Kerala Church Groups Protest Over Painting They Claim Insults 'Last Supper'

An art exhibition at Kerala's Kochi-Muziris Biennale has been temporarily closed after protests erupted over a painting that Christian groups alleged insulted the depiction of Jesus Christ's 'Last Supper'. The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is the international exhibition of contemporary art, and is the biggest contemporary art festival across Asia. The sixth edition started on December 12 last year and will go on till 31 March. Sixty-six artists from 25 countries are taking part in the festival. The painting in question, made by artist Tom Vattakuzhy, was displayed as a part of the exhibition titled 'Edam'.

The protesters argued that the painting hurt religious sentiments and disrespected the traditional portrayal of the Last Supper. The Kerala Latin Catholic Association demanded the immediate removal of the painting and asked the organisers to apologise within 24 hours.

In a Facebook post, Association Secretary Biju Josy Karumanchery said, "Do not think that anything can be shown using government funds in the name of creative freedom. Are you insulting us with the tax money we pay?" Karumanchery said that Leonardo da Vinci's iconic mural of the Last Supper was being misused for offensive reinterpretation.

Exhibition Closed, Will Reopen Tomorrow

Biennale organisers said the exhibition was closed to prevent potential law and order issues during New Year celebrations. They confirmed the exhibition would reopen on Friday. Speaking to reporters, one of the organisers said, "We want to avoid any disturbance to public peace."

Responding to the criticism, artist Tom Vattakuzhy said the interpretation (about his painting) online was misplaced. Vattakuzhy explained that his work has come from his upbringing and exposure to Christian teachings, which shaped his ideas of empathy and human dignity.

"I come from a Christian household, and those values often influence my art. This painting comes from that space. It is not meant to reinterpret or disrespect the Last Supper," he clarified.

Vattakuzhy pointed out that the piece (the painting) is rooted in Kerala's literary history and is linked to C. Gopan's play Mridhavangiyude Durmruthyu, which itself draws from poet Vyloppilli's writings and historical accounts. 

He added that his visual language often references early Renaissance styles to express human stories through familiar artistic grammar. "For me, art is a search for humanism," the artist further said.

"Painting Taken Out Of Context"

Curators K. M. Madhusudhanan and Aishwarya Suresh said that the painting was misidentified and taken out of context.

According to them, the subject is Mata Hari, the Dutch dancer accused of espionage and executed during World War I. The artwork depicts her in the moments leading up to her death, they said, pointing out that the presence of nudity is tied to her documented life and identity.

Both Madhusudhanan and Suresh argued that the painting belonged to a long continuum of storytelling where real events inspired poetry, which then influenced prose, theatre, and finally visual art.

"The work is part of a chain of interpretation that connects history, literature, and visual culture. It stands within that lineage, not as a provocation created to offend," the curators said.