says it has many in the Hindu community upset.
"They think, they believe, it is the God, and God smoking doesn't look right. It's disrespectful and doesn't look good in the eyes of people ... those who pray to the God."
The artist behind the work is Indian-Australian Leon Fernandes.
He says he is delighted his art has prompted debate, particularly around drug use.
"Intoxication is embedded in many different world religions. The Catholic Church uses red wine as part of their spirituality and their spiritual practice. And this is a way I've really provocatively discussed drug use in a religion. And, yeah, absolutely, I've elevated the status of drugs, rather than denigrated Krishna, or so I hope," he says.
"I've been working on these artworks for about two years now. And the initial inspiration came about from looking at artwork about my own identity and looking at ways to express parts of my own identity within art," he adds.
His Krishna is depicted outside the Imperial Hotel, an iconic gay bar in Sydney's inner-western suburb of Erskineville made famous by the film Priscilla Queen of the Desert.
The exhibition is even causing outrage overseas.
A Hindu leader in the United States, Rajan Zed, is calling for the art to be taken down.
"We are Hindus, we are all for the freedom of press and the freedom of art, but, when you are dealing with faith, I feel the artist should be more sensitive."
The curator of the Krishna in Erskineville exhibition, Gordon Carmichael, also defends his show.
"I think artists are there to inform. And if they have to use religion as a bit of a platform or a canvas for that, then that's fine, because this has sparked controversy and it's got people talking about the role of political correctness and freedom of speech."
It is not the first time art and religion have mixed with controversial results in Australia.
In Melbourne, the exhibition of the photograph Piss Christ ended up in the Supreme Court in 2013 as the Catholic archbishop unsuccessfully tried to have it banned.
The Australian Hindi Indian Association's Tilak Kalra argues there are dangers in causing offence over religion, though.
"Art is different from religion, generally, but, still, you don't try to offend any religion. That's the basic principle. That's why a lot of the wars in the world are happening: religion."
Leon Fernandes, the artist, says he is happy to engage with the Hindu community about their concerns.
"If someone feels deeply offended by my work, I encourage them to come and talk to me, and come and teach me the things that I don't understand yet," he said.
