The MP forcibly removed and destroyed the pieces, claiming they were “blasphemous.” His actions, backed by the Holy Synod and certain religious groups—some of whom even issued threats—have sparked widespread condemnation from the art community. In response, the Union of Contemporary Art Workers (SEST) has organized a protest in defense of artistic freedom, set to take place at 6 p.m.

The Fate of the Vandalized Artworks

The only remaining piece by Katsadiotis in the exhibition will be his video installation “Carousel,” which was projected on the façade of the National Gallery just days before the attack.

On Wednesday, the gallery’s director and curator of the exhibition, Syrago Tsiara, will provide a guided tour for arts journalists, explaining the rationale behind the removal of the vandalized works.

In a statement issued shortly after the incident, the Board of the National Gallery “unequivocally condemned all acts of vandalism, violence, and censorship that undermine the constitutionally protected freedom of artistic expression.”

Despite the severity of the attack, the Ministry of Culture has not issued an official response. However, in an earlier reply to a complaint from Papadopoulos, the ministry stated that it “acts with the sole objective of protecting the country’s cultural and artistic heritage and never engages in censorship.”

The Controversial Works and Their Artistic Context

The four destroyed prints depicted religious figures in an unconventional manner, aligning with the exhibition’s theme of the “strange,” the unsettling, and the grotesque. The concept draws inspiration from the renowned Spanish artist Francisco Goya, whose works are also on display at the National Gallery. The show features ten Greek contemporary artists, including Angelos Antonopoulos, Giannis Gaitis, Silia Daskopoulou, Marianna Ignataki, Dionysis Kavallieratos, Tasos Mantzavinos, Malvina Panagiotidi, Angelos Papadimitriou, and Philippos Tsitsopoulos. Until recently, Christoforos Katsadiotis was among them.

Following his arrest, MP Nikos Papadopoulos was briefly held at the National Gallery but was later released, as prosecutors classified his actions as a misdemeanor.