KOCHI: The Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) has announced the first list of participating artists working across divergent forms, styles and disciplines for the upcoming fourth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. The list features prominent names like Marlene Dumas (Netherlands), Valie Export (Austria), Jitish Kallat (India), Guerrilla Girls (USA), Nilima Sheikh (India), Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook (Thailand) and Song Dong (China). Curated by eminent artist Anita Dube, the fourth edition known as the 'People's Biennale,' begins on December 12, 2018.
Dube, who visited a total of 29 countries as part of her research, emphasised the importance of inclusion and collaboration in her curatorial approach, with a wide range of Indian and international artists. Artists from India and of Indian origin include Annu Palakunnathu Matthew, B.V. Suresh, Madhvi Parekh, Sunil Gupta and Charan Singh, Vipin Dhanurdharan, Prabhakar Pachpute, Rina Banerjee, Shubigi Rao and Shilpa Gupta.
International artists participating in the Biennale also include Aernout Mik (Netherlands), Akram Zaatari (Lebanon), Barthélémy Toguo (Cameroon), EB Itso (Denmark), Goshka Macuga (Poland), Heri Dono (Indonesia), Ines Doujak + John Barker (Austria + UK), Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba (Vietnam), Marlene Dumas (Netherlands), and Pangrok Sulap (Malaysia), Rana Hamadeh (Lebanon), Santu Mofokeng (South Africa), Shirin Neshat (Iran), Sue Williamson (South Africa), Tania Bruguera (Cuba), Thomas Hirschhorn (Switzerland), Vivian Caccuri (Brazil), Walid Raad (Lebanon), and William Kentridge (South Africa).
On curating an exhibition, Anita Dube noted: "My earliest intuitive vision for this edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale to explore the possibilities for a non-alienated life has remained with me." "The need to listen, think, and learn with each other, particularly voices from the margins - of women, of the queer community, the oppressed castes, the whispers and signs of nature - with a spirit of freedom and comradeship is vital. In both the exhibition and the carefully designed interactive spaces, I hope the incredible range of exhibiting artists and visitors will become active participants and co-producers of the Biennale as a knowledge laboratory." KMB 2018, which will have a span of 108 days from 12/12/18 till 29/03/19, will be supported by an ancillary programme of talks, workshops, film screenings and music across a range of venues in Kochi.
