A group of artists representing Cyprus at the Venice Architecture Biennale have rejected the Deputy Culture Ministry’s demand to withdraw their exhibition book, calling the request “unacceptable” and a violation of freedom of expression.
The ministry requested immediate withdrawal of the book titled “(to the stones) we lent you our breath, and you whispered it back to the earth,” following strong public reactions to its content. The book has been available since the exhibition’s opening on 8 May 2025.
The artists stated the ministry knew for months that this year’s participation included a printed publication but never requested to review or approve content. Ministry officials never set specific conditions regarding content and never asked to see preliminary or final texts, according to the team.
Deputy Culture Minister Vasiliki Kassianidou ordered the withdrawal, citing “problematic references” over the 1974 Turkish invasion and the lack of official approval for the publication. She asserted that the ministry must ensure transparency and proper procedures when the state is officially represented abroad.
The controversy emerged after DIKO MP Pavlos Mylonas, chairman of the House Education Committee, raised “serious issues of executive control over what receives funding” following coverage in Phileleftheros. Mylonas has scheduled the matter for parliamentary discussion, describing the book as containing “historical inaccuracies that raise serious questions about executive oversight of funded projects”.
“The fact that the book, translated into English, circulates abroad makes this issue dangerous for our national cause,” Mylonas said, confirming the Deputy Culture Minister will be called to explain the matter to parliament.
Constitutional rights
The artist team emphasised constitutional protections for freedom of expression, stating the ministry should protect rather than restrict artists with whom it collaborates. They argued the withdrawal request constitutes a violation of their expression rights.
“It is neither legally nor ethically acceptable for the ministry to come afterwards and condemn artists’ work which has already been completed and presented with the justification that it has funded it,” the artists stated.
The team noted the Deputy Culture Minister had congratulated them warmly for their work approximately one month before requesting the book’s withdrawal, specifically at the exhibition’s opening on 8 May 2025.
Language
The artists indicated controversy arose partly from their choice of language and dialect used in the book’s texts, which was considered offensive by critics. They maintained language selection remains entirely within artists’ discretion.
No prior warnings were received regarding content concerns or language choices before the ministry’s withdrawal demand, according to the statement.
Exhibition success
The artists reported their exhibition presentation was successful, receiving congratulations from numerous Venice visitors for both the exhibition and accompanying book.
The book forms part of a broader integrated artwork currently presented at the Biennale, making withdrawal requests at this stage inappropriate, the team argued.
Any potential restrictions should have been communicated early in preliminary stages rather than after publication and circulation, they stated. Such limitations must be compatible with constitutional obligations to respect and protect artists’ freedom of expression.
The artists concluded their rejection aims to prevent the request from serving political or other purposes unrelated to the Biennale or the book’s intended purpose.
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