Anyma has publicly broken his silence following the cancellation of his upcoming Istanbul show over accusations of "satanic" imagery, sharing an extended four-part statement via Instagram in which he defends the ÆDEN visual universe, accuses opponents of using AI to manipulate his work, and confirms he intends to appeal the decision.
Addressing fans and critics directly, the Italian producer opened with: “For those who have experienced this journey with me over the years, you know what I strive to create is first and foremost storytelling. The Anyma show is a science-fiction story about darkness and light, destruction and creation, fear and hope. Like many stories, it weaves through darker chapters before reaching resolution.”
He continued: “Taking one scene from any film or work and presenting it out of context as the meaning of the entire project is fundamentally misleading. In my story, light ultimately prevails. For the past five years, my team and I have built and toured a visual universe in collaboration with artists, designers, and animators. We continuously reference the great classics, drawing inspiration from art history, mythology, and ancient literature. There are no direct representations of religious figures and there is no intention to attack or disrespect any religion or culture.”
In the second slide, Anyma made a serious accusation: “Selected darker moments from our story and show were taken out of context, manipulated with AI, paired with other music and circulated online to manufacture a false sinister narrative that simply does not exist and does not reflect the show’s essence or intention. Let me be clear. None of my visuals are AI-generated and the greatest irony is that AI was used to alter my work by those who condemn it and they ultimately turned it into something to fit their own narrative. My art was turned into social media and political propaganda. What happened next is unacceptable.”
He also questioned the process behind the decision itself: “Neither my team, the promoter, nor I received any meaningful warning or opportunity for dialogue before the show was cancelled. Nobody asked us to explain the work, provide context or discuss possible adaptations. We were and are ready to do so. We strongly reject the false religious and political meaning being attributed to this work.”
Turning to Turkey directly, the producer wrote: “We have performed around the world and have always engaged in respectful conversation according to the local culture and customs. We would have willingly done the same in Türkiye, had legitimate concerns been raised through dialogue. We intend to appeal the decision and will continue trying to find a path back to Türkiye and to the Turkish people.”
He then thanked the fans directly: “Most importantly, thank you to the fans in and outside of Türkiye who bought tickets and were travelling to this beautiful country for this experience. Many of you who understand and welcome our art, your support and understanding means everything to me. Our channels remain open and we are willing to meet with the necessary authorities, explain our work, and provide its full artistic context. Art can be questioned, challenged and debated, but we ask it to be judged for what it actually is, not for what someone else can manipulate it to appear as.”
The final slide closed on a personal note, signed off with his real name: “I hope we can come back and finish the story in Istanbul together. Matteo.” The statement lands as a measured but firm reply to the swirl of speculation that gathered pace ahead of the Istanbul date. In other news, we recently covered the Anyma Istanbul show cancellation as it broke.
Whether the appeal will succeed remains unclear. For updates on the situation and future ÆDEN dates, follow Anyma’s official Instagram.
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