Kochi: Umesh Singh (Uncomfortable Tools and Jaab (muzzle), Maksud Ali Mondal (Nature Unconditioned) and Akanksha Agarwal (A Palm tree on a Pedestal, Ha..ha..a flower behind too) have been selected as winners of the Tata Trusts Students' Biennale International Award at the third edition of Student's Biennale concluded here on Friday. The awards, instituted by Tata Trusts and the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF), honour the participants for their excellence in art practices. Eleven students from University of Kashmir won the Tata Trusts Students' Biennale National Award, too.
The award jury comprised KBF president Bose Krishnamachari, Tata Trusts head (arts & culture) Deepika Sorabjee and artist-filmmaker K.M. Madhusudhanan.
The 11 students selected for the Tata Trusts Students' Biennale National Award are Tabeena Wani (Untitled); Saba Altaf (Home); Zaid Bhat (Building, dwelling, thinking); Owais Ahmed (Memory for Forgetfulness); Ushmayo Dutta (Pursuit of home); Ahamad Muzamil (Massacres and Home); Numair Qadri (The story and claims); Anis Wani (Jannat e benazeer); Arona Riyaz (Memory); Mir Lateef (Pulhoor and Kashmir - A political Study); and Asif Haneef (Untitled).
"We believe in providing an internationally-recognised platform for art students and giving them an opportunity to experience first hand making of an art show of a large extend," Mr Krishnamachari said. "We are really happy with the kind of participation and works we witnessed in this year's Students' Biennale."
Ms Sorabjee spoke highly of the students' deep engagement with the materials used, revealing that it played a key role in the jury's selection. "The concept in the translation of their ideas (using the small production grants given this year) into works that carried their roots, coming as they did from different parts of the country, to the site" was particularly noticed, she said.
