Syro-Malabar Church raises objections over alleged misrepresentation of ‘The Last Supper’ at Kochi Muziris Biennale

The Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala has condemned the alleged misrepresentation of ‘The Last Supper’ masterpiece painted by Leonardo da Vinci in an artwork displayed at the ongoing Kochi Muziris Biennale in Kochi.

The work in question is a painting by artist Tom Vattakuzhy displayed as part of the ‘Edam’ exhibition at the Garden Convention Centre, Bazar Road. The venue was shut down temporarily on Tuesday (December 30, 2025) following protests by various groups.

In a statement, the Syro-Malabar Church alleged that the artwork distorted the Last Supper scene. The artwork was withdrawn after it was published in a magazine in December 2016 after protests by devotees. “We doubt whether it was displayed at the biennale intentionally to hurt the sentiments of the believers,” it alleged.

The Church stated that “freedom of expression remains vital to any democratic society. But it does not permit anyone to misrepresent religious beliefs,” it said.

The State unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Minority Morcha demanded legal action against the alleged misrepresentation of the Last Supper in the artwork. Sumit George, its president, alleged that “such wrong portrayals of religious belief cannot be accepted in the name of artistic freedom.”

In a communication, the Kochi Biennale Foundation pointed out that the body of work presented at ‘Edam’ from Tom Vattakuzhy’s extensive practice consists primarily of narrative paintings and illustrations. Many of these works have previously been published in well-known Malayalam publications such as Manorama and Bhashaposhini, among others. The selection on display has been carefully curated from hundreds of paintings and drawings created by the artist over several decades as part of his ongoing practice, it said.

K. M. Madhusudhanan, and Aishwarya Suresh, curators of the exhibition, said the works are intended to be viewed as part of a broader discourse on storytelling, illustration, history, and visual expression. “In this context, we seek the support of the authorities in addressing any discourse or objections that may arise from individuals or institutions during the course of the exhibition,” they said.

The Kochi Biennale Foundation does 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, according to the communication quoting Bose Krishnamachari, president of the Kochi Muziris Biennale.