Syro-Malabar Church objects to alleged misrepresentation of ‘The Last Supper’ at Kochi Muziris Biennale

The Syro-Malabar Church in Kerala has condemned the alleged misrepresentation of the masterpiece ‘The Last Supper’ 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 Vattakuzhi displayed as part of the ‘Adam’ exhibition at the Garden Convention Centre, Bazaar Road. The venue was temporarily closed on Tuesday (December 30, 2025) following protests from various groups.

Tom Vattakuzhi | Photo Credit: 1001

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 The artwork was withdrawn following protests from devotees after it was published in a magazine in December 2016.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

The Church stated that “Freedom of expression is vital to any democratic society. But it does not allow anyone to misrepresent religious beliefs.”

The state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Minority Morcha demanded legal action against the alleged misrepresentations in the artwork. Its president Sumit George alleged that “such misrepresentation of religious belief in the name of artistic freedom cannot be accepted.”

Carefully curated by: Kochi Biennale Foundation

In a communication, the Kochi Biennale Foundation explained that the works presented at ‘Edam’ from Sri Vattakuzhi’s extensive practice primarily include narrative paintings and drawings. Many of these works have been previously published in famous Malayalam publications like Manorama And language hostamong others. It said the selection for the display has been carefully drawn from hundreds of paintings and drawings made by the artist as part of his ongoing practice spanning several decades.

KM Madhusudhanan and Aishwarya Suresh, curators of the exhibition, said the works should be seen as part of a broader discussion 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 exhibition,” he said.

According to the communication quoting Bose Krishnamachari, president of the Kochi Muziris Biennale, the foundation said it “does not believe that the artwork in question needs to be removed. Removing the work would amount to restricting artistic expression and could be construed as an act of censorship, which is contrary to the principles of artistic freedom and cultural dialogue that the exhibition seeks to uphold.”