A dispute over alleged censorship at the Malta Biennale has taken a new turn, with the artwork at the centre of the controversy remaining on display despite claims it had been removed.
Women on Waves, a non-profit organisation that provides information on safe abortion in restrictive settings, was invited to participate in the biennale with an artwork titled ‘Do you need a safe abortion?’
Just hours before the event’s launch, the NGO claimed the work was being censored due to wording on a banner forming part of the exhibit. At the time the banner read, “Need Abortion Pills?” in both English and Maltese.
However, Times of Malta this week found that the artwork was still in place and on display at the Malta Maritime Museum.
And in a statement, the Malta Biennale maintained that the work in question was never censored.
“In every exhibition, there are exchanges and discussions between participating artists and the curators, in the presentation of work. These discussions should not have been labelled as censorship.”
Rebecca Gomperts, founder of Women on Waves, said she was aware the artwork remained on display and that the group had been expecting its removal.
“We don’t know why it was allowed to remain up after what we were told,” she said. “Ultimately, what is important is that the information is out there for people to see.”
Controversy over wording
Times of Malta was shown footage from the day the NGO claimed censorship had occurred. The video shows a person on a ladder attempting to take the banner, while another individual told Women on Waves they had been instructed to do so.
The controversy centres on the wording of the artwork. Women on Waves had previously agreed with the title of the piece but not on the wording of the banner itself.
Gomperts said the text “Do you need a safe abortion?” did not fit on the banner, prompting the artists to instead use “Need abortion pills?”
According to the NGO, the Malta Biennale team later requested a change to the wording.
“At the request of the Malta Biennale, the banner was changed to say, ‘Do you need a safe abortion?’ with the word ‘pills’ crossed out,” the group had said in a statement earlier.
They were informed that this version was not suitable by the biennale team.
However, banners seen by Times of Malta on Tuesday displayed a different version of the text combining both options, reading: ‘(Do you) need (a safe) abortion pills?’