KOCHI: The egalitarian tradition of Kochi and Kerala, in general, makes it an ideal space for holding an international art and cultural event such as the biennale, said Sudarshan Shetty, the curator of the third edition of the Kochi Muziris Biennale. Addressing meeting on the event scheduled to begin on December 12, Mr Shetty recalled his experience of ordinary people talking to him about various dimensions of painting and other cultural productions in and around Fort Kochi, the main venue of the event.
The third edition featuring 97 artists from over 30 countries will be based on the theme “forming in the pupil of an eye”. Riyas Komu, artist and promoter of the Kochi Biennale, presented it as one of the prime cultural events for visual arts in the country. He also stressed the importance of multicultural heritage of Kochi. The KMB-2016 will feature the performances and production of 97 artists, cutting across disciplines, forms and styles. The final list includes writers, dancers, poets, musicians and theatre practitioners along with a host of visual artists from 36 countries, according to a statement from the Biennale Foundation.
There are 36 Indian artists from across the country participating. KMB 2016 will feature works of cartoonist E. P. Unny, eminent Malayalam litterateur Anand and renowned graphic artist Orijit Sen, stage performances by Anamika Haksar and Kalakshetra Manipur, Sangam poetry recitals, dance performances and printmaking, among other artistic mediums. “The final list of artists is but a sampling of the richness and range to be found along the art spectrum. The coming together of, and the conversations between, their diverse approaches, sensibilities, practices, creations and performances as they unfold in Kochi will showcase to the world what the ‘People’s Biennale’ is all about,” Mr Shetty said.
