Days after it came under scrutiny following allegations by Christian and Catholic groups that it hurt religious sentiments, a painting by Kerala-based artist Tom Vattakuzhy has been withdrawn from the exhibition ‘Edam’, a parallel event at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.
In a statement released on January 4, the Kochi Biennale Foundation said: “The curator of Edam and the artist concerned have decided to withdraw the painting from the exhibition respecting public sentiments and in the interest of the common good. The Kochi Biennale Foundation, which has always stood for artistic and curatorial freedom, respects their decision.”
Curated by artists KM Madhusudhanan and Aishwarya Suresh, the exhibition ‘Edam’ features works by 36 artists/collectives with roots in Kerala. Vattakuzhy’s painting was on display at one of its three venues, Garden Convention Centre. This had been closed “complying with the directions of the authorities following petitions pertaining” to the artwork. The venue has now reopened to the public after the removal of the painting. According to the statement released, the decision follows a meeting chaired by the sub collector, where the matter was discussed.
In a statement earlier, Tom Olikkarott, public relations officer of Syro-Malabar Church had said, “The church strongly condemns the distorted depiction of The Last Supper, which is a holy symbol of the Christian faith. It amounts to violation of basic respect towards religious faith. In 2016, the artwork in question was withdrawn after it was published in a magazine following the protest from the faithful. The church doubts that the exhibition of the same artwork was done intentionally to insult the Christian faith.”
Speaking to The Indian Express, Vattakuzhy had stated, “I do not see that the ongoing claims and allegations are based on any facts. Therefore, I do not wish to say anything about them at the moment.”
In a previous statement issued, Madhusudhanan, Suresh, and Bose Krishnamachari, President of Kochi-Muziris Biennale, had noted that the work in question has been created in response to a story by writer C Gopan, and depicts Mata Hari, a convicted spy. “Mata Hari was also an exotic dancer, and the use of nudity in the work is directly linked to this historical and narrative context,” noted the statement, adding, “C Gopan’s story itself is inspired by a poem written by Vailoppilli, which in turn draws from historical events. The painting by Tom Vattakuzhy is therefore part of a long-established chain of artistic and literary interpretation that moves from history to poetry, from poetry to prose, and from prose to visual representation. Within this continuum, the painting is neither isolated nor gratuitous, but firmly grounded in a recognised tradition of cultural and artistic engagement.”
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