A recent act of vandalism by a member of the Greek Parliament, targeting works by a Greek artist exhibited at the National Gallery has sparked heated controversy in both political circles and social media. Following the incident, the works of artist Christoforos Katsadiotis have been widely criticized as “blasphemous,” accusing him of distorting Orthodox Christian icons and presenting them as art.
Greek MP vandalizes “blasphemous art”
Nikos Papadopoulos, who is a member of the ultra-conservative Nike party, was apprehended on Monday after vandalizing four works of art by the Greek artist. The MP entered the National Gallery of Greece at 11:30 am and threw four engravings on the floor, claiming they were offensive to Greek Orthodoxy and the faithful.
The gallery staff stopped the man and held him while calling the police. The police apprehended the individual and kept him on the premises until the competent prosecutor decided whether the vandalism would be considered a misdemeanor or a felony in the investigation.
Στην Ελλάδα ο κάθε, μα ο ΚΑΘΕ ΜΑΛΑΚΑΣ ΚΑΡΑΓΚΙΟΖΗΣ είναι ελεύθερος να δημιουργεί ότι ΜΑΛΑΚΙΑ του κατέβει &να λέει πως κάνει τέχνη. Το να εκθέτεις όμως αυτά τα εκτρώματα στην ΕΘΝΙΚΗ Πινακοθήκη είναι άλλο ζήτημα. ΝΤΡΟΠΗ
Και φυσικά ΠΑΝΤΑ όλως τυχαίως θύμα είναι η Χριστιανική πίστη! pic.twitter.com/AeRk2Z9rix— ΑΙΤΩΛΟΣ (@AITWLOS) March 10, 2025
The MP was finally released at 5 p.m. It has been reported that a misdemeanor case will be filed against him and forwarded to Parliament.
According to Georgios Economopoulos, the National Gallery’s legal advisor, the Thessaloniki MP “forcibly tore the works from the wall, threw them on the floor and broke the protective glass.”
Talking to reporters, Papadopoulos claimed that he did not tear the frames from the wall or throw them down, but only wanted to place them away from the public eye, and they slipped from his hands. However, the security camera footage does not corroborate this version of events
What are the artist’s responsibilities and limits?
The artworks are part of an exhibition called “The Allure of the Strange.” Some of them utilize the form of Greek Orthodox hagiography, juxtaposing death and distorted animal figures, or take known Christian figures and put animal faces on them.
A woman in the MP’s entourage angrily shouted at Greek artist Filippos Tsitsopoulos, one of the participating exhibitors, while he was speaking to the press about his work and the purpose of the exhibition: ‘Aren’t you ashamed of insulting the Virgin Mary?’
However, the artist whose works were vandalized, Christoforos Katsadiotis, was surprised that his art provoked such a reaction, especially from a member of parliament.
Speaking to Skai.gr, Katsadiotis clarified that he had no intention whatsoever to offend or shock:
“I was surprised. I didn’t expect something like this to happen,” he said. “Because people who are believers and religious write to me that they were not offended by what they see in my work.”
Ο “Καλλιτέχνης” Χριστόφορος Κατσαδιώτης σε συνέντευξη στο ΠΡΩΤΟ ΘΕΜΑ, λέει πως η “τέχνη” του εμπνέεται από την περίοδο της Βαϊμάρης…
Δεν το περίμενε κανείς… pic.twitter.com/KXbingDE49
— Φαλαγγίτης ΕΟΜ (@Stathopoulos_Th) March 11, 2025
The artist admitted that there are distorted faces and symbols in his work, but this is not uncommon in the visual arts. “There is a distortion in my works. The same one is also present in (Francisco) Goya’s works. But the distortion in iconography exists. It starts in 1500 from Barcelona, from Catalan painting and continues in the 17th century where we saw Christ, the Virgin Mary and various saints particularly distorted,” he said.
And he continued: “St. Christopher is the only saint who has the form of a dog in all the churches of Eastern Europe. There is no symbolism in this. Let’s not magnify everything and see ghosts everywhere.”
St Christopher with a Dog’s Head, Byzantine Icon, 1685 pic.twitter.com/88a9rHL017
— Solas (@solas_na_greine) August 5, 2023
Katsadiotis did not mince his words when speaking about the Greek MP’s actions. “It was a profane act of violence,” he said.
The exhibition curator and director of the National Gallery, Syrago Tsiara, decided to keep the traces of violence and vandalism visible as a symptom.
The artist praised the management of the National Gallery of Greece for deciding to leave the works of art with the broken frames and the scattered glass cordoned off where the MP threw them “as a scene of crime against democracy and the freedom of expression. This leaves me satisfied.”
Political reactions
Opposition parties condemned the vandalism act of Nikos Papadopoulos against the Greek artist.
Acts of vandalism directed against art, but especially against free expression, cannot be tolerated in a democratic society,” said Nagia Grigorakou, MP for PASOK. “Any action that attempts to silence, censor or destroy works of art is an attack on democracy, culture and freedom of thought,” she added.
“Freedom of artistic expression is fundamental to a democratic society and it is non-negotiable […]Respect for religious beliefs is a given, but the response cannot be censorship, violence, or police intervention” was the official Syriza statement. “The same applies to the unacceptable incident caused by a Niki MP targeting works exhibited at the National Gallery. We call for his exemplary punishment, in accordance with applicable legislation and the rules of parliament.”
“We condemn the unprecedented action of Nike Nikos Papadopoulos, because they ‘blaspheme religion’. Art is a field of aesthetic and ideological expression, critical and dialectical thought, often of debate, conducted in terms of dialogue and respect for artistic creation. No social function can be limited or silenced. The freedom of true art, which expresses the thoughts and opinions of the artist and the social reality of his time, is non-negotiable. The attack of the Nike MP, his obscurantist delirium, is in line with the obscurantism of the perceptions of the political entity he represents and takes us back centuries” the Greek Communist Party (KKE) stated.
In contrast, Niki’s statement asserted:
“In these days, in the name of the freedom of art, we are witnessing the violation of the Constitution, which in Article 2 stipulates that ‘the respect and protection of human dignity constitute the primary obligation of the State. At the National Gallery, which, as a public institution, is funded by Greek taxpayers, an exhibition is being held with works that brutally offend the images of the Virgin Mary and the Saints of the Orthodox Faith. […] We call on Prime Minister to request the resignation of the Minister of Culture.”
The Niki MP insists on ‘blasphemous art’
Nikos Papadopoulos remained unwavering. Speaking on parapolitika.gr radio, he commented on the fact that the works of the Greek artist will stay in the National Gallery and be open to the public: “They are incorrigible. Will children go to see these works? Shame on the Greeks, shame on us, shame on everyone.”
Speaking of his vandalizing act, he said, “It was an act of restoring the sanctity of our faith. If one wants to exhibit them, he should exhibit them in his home and not in the National Gallery. Will I let my children in there? It would be better if they watched porn than these. I decided to take them down when I found out that schools visit the exhibition. This is not art, it is the devil’s excrement.”
The Niki MP continued by saying that they held him for six hours after the incident while he was a member of parliament, and they wanted to accuse him of a felony.
“You should not desecrate anyone’s faith. What should a person do if his faith is desecrated? The Constitution must be based on the Greek Orthodox faith. If I see these up, I will go and take them down again.”
Greek church and the violation of constitution
The Holy Synod of the Church of Greece expressed its dismay over the artworks. In a press release issued on Tuesday, March 11, it notes that “it has decided to take the necessary actions toward the Greek Government.”
Sources claim that the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Ieronymos, is also dissatisfied with the current exhibition taking place at the National Gallery of Greece. It is likely that on Monday, March 17, a letter of protest will be sent to the government, raising the issue of the violation of the Constitution and questioning whether it is legal for such matters to be displayed in public, as they insult the faith of Orthodox Christians