Sunday, 26 October 2025
Sunday, 26 October 2025
The ongoing international art exhibition “Estranged Geographies” at Durbar Hall Art Gallery in Kochi witnessed a disturbing incident on Wednesday evening when Kerala-based artists Hochimin P H and Sudamshu vandalised six linocut works by Algerian-French artist Hanan Benammar.
The duo claimed the artworks were obscene and livestreamed the act on social media.
Benammar, based in Oslo, called the incident an attack on artistic freedom and free expression.
Speaking to reporters, she said she was relieved that no one was physically harmed but emphasised that violence in art spaces was unacceptable.
“I condemn any act of violence in an art space. It is very important to preserve spaces for free expression, especially in these complicated and difficult times,” she said.
Benammar added that her series “Go Eat Your Dad” was a response to acts of silencing, moral policing, and censorship she had experienced as an artist.
“It was a way to release anger and reflect humorously on language, class, and gender in colloquial speech. It is ironic to see the work attacked for the very issues it explores,” she said.
Benammar appreciated the support she had received from curators, fellow artists, and the Ministry of Culture.
She said she understood and respected differing opinions but was never contacted for discussion or criticism before the act.
She noted that viewers were warned beforehand about the strong language in her works.
The artworks in question were part of Benammar’s 2021 series “Go Eat Your Dad”. The series involved collecting the worst, ugliest, most vulgar, and insulting expressions from people across different countries, translating them into English and Norwegian, and then adapting them into Norwegian dialects.
Local objections focused on the Malayalam translations, which some claimed were abusive toward women.
Kerala Lalithakala Akademi chairperson Murali Cheeroth condemned the vandalism on Facebook, calling it a threat to artistic freedom.
“These were not abusive words. Benammar had translated expressions she had encountered in her life and incorporated them into her work,” he said.
Cheeroth added that the Akademi would lodge a police complaint and take legal action to prevent such incidents in the future.
He also noted that Benammar wanted the torn pieces of her artwork to remain on the gallery floor as a symbol of resistance.
Hochimin defended his actions on television, claiming that the works were anti-Dalit and anti-women.
“It was not art but abusive language. I cannot accept this as an artist,” he said, adding that he was prepared to face legal consequences.
Several local artists criticised the attack. Giji Scaria said it was unfair to vandalise art simply due to a lack of understanding. Cheeroth emphasised that the Akademi is not an institution to censor art.
“The exhibition carried clear disclaimers about explicit content. Instead of raising concerns through discussion, a group ran a social media campaign and then vandalised the gallery,” he said.
The exhibition, organised by the Kerala Lalithakala Akademi, opened on October 18 and is scheduled to run for a month. It is curated by Anushka Rajendran and Damian Christinger.
