Anyma has responded publicly to the cancellation of his Istanbul ÆDEN show, posting an extended statement on Instagram in which he frames the show’s visual world as science-fiction storytelling rather than religious commentary, alleges his work was manipulated with AI to fuel the backlash, and confirms he’s appealing the decision. The Italian producer described the show as a narrative about darkness and light that ultimately resolves toward hope, arguing that isolating a single dark moment and presenting it as the project’s whole meaning misrepresents five years of collaborative work built with designers and animators drawing on art history and mythology — not any specific religion or culture.
The most pointed part of his statement addressed how the backlash actually formed. Anyma said none of his visuals are AI-generated, and claimed it was his critics who used AI to alter clips from the show, pairing them with other audio and circulating them online to manufacture a narrative he says doesn’t reflect the work’s intent. He also pushed back on the process itself, saying neither he, his team, nor the promoter were given any real warning or chance to explain the work before Turkish authorities pulled the show, despite saying they remain open to meeting with officials and discussing the visuals directly.
The statement closed on a warmer note aimed at Turkish fans specifically, thanking those who’d bought tickets and travelled for the show, and expressing hope of returning to finish the story in Istanbul, signed with his given name, Matteo. It’s a firmer and more detailed response than the brief cancellation news that broke earlier in the week, and it lands as Istanbul continues facing scrutiny over a string of similar show cancellations this year tied to artists’ visual content. 
Whether the appeal succeeds remains to be seen; updates are expected via Anyma’s official channels.
