KOCHI: Expressing pain over the controversy that forced the withdrawal of his artwork from the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), Tom Vattakuzhy said a work of art has multiple layers and viewing it in a rigid perspective is injustice.
Refusing to comment on the decision to pull out the painting, the artist said the Biennale Foundation will issue an explanation. Sharing his frustration, Tom said, “My concern is that the painting will be viewed in a different context. The allegation of hurting religious sentiments is an injustice to art.”
“As an artist I view Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper’ as an artwork that upholds the humanistic perspective of the Renaissance period. In creative art, we communicate our ideas through certain imageries. It should stir up certain thoughts or memories. You cannot view an artwork like a court order. Literature and art have multiple layers of meaning,” he told TNIE.
Tom said he requested KMB organisers to display a note explaining the context of the painting. Drawing comparison with The Last Supper put it in a rigid context. The curators explained that the artwork depicts Mata Hari, a historically documented figure and a convicted spy, in the moments preceding her execution by the French Army. “The artwork is by no means opposed to Christianity; on the contrary, it reflects the values of tenderness, compassion, and empathy that Christianity upholds. This denied the opportunity to understand the literary depth of the artwork,” said Tom.
Meanwhile, the Garden Convention Centre, one of the venues of the Biennale, which was shut down on December 30 following the row, reopened on Monday after the artwork was removed. “The Garden Convention Centre, a venue of Edam, an exhibition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, was closed complying with the directions of the authorities following petitions pertaining to a certain artwork.
Subsequently, a meeting was chaired by the sub collector, where this matter was discussed. Following this, 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,” the foundation said in the press release.
Sense and censorship
The foundation had earlier stated that it will not take down the artwork. “We do not believe that the artwork in question warrants removal. Taking down the work would amount to restricting artistic expression and could be perceived as an act of censorship, which is contrary to the principles of artistic freedom and cultural dialogue that the exhibition seeks to uphold,” curators had said.
“The decision to withdraw the artwork was taken by the curator and the artist. The foundation will stand only with the artistic freedom of the artist,” chairperson V Venu said.