KOCHI: A day after her artwork was vandalised at an exhibition in the city, Algerian-French artist Hanan Benammar broke her silence, calling for “urgent reflection on the safety of artists” and condemning what she described as “an act of violence against expression.” Her response came even as a local sculptor who admitted to wrecking the piece — a linocut print titled Go Eat Your Dad — defended his action, alleging that the Malayalam translation of the text was obscene and “insulted local sensibilities”.
The incident, which has sent ripples through the art community, has once again brought to the fore the growing unease over artistic freedom and the rising intolerance towards provocative expression. While Hanan, who is based in Oslo, Norway said her work was intended as “a response to silencing and censorship,” objectors insisted they were reacting to what they viewed as indecent content.
“My work was actually a response to the silencing, tone policing, and attempts of censorship I experienced in my practice as an artist. It is the only work that was attacked — and that says a lot about the difficult times we live in,” Hanan said on Thursday, thanking fellow artists and organisers for their support.
Meanwhile, Ernakulam Central police registered a case for criminal trespass and mischief under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), based on a complaint filed by the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi.
Speaking to reporters, Akademi chairperson Murali Cheeroth vigorously criticised the vandalism. “Disagreements can always be voiced, and within a democratic system there are platforms to address such concerns — but never through acts of vandalism or violence. This is a clear display of intolerance,” he said.
Murali added that Hanan, one of the ten prominent artists honoured by the Norwegian government, came to Kerala on a substantial international grant, and that her works had been curated by experts. The damaged artwork, valued at around Rs 10 lakh, represents a serious offence, he noted, adding that “an attack on an internationally exhibited art piece could attract up to five years’ imprisonment.”
The vandalism occurred during the exhibition ‘Estranged Geographies,’ curated by Anushka Rajendran and Damian Christinger, and organised by the Department of Cultural Affairs and the Akademi at Durbar Hall Art Gallery. The artwork was reportedly destroyed by P H Hochimin and his associate Sudhamshu, who claimed the Malayalam translation of the English text contained abusive and obscene language.
Shibu, the nightwatchman who witnessed the incident, said, “We know both of them as artists. They arrived around 7pm and left within five minutes after tearing down the artwork.” The vandalism was discovered during a routine inspection. “I immediately informed the exhibition in-charge, Aji Kumar, and reviewed the CCTV footage. The camera inside had a blind spot, but the external footage captured the suspects destroying the work from a side angle,” he said.
However, Hochimin told reporters that he did not destroy the artwork but only “removed seven posters from the wall”. He claimed the text was “misogynistic and obscene” and argued that his action was a protest against vulgarity presented as art. “If what she did was art, then my act of taking it down is also art,” he said.
The Akademi has urged for greater protection for artists and artwork during public exhibitions and called for a wider discussion on creative freedom and accountability.
