Radical Abstractionism VIII

The Russian Ministry of Culture has prevented the Louvre in Paris from showing Radical Abstractionism VIII (2004), a painting by Avdei Ter-Oganyan. The work was to be included in the Louvre's forthcoming Counterpoint: Russia Contemporary Art exhibition, though the Russian authorities allege that the painting incites violence against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

The painting is a geometric abstraction, though its caption reads: "This work urges you to commit an attack on statesman VV Putin in order to end his state and political activities". Ter-Oganyan also took part in the provocative Forbidden Art 2006 exhibition in Moscow. (Another Russian artist, Alexander Shednov, has also faced censorship over his satire of Putin.)