My thoughts on the Kochi-Muziris Biennale – some of the reasons it just didn’t work for me – appeared in Tehekla.com on February 18, 2013. Read it online here…
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Although the word is on everyone’s lips in Kochi, most locals are only vaguely aware of the biennale as an event that has created quite a stir in the last few months. And they are curious. “There is always some news floating around about the biennale, so I decided to come and see for myself what the fuss is all about,” says Sister Lissi Chakkalakkil, a school teacher at the venue.
The Kochi-Muziris art biennale, the first such event in India, has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. The contemporary arts festival, which opened on 12/12/12, is curated by two artists from Kerala, Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu, and is spread across multiple venues in the Fort Kochi area.
While Kerala is one of India’s most popular tourist destinations, Kochi is an unusual choice of venue for a festival of this nature and magnitude. It is neither among India’s largest cities, nor is it particularly known for its contemporary arts scene. And Muziris, once a prosperous trading port close to Kochi, remains unknown to most Indians. In fact, the decision to host a biennale in Kochi may have been entirely dictated by political will.
The curators were approached by M.A. Baby, the Culture Minister in the previous Left Democratic Front government, to create an event that would provide a boost for local artists, and attract more visitors to the city. And although they had no trouble getting artists from all over the world – 94 from over 20 countries – the event has been mired in controversy since the planning stage, which started over 20 months ago.
First, there were questions raised about the allocation of funds by the LDF government and the way the funds were utilized. Mr. Komu feels that this is politically motivated: “There has been a change in government since we got the initial funding (Rs. 5 crores), so when the new government came, they began to raise questions about how and why we got the money.”
Senior artists from Kerala and Lalit Kala Akademi have been disgruntled about the choice of curators and their capabilities. And as if in defiance of the freedom of expression that all artists demand and deserve, Dutch artist Jonas Staal’s installation on flags of banned terrorist organizations sparked off voluble protests and even ransacking of the venue.
Most damaging of all is the accusation that the curators have not made it an inclusive event for the local community. Mr. Komu says, “Our intention was to expose Indians to contemporary art and show that there is more to art than just beautiful paintings and sculptures.” If success is to be measured by the number of visitors alone, then the figure of 150,000 in just the first month is impressive. But, as the curators themselves agree, much of it is owing to the curiosity generated by the controversies.
And, given that larger intention, the signboards are scarce and the descriptions obscure, and volunteers on the spot are just not equipped to answer questions about the exhibits. Most visitors just come, gawk at the weird, wonderful installations and go away none the wiser about contemporary art. There is much giggling to be heard and “It is nice,” is the most that visitors, including local artists, I speak to about the festival or particular exhibits can come up with.
With so much interest and curiosity in the outside world about Indian contemporary art, it seems a pity not to use this event to further consciousness about it within the country. While the website says “The Kochi Muziris Biennale proposes to open a new discourse, one that will explore a new, hitherto unknown language of narration,” the reality on the ground is that this new discourse, if any, has been confined to the rarified club of artists who have already found a place in the festival. It is another great idea, lost in translation.
The current government’s stance seems to have turned ambivalent recently, and the Cultural Affairs Minister K.C. Joseph spoke about the possibility of a further grant to the festival. Even as we speak, there are constant interruptions in the form of visits from curious politicians and bureaucrats whom Krishnamachari and Komu escort around the various venues. However, given how dependent this event seems to be on the vagaries of local politics, the future of the Kochi-Muziris biennale remains a question.
The Kochi-Muziris Biennale runs till March 13, 2013 at various venues in Fort Kochi.
For more photographs from the biennale, head to Portraits from the Kochi-Muziris Biennale on my travel blog…