A large number of art people, members of the field of culture, individual artists and citizens gave the “present” to the courtyard of the National Gallery, responding to the call made by the initiative against censorship.

The rally began at 17:00 and the main demand of the attendees is “to immediately return the works to the Gallery”. Several people with banners and placards expressed their dissatisfaction both for the vandalism of Niki MP Nikos Papadopoulos, and for the fact that the works were eventually removed from the Gallery.

During the protest, 30 artworks were exhibited that have been censored and recorded by a relevant Panteion University research program.

The whole announcement:

“Restoration of works by a museum is a defeat of freedom of art, freedom of expression, freedom as a whole. And, yet, a defeat of our ability to live in peace, disagreeing with coordinates. Let’s think about what would happen if such practices prevailed: no one could speak or express themselves artistically by the fear of reactions.
For this reason, it is a vital need for democracy that the vandalized works of Christopher Katsadiotis return to their place. Yesterday it should have been done. And since it didn’t, it must be today. We literally: immediately, without delay and no spins. Formations of the type “examined with the contribution of experts The terms and conditions of their safe re -exposure” are at risk of referring to Greek calendars to forget the matter.
We do not forget that the adventure of the works of Christopher Katsadiotis is a very serious, but not the only one, in the context of a more general strategic strategic attacks on contemporary art. We lived-just a few of the most recent examples-with the derogation of the “pink flag” of Georgia Lale from the Greek Consulate in New York, the constant censorship facing the documentary “Standy Bodies” by Elina Psoukos.
The fact that the National Gallery is a public institution, as well as the fact that the desertation comes as a violent attack, constituting its tangible reward, makes this need even more emphatic.
If censorship triumphs, democracy loses. Or “art is free”, as our constitution simply writes, or it is not. Or in an old saying, “or the Constitution is rules or is nothing.”
To return the works to the Gallery immediately. Democracy to defeat censorship, fear and far -right darkness.
The government, the ministry and the National Gallery must take responsibility. Everyone and every democratic citizen themselves. The coordinated state must do what their role is constitutionally dictated: to ensure freedom of expression. “