The chronicle of a censored Pink Flag
The exhibition “Neighborhood Guilt” at the General Consulate of Greece, included two art works that address the uprising phenomena of femicide and domestic violence in Greece and internationally. The artworks were a fabric piece referring to the Greek flag and a quilt, titled “Neighborhood Guilt”. Both artworks are made out of bed sheets donated by womxn that live in Greece, under the condition that they have used them to rest their bodies on them and dream of a world where womxn will not be afraid to chase their dreams and stand up for their rights.
Unfortunately, the show was canceled four days after the opening, after the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, Georgie Gerapetritis, censored the “Flag” piece.
Neighborhood Guilt, 57″ x 38″, donated bed sheets , sewing threat and fabric ink, 2023
The opening was on December 15, 2023 and the show was scheduled to last two months. On Saturday, December 16, 2023, a Greek parliament member of the far right party Niki, Dimitris Natsios, brought a picture of the piece “Flag” to the parliament and demanded its removal from the Greek Consulate General in New York, stating that it is a disgrace to the national symbol and that the only occasion in which it is accepted to by painted red, is by the blood of the nation’s heroes.
Excerpt of parliament member’s Dimitris Natsios’ address on the Greek Parliament on December 16, 2023. His X post reads: Yesterday, the Consulate General of Greece exhibited this rug as our flag! The only color that can replace the blue & white of the flag is the blood of the nation’s heroes.”
On Monday, December 18, 2023, the Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs, George Gerapetritis censored the piece and asked for its immediate removal from the exhibition. I made the public statement: “Victims of femicide and domestic violence are heroes of the fight for freedom and life in Greece and internationally”. That same day the work “Flag” was removed without my presence. On Tuesday, December 19, 2023, I went to the Greek Consulate, I deinstalled the art piece “Neighborhood Guilt” and received the “Flag” folded inside a plastic trash bag.
The exhibition was curated by the Carte Blanche Project which is a pilot artist showcase program conceived and presented by the Consulate General of Greece in NY in collaboration with the advisory arts committee comprised of Eirini Linardaki, Natasha Katerinopoulos, Lolita Koutoudi, and Panos Tsagaris. The independent Cultural Committee and the Greek Consulate gave my art a platform and they were supportive throughout these events.
This situation has caused a wave of opposition about the censorship of freedom of expression in Greece. I was targeted by far right members of the Greek Parliament as mentally unstable and dangerous because I spoke about femicides, domestic violence and the effects of patriarchy in our society through my art.
The overwhelming support of the people of Greece, the Greek and international media, the artistic community, my friends and family have given me the strength to withstand this attack.
Related Press:
To Proino Mou, Morning Show of Ant1 TV, Conversation about the “Pink Flag” (ENG subtitles)
Hyperallergic, “Femicide Artwork “Censored” From Greek Consulate in New York”, Maya Pontone.
Hyperallergic, “The 20 Most Powerless People in the Art World: 2023 Edition”
