Protests by animal rights groups in Turin have prevented the opening of an exhibition of work by French-Algerian artist Adel Abdessemed, the New York Times reports. The show, "The Wings of God," includes videos of animals being clubbed to death and fighting each other in an arena, as well as photographs of displaced wild animals on a street in Paris. It was scheduled to open February 11.

Francesco Bonami, the exhibition's curator and artistic director of the Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, where the show was to be held, invited animal-rights groups to view the exhibition ahead of time in an attempt to head off any potential protests. But, he said, rather than assuaging their concerns, the preview prompted them to call in local authorities.

"An act of openness was seen as a sign of weakness, and when you show fear, it's just like in the animal world," said Bonami. "They attack you."

Domenico Mangone, Turin's environment councilor, sent the videos to the local prosecutor's office, who is looking into whether it is illegal to show works that depict cruelty to animals.

Don't Trust Me, Abdessemed's video of six animals being bludgeoned to death for food on a farm in Mexico, and Usine, which depicts a fight among scorpions, snakes, and spiders, as well as roosters and dogs, are also scheduled to be shown at David Zwirner gallery in New York beginning on April 3 in a solo show of the artist's work.

Gualtiero Crovesio, of the Italian Anti-Vivisection League, said that the Turin private art foundation can expect severe protests if the exhibition proceeds.

Abdessemed's work has been censored due to content in the past: a solo show at the San Francisco Art Institute was shut down last year and a video by the artist was pulled from the 2008 Glasgow International festival. Bonami, who is chief curator of the next Whitney Biennial, said the current controversy is making him think twice about inviting Abdessemed to show at the New York museum in March 2010.

"I don't want to terrify the institution," he said.