Christian Churches Protest Artwork Distorting Christ’s Last Supper at Biennale
The Catholic Church’s strong protest against an artwork displayed at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale has led to the temporary closure of the exhibition venue. The artwork, exhibited at the Garden Convention Centre, one of the ‘Edam’ exhibition venues, is alleged by Christian churches to be a distorted depiction of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting of Jesus Christ’s Last Supper. This artwork, created by Tom Vattakuzhy, is based on a dramatic interpretation of the story ‘The Tragic End of Mridvangi’.
A leader of the Kerala Latin Catholic Association posted on social media, “This artwork compares the Holy Eucharist and the Last Supper. Jesus Christ is depicted incorrectly. This artwork must be removed within 24 hours, otherwise, you will be responsible for the consequences.”
Meanwhile, Biennale President Bose Krishnamachari stated that the venue would be reopened after discussions with the concerned religious organizations and protestors. Curators Aishwarya Suresh and K.M. Madhusoodanan said in a statement that the artist created this painting in response to C. Gopan’s story, and its details are clearly provided in the exhibition description.
The painting captures the moments just before the death of Mata Hari, a spy and dancer sentenced to death by the French army. They explained that nudity was included in the painting because Mata Hari was also a dancer.
The Foundation stated that there is no need to remove the artwork, as it would be equivalent to hindering freedom of expression and censorship. However, Fr. Michael Pulickal, Secretary of the K.C.B.C. Vigilance Commission, said that depicting the Last Supper incorrectly hurts the sentiments of believers. He also pointed out that this painting was withdrawn in 2016 due to protests when it was published in ‘Bhashaposhini’.
Bose Krishnamachari announced that the issue would be resolved through discussions. He told The New Indian Express that while there is no desire to remove the painting, religious sentiments are respected.
The decision to close the venue for a few days was made because the police informed that adequate security could not be provided due to New Year celebrations. Artist Tom Vattakuzhy clarified that his painting is not against Christianity but rather reflects the values of compassion and empathy upheld by Christianity.
The K.C.B.C. Vigilance Commission has lodged a complaint with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Minister for Culture regarding the incident. In their letter, they stated that displaying such distorted images in major venues like the Biennale is objectionable.