11 April 2025
The harassment of Chinese-Australian artist, political cartoonist and activist Badiucao must end – More than 40 organisations from around the world stand in solidarity with the award-winning cartoonist.
The undersigned organisations condemn the harassment of artist, political cartoonist and activist Badiucao by Art Innovation, a digital gallery who contracted him for an art piece and is now threatening him.
More than a dozen artists were featured in the 3 minute video commissioned by Art Innovation for the Art Basel fair in Hong Kong, broadcasted on billboards in the city hourly from 28 March to 2 April. Badiucao’s work is a 4-second clip entitled « Here and Now », showing the artist mouthing the words « You must take part in revolution »*.
Badiucao announced on 1 April that he will publish a statement to give some context to his 4-second piece and to talk about the human rights situation in Hong Kong. Art Innovation then contacted him by email warning him to not publish any statement, saying legal actions would « definitely » follow if content « against the Chinese governement is published ».
Badiucao went on to publish his statement: « This art action underscores the absurdity of Hong Kong’s current civil liberties and legal environment. And it would remind everyone that art is dead when it offers no meaning. » The exhibition was removed from the billboards the following morning (2 April), despite having been scheduled to be displayed until 3 April.
In a second email to Badiucao, Art Innovation said that his actions had already resulted in financial implications, as well as legal actions, « which will be directed against you ». They demanded that he immediately remove all posts from his personal social media accounts related to the exhibition and claimed that failure to comply could « result in further legal consequences ». They said their lawyers were already working to « initiate appropriate legal action » against him.
On 3 April, Art Innovation publicly accused Badiucao of having provided them with false information and of having violated the contract he signed by submitting political content. Badiucao said he had submitted the artwork under the pseudonym Andy Chou because the video clip was to be shown in Hong Kong, where the authorities had previously shut down his exhibition. He said he never concealed his identity from the gallery and that they knew that he was behind the artwork.
Art Innovation should immediately withdraw their legal threats, issue a public apology to Badiucao, and refrain from further harassment of the artist.
* The title of Badiucao’s newly-published graphic novel and a Mao Zedong quote.
Read the full Statement originally issued by Index on Censorship on their website.
Signed:
