Other Catalan politicians have gone into self-imposed exile, including the region’s former leader, Carles Puigdemont, who is in Belgium, seeking his re-election but refusing to face prosecution in Spain. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyBeside the portraits of Catalan politicians, Mr. Sierra’s work also shows blurred images of several other people prosecuted under contentious circumstances in recent years. The exhibition center did not point to any violation of law in saying that Mr. Sierra’s work was being removed. In a statement, the artist’s studio suggested that the “censorship” of the work vindicated Mr. Sierra’s efforts to denounce a clampdown on freedom of expression in Spain. “This decision seriously damages the image of this international arts fair and of the Spanish state itself,” it said.

Source: New York Times February 21, 2018 22:41 UTC