Kochi-Muziris Biennale returns after four years

Kochi, Dec 12 After a four-year hiatus, the fifth edition of the international art exhibition Kochi-Muziris Biennale, featuring over 200 projects of 90 artists, will be inaugurated here on Monday.

Scheduled to be declared officially open later in the day by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, the exhibition might see a delay due to sudden rains impacting the erection of installations.

Showcasing the creative artworks of 90 artists from around the world, the event will be held mainly on the island of Fort Kochi.

However, art enthusiasts can also visit the venue at the heart of Ernakulam city to get a feel of the international art exhibition.

The Durbar Hall Art Gallery will display around 150 finest contemporary artworks by 34 artists from Kerala curated by Gigi Scaria, P.S. Jalaja, and Radha Gomati.

"The exhibition shows that daily changes in contemporary art in the world are reflected in Kerala also", said the curators.

The Aspinwall House, Pepper House (Fort Kochi), and Anand Warehouse (Mattancherry) are the main venues.

The exhibition of the creative artworks will also be held at Cabral Yard, TKM Warehouse, Dutch Warehouse, Kashi Art Cafe, Kashi Town House, and David Hall in and around Fort Kochi.

The temporary pavilion, raised using scrap materials, at Cabral Yard will host seminars, discussions, cinematic art, and performances. The Cabral Yard has a seating capacity of 150 people.

Young talents from 60 art institutions from across the country will display their works at the Student's Biennale, an exhibitory platform that runs parallel to the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

The same will be held at the four venues of Arman Building, V K L Warehouse, K V N Arcades, and Trivandrum Warehouse. Another attraction is the 'Art by Children', which exhibits the artworks of children.

Founded in 2010, the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) was started by artists for artists, with the intention to bring contemporary art and ideas from across the world to South Asia.

KMB will also enter into a long-term collaboration with HH Art Spaces in Goa, who have been invited to curate the performance programme during the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2022 and will feature contributions from Amol K Patil, Joydeb Roaja, Sarah Naqvi, and Hilal Ahmed, among other artists.

This edition also marks a culmination of our partnerships with UNESCO and the Muziris Heritage Project into a range of programmes along the river Periyar and in Fort Kochi.

The entry fee for senior citizens is Rs 100, for adults is Rs 150, and for children Rs 50.

A full-week ticket can be purchased for Rs 1000 and it's Rs 4000 for a month.

The fourth edition in 2018 saw over six lakh art enthusiasts from across the world calling in at one of the top international art destinations.

This time over, the organisers are expecting more footfalls. The famed art festival not only enables Kochi to grow into the global tourism map but is also touted as the catalyst behind the state's emerging tourism sector.