Everything that has unfolded around visual artist George Gavriel is clearly not merely a dispute about art. It is a disturbing symptom of the way in which the far right, pseudo-patriotism and institutional tolerance are corroding public life in our country. When artistic expression is presented as a “threat to faith and the nation”, the problem is not the artistic proposal itself; it is a society that tolerates intimidation but does not tolerate democracy and freedom of expression.
In the eyes of reasonable people, Gavriel’s work is not a reflection of anti-religious hostility. It is directed against the hypocrisy of self-appointed defenders of the “sacred and the holy” who serve authoritarianism, exclusion and hatred. This critical stance of the painter provoked the anger, frenzy and outright authoritarianism of extremists - not because the “divine was offended”, but because the appropriation of faith by political and ideological mechanisms was challenged.
The far right in Cyprus operates methodically: it demonises individuals, emotionally charges public discourse, fuels moral panic and then withdraws, leaving the most fanatical to “do the dirty work”. At that point, the moral instigators emerge - those who, through public statements, insinuations and denunciatory rhetoric, prepare the ground with the poison of hatred and now, in their absolute silence, pretend to bear no responsibility for the consequences.
The attack with an explosive device on the home of visual artist George Gavriel did not come out of the blue. It is the result of a climate that has been consciously constructed and continues to be constructed. Silence or so-called equal distancing after such acts does not amount to moderation; it amounts to complicity.
Particularly troubling is the stance of political forces that describe themselves as liberal but hesitate to confront fanaticism, fearing the political cost. In the name of a supposed patriotism, they tolerate or even reproduce the rhetoric of the far right. Yet patriotism that silences art and terrorises thought is not patriotism; it is a profound pathology that, unfortunately, leads society down dangerous paths, taking us back more than fifty years to actions that ended in tragedy.
Tolerance of such phenomena inevitably strengthens nationalism, racism and religious fanaticism. A European country cannot move forward guided by the logic of dark eras. Defending the freedom of art is not an aesthetic matter; it is a political and moral obligation. Because when art is targeted, the next step is the targeting of democracy itself.