Overview
- The Kochi Muziris Biennale temporarily closed the Garden Convention Centre after Christian groups protested a painting they say misrepresents Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper.
- Artist Tom Vattakuzhy said he never intended to offend and explained the work draws on a play about Mata Hari, not on the biblical scene itself.
- Exhibition curators K. M. Madhusudhanan and Aishwarya Suresh said the piece is part of a literary–historical chain of interpretation and its nudity reflects the subject’s context.
- The Syro-Malabar Church and the Kerala Latin Catholic Association demanded withdrawal and apology, and the BJP Minority Morcha called for legal action.
- Biennale officials cited safety and New Year restrictions for the temporary closure and indicated venues would reopen on January 2.