Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Anish Kapoor's 'Dirty Corner' to be covered in gold leaf after artist told to remove anti-Semitic vandalism against his will

A French court ruled the vandalism must be erased immediately, despite the artist's intentions to keep the slogans on show as a tribute to humanity's intolerance

Daisy Wyatt
Wednesday 23 September 2015 13:12 BST
Comments
Art assistant workers cover up with gold leaf to mask anti-Semitic graffiti on the vandalized sculpture "Dirty Corner" by British-Indian artist Anish Kapoor in the Versailles castle in Versailles, outside Paris, France. The controversial red trumpet-shape
Art assistant workers cover up with gold leaf to mask anti-Semitic graffiti on the vandalized sculpture "Dirty Corner" by British-Indian artist Anish Kapoor in the Versailles castle in Versailles, outside Paris, France. The controversial red trumpet-shape (AP)

Your support helps us to tell the story

This election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.

The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.

Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.

Anish Kapoor’s controversial Versailles sculpture is to be covered in gold leaf to mask anti-Semitic slogans used to vandalise the work earlier this month.

Kapoor had wanted the offensive graffiti to remain on show to turn the piece of art into “a lament to a state of intolerance”, but a French court has ruled the slogans must be erased and an alarm installed.

“Dirty Corner”, which has been dubbed the “Queen’s vagina” by French media, will be covered in gold leaf, in what Kapoor has described as a “royal response” to vandalism.

The funnel-shaped work has been vandalised three times since it was installed in the Palace of Versailles in June.

Art assistant worker covers up with gold leaf to mask anti-Semitic graffiti on the vandalized sculpture "Dirty Corner" by British-Indian artist Anish Kapoor in Versailles
Art assistant worker covers up with gold leaf to mask anti-Semitic graffiti on the vandalized sculpture "Dirty Corner" by British-Indian artist Anish Kapoor in Versailles (AP)

The anti-Semitic slogans daubed on the sculpture included “At Versailles Christ is King” and “the second RAPE of the nation by DEVIANT JEWISH activism”.

Kapoor, who is Jewish of Sephardic Iraqi origin, said he wanted the offensive slogans to remain in order for the sculpture to “carry the scars of the renewed attack”.

Anti-Semitic inscriptions written with white paint daubed onto Anish Kapoor's 'Dirty Corner'
Anti-Semitic inscriptions written with white paint daubed onto Anish Kapoor's 'Dirty Corner' (AFP)

“I will not allow this act of violence and intolerance to be erased. ‘Dirty Corner’ will now be marked with hate and I will preserve these scars as a memory of this painful history,” he wrote on Instagram.

A court ruled the graffiti be removed immediately after Fabien Bouglé, a local right-wing councillor, filed a complaint against the artist and president of Versailles Catherine Pégard, accusing the pair of “inciting racial hatred, public insults, and complicity in these crimes [for leaving the graffiti]”.

Funnel-like structure ‘Dirty Corner’ can be interpreted in a number of ways, says Anish Kapoor
Funnel-like structure ‘Dirty Corner’ can be interpreted in a number of ways, says Anish Kapoor (AFP)

The artist condemned the ruling, saying: "The racists in France have won a court judgement forcing the racist graffiti to be covered, blaming the artist and Versailles for inseminating racist propaganda. It is as if a woman is raped and blamed for her own rape."

Work began covering the statue in gold leaf on Monday 21 September.

A member of Kapoor’s gallery told Le Figaro: “It was important for the artist to respond to these attacks in his own way. This is an artistic answer to political violence.”

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in