Police have decided to increase social pressure against visual artist George Gavriel, with Politis sources reporting that on Sunday evening the Kokkinotrimithia Police Station, following instructions from headquarters, contacted the artist and asked him to remove the collage, citing that it caused social reactions.
The question remains whether the Police acted the same way toward the DISY MP and everyone else who posted the collage, or whether they preferred to exert greater pressure on the victim of harassment and threats, effectively re-victimizing the artist.
However, police spokesperson Byron Byronos told Politis that the Kokkinotrimithia Police Station did indeed contact Gavriel, as they had been instructed to patrol for his safety and to ask whether he had anything to report to the Police. He did not confirm, however, the claim that the artist was asked to remove the post.
Freedom of expression
The right to expression is protected under Article 19 of the Constitution, and everyone can express themselves as they wish, said lawyer Ilias Christou on Politis 107.6 and 97.6, noting that there are restrictions such as prohibition of insult or defamation. He added that “even when a work provokes, it must be considered whether it intentionally offends someone,” emphasizing that “Mr. Gavriel uses an allegorical method, without words in his paintings.” Through images, he conveys thoughts and emotions, prompting the viewer to reflect.
Christou also noted that a gallery is private property and the owner has the right to exhibit whatever they want. He warned that “if we start judging every stimulus, we will soon begin controlling people’s thoughts and creativity.” He also pointed out that “the worst part is that, during an election campaign, all politicians went on a vote-seeking crusade to protest.”
Legal measures
Monday began with mutual legal warnings. DISY deputy president and MP Efthymios Diplaros stated that he would file a lawsuit against George Gavriel if the artist did not withdraw a reference he made regarding him in a post on his personal Facebook account.
The artist, on the Proini Epitheorisi show on Politis 107.6, said he would file a complaint with the Police against the DISY deputy president over the fake painting that circulated on social media and was falsely attributed to him, which triggered strong reactions and threats against the life of the gallery owner in Paphos.
The collage
On Sunday, DISY deputy president Diplaros posted a collage of various works by George Gavriel, claiming that “at the Blu Iris Gallery in Paphos, works are currently being exhibited that consciously desecrate Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the holiest symbols of the Orthodox Faith.” According to him, “this is raw blasphemy, not art,” adding that “whoever presents it and whoever supports it bears full responsibility.”
Later that evening, the artist stated that “the work shared on Facebook, which many are insulting me and accusing me of, is not my work but a collage created by the Deputy President of DISY, Mr. Efthymios Diplaros, who cut and combined parts of various works of mine in an attempt to create impressions.” Gavriel also stated that the exhibition was canceled and the works were removed from the Plue Iris Gallery in Paphos “because the gallery owner received threats to his life and threats of vandalism to the building.”
Diplaros’ deadline
The responsibility for the collage was taken by the Facebook page “Cyprus My Homeland”, which addressed Gavriel, saying the composition “is a summary and collection of your own works, as they were publicly presented by you.”
Diplaros said today on the ANT1 program Mera Mesimeri that if Gavriel did not remove within one hour the claim that Diplaros created the collage, “he will be taken to court.” Gavriel responded on the same show, asking Diplaros to “forgive” him if the work was not his, while stressing that the DISY deputy president still bears responsibility, as he posted the collage on Facebook without clarifying that it was a composite created by someone else. According to Politissources, Gavriel has no intention of filing a Police complaint against Diplaros.
Archbishop
It is worth noting that ELAM president Christos Christou sent a letter to the Chief of Police requesting criminal prosecution of the artist. Archbishop Georgios said today on Omega’s Enimerosi Tora show that “it is unacceptable in the name of freedom of expression to have such obscenities in a society that does not tolerate them,” adding that the public reaction sent the message to those who should receive it. However, he distanced himself from ELAM’s decision to file a complaint with the Police, saying the artist had received the message from society.
Political parties
DISY issued a statement against Ezekias Papaiwannou, arguing that “AKEL’s silence or the visible awkwardness of its officials to comment on the ‘art’ that exudes hatred and causes division is no surprise.” AKEL responded that it had no intention of participating in the recent “artificial polarization” surrounding Gavriel’s exhibition, motivated by clear political aims and a misleading manipulation of images. AKEL emphasized that what is truly unacceptable is threats to citizens’ lives, intimidation, and harassment aimed at stopping exhibitions, demanding prosecution or imprisonment of artists.
Other parties, including DIKO, EDEK, and DIPA, have also issued statements against the artist’s works, while independent MP Andreas Apostolou said he would raise the matter in Parliament.
This article was originally published on the Greek-language Politis website.