Russia's Federal Anti-Monopoly Service (FAS) has issued a formal warning to Moscow's Artplay Design Center over adverts featuring nudes from Renaissance artwork.
An anonymous citizen complained to authorities about the "sexually explicit" advert, which shows a panel from Hieronymus Bosch's Garden of Earthly Delights triptych, the Kommersant newspaper reported Friday.
The work, which was painted between 1490 and 1510, shows the “naked bodies of men and women indulging in amorous pleasures and showing genitalia," FAS ruled, breaking advertising laws against "indecent and offensive imagery."
The outdoor billboard had been advertising Artplay's multimedia exhibition, Bosch: Visions Come Alive, an event opened by Artplay in March to mark 500 years since the Dutch artist's death. The billboard has since been removed, but Artplay is expected be fined up to 500,000 rubles ($7,700) for the advert.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
