Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Kerala Police Book Two Artists Over Vandalism of Hanan Benammar’s Works in Kochi

Police cited criminal trespass and mischief under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Overview

  • Kochi City Police registered an FIR after the October 22 incident at Durbar Hall, acting on a complaint from Kerala Lalithakala Akademi chairperson Murali Cheeroth.
  • Sculptor Hochimin P H and associate Sudamshu were named as the accused over the tearing of six or seven linocut prints from Benammar’s Go Eat Your Dad series.
  • The destruction was reportedly live-streamed on Facebook as the gallery was closing following earlier objections to Malayalam translations that some locals called obscene.
  • Benammar condemned the attack as “violence in an art space” and the torn pieces remain on display alongside video coverage within the exhibition.
  • Hochimin defended his actions as a protest against what he called abusive, anti-women and anti-Dalit language, stating he is ready to face legal consequences.