NEW DELHI: An Indian artist said on Monday he had been beaten up at his gallery by five men over nude paintings of actresses and models that the attackers claimed were an insult to the country.
Pranava Prakash was assaulted by the gang who burst into the gallery in Noida on the outskirts of New Delhi, where he is exhibiting nudes of top Bollywood star Vidya Balan and other public figures.
"Five guys came in on Sunday and started yelling at me, saying 'Your paintings are against Indian culture, we cannot tolerate them'," he told AFP.
"They slapped me twice, threw me to the floor and then began pulling down the paintings, damaging three of my pictures," he said.
Freedom of expression is a hot topic in India after Muslim activists forced British author Salman Rushdie to cancel an appearance at a literary festival in Jaipur 10 days ago, attracting headlines around the world.
"India is an inclusive democracy, I just don't understand how such things can happen," said Prakash, 32, who had not yet reported the attack to police.
"There is a certain section of people who think they alone are the custodians of Indian culture, and anyone who disagrees with them is the enemy."
Also among Prakash's work on display are nude paintings of Pakistani actress Veena Malik and Mumbai-based model Poonam Pandey.
COMMENTS (12)
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I really like how all the Indians here are trying to play it down by saying its actually about the picture being painted without consent. No, its not...they are people who are angry because they think nudity is not a part of Indian culture. Face it, stuff like this happens in India too, maybe you spoke too soon.
did he take the consent of poonam,vidya and veena before drawing them nude ? although, i don't support the attack on him, but somehow, i feel his act was not in accordance with the freedom guaranteed in our constitution, which also calls for reasonable restriction !!
The beating is obviously wrong; I am more interested in whether the artist had permission from the concerned personalities about doing nude paintings of them. Doesn't this constitute a possible offense in itself?
Violence is not the right way. But painting nude pictures without permission of actresses is certainly not artistic freedom that the painter seems to be claiming. Plus the artist was simply slapped and roghted up. In reading the description I am not seeing any weapons or hospitalisation reference. Nor am I seeing that the people who came in represented some cultural institutions. My guess is that one of the models/actresses whose painting was painted without her consent ired a few goondas to do the needful. Going to the court system is alengthy process in India as much as it is in Pakistan. If this action was initiated by one of the victim=s rather than general vigilantism, I am not sure I blame the victim.
@IndiKid: The counterposition of liberal is conservative not "religious". All conservatives are not religious. Anyway, if you want to see "free-loading" then you have to see some of the many "welfare" schemes which have been espoused by liberals. Religious "give-aways" pales in comparison to them. Liberals want others to pay disportionate amount of taxes, because they earn more. Many have relinquished all sense of personal responsibility and made the state their de facto guardian to take care of them even though they are adults.
@Ali: And what about cartoonists?
@Karnik: If it was without concent, let the actresses deal with it. I dont think Vidya Balan asked the exhibition to be removed,etc. Moreover, liberals are not freeloaders, we pay taxes, carry out all our responsibilities - take care of our parents and children. Religious people are freeloaders. As an Indian, I can say so much of our(atheists, liberals) tax money is spent on funding religious activities - eg Hajj for muslims, Kumbh mela security,etc for Hindus, Jerusalem pilgrimage for Christians (in one indian state AP), plus 1000s of tax exemptions given to so called religious institutions. Semi-literate people of religion(pandits, maulvis, priests) behave as if they are the sole knowledge bearers. They have an expert opinion on everything - from sex to politics. They gather millions of rupees from religious people each day and spend it on themselves. So, I hope now its clear to you who is a freeloader here.
Govt must not bow to Hindu and Muslim radical groups.
nudes of top Bollywood star Vidya Balan and other public figures.
haaha tribune didn't reported that VEENA's painting was also there
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Feel sorry for the artist.
Awaiting response from across the border. In any case , hope the artist is better now from all that beating.