Miniature biennales to be organised across select locations in Kerala

The fifth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale concludes; Minister Mohamed Riyas says the event played a significant role in reviving tourism in the post-pandemic era

Kochi Biennale Foundation president Bose Krishnamchari, curator of the latest edition of the Kochi Muziris Biennale Shubigi Rao, former Minister M.A. Baby, Tourism Minister Mohamed Riyas, and Industries Minister P. Rajeeve at the closing event of the edition on Monday. | Photo Credit: R.K. NITHIN  

The possibility of staging miniature forms of biennale in select locations across the State will be examined by the Tourism department, said Minister for Tourism Mohamed Riyas.

He was delivering the inaugural address at the closing ceremony of the fifth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) organised by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) at Durbar Hall ground here on Monday evening.

Expanding beyond Kochi

He said the idea was to expand the Kochi-centric biennale beyond it recalling how ‘Lokme Tharavadu’ exhibition was organised in Alappuzha in 2021. Mr. Riyas said the planning for making the next edition of KMB a grand success would begin soon.

KMB has always tried to reconstruct the cultural significance of old worn-out galleries, public spaces, heritage buildings, and dysfunctional warehouses to match contemporary times.

Mr. Riyas dubbed KMB as a critical step in the area of heritage conservation. “For Kerala, KMB is a mega event unlocking the possibilities of art, heritage conservation, and tourism. It is a model experiment in heritage conservation,” he said.

The Minister observed that KMB played a significant role in reviving tourism in the post-pandemic era. The domestic tourist flow in 2022 was an all-time record. “That even foreign tourists are also returning to enjoy the biennale is gladdening,” he said.

Curatorial note

Shubigi Rao, the curator of the fifth edition of KMB, termed the opportunity to curate the event as an incredible honour, privilege, and a humbling experience.

“....this biennale had tried to emphasis what is overlooked, what doesn’t get heard, what gets silenced across the world, and how do we listen to the voices of those who don’t get heard and what do we do when we get to showcase the people who often do not get to be at the front and centre,” said Ms. Rao.

Industries Minister P. Rajeeve described her speech as a “literary installation” brimming with politics and ideology before appreciating her for curating the works that reflected her outlook. The Minister said KMB had come to match the standards of its venerated and older counterpart in Venice.

Shoestring budget

In his closing message, former Minister M.A. Baby said KMB had attracted brickbats along with bouquets. While creative criticism is welcome, it was disappointing that it was not the case always. Alluding at the barbs about the financial aspects of KMB, Mr. Baby reminded that while the biennale in Venice and ‘Gwangju’ in South Korea had a budget of ₹116 crore and ‘Documenta’, the exhibition of contemporary art in Germany, ₹357 crore, KMB received a budgetary allocation of ₹7 crore from the State government. He said KMB had set a Kerala model in arts by conducting a quality event at a shoestring budget.

In his welcome address, KBF president Bose Krishnamachari said KMB attracted nearly nine lakh visitors from across the world.