KOCHI: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday vowed the LDF Government’s commitment to find a permanent venue for the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) in his inaugural speech at the opening of the third edition of the cultural extravaganza at the Parade Ground in Fort Kochi . “I have been told that the absence of a permanent venue for the Biennale poses problems for the smooth conduct of the exhibition. One of the important reasons for the success of the Venice Biennale is its permanent venue. I assure you the government will take steps to have a permanent venue for the Biennale,” he said to thunderous applause from the audience.
According to the CM, Kochi is the perfect venue for hosting an event like the Biennale, which brings together artforms from across the world,since the city has a rich tradition as the melting pot of different cultures. “The Biennale will act as the gateway for cultural exchange between Kerala and other lands,” he said.“The government will ensure that the Biennale becomes an event like the IFFK and International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFOK),” he said. The inaugural ceremony was attended by M A Baby; K V Thomas, MP; City Mayor Soumini Jain; MLAs K J Maxi and John Fernandes; Additional Chief Secretary Usha Titus; Kerala Tourism Principal Secretary Dr V Venu; District Collector K Muhammed Y Safeerullah and Biennale patron M A Yousufali among others.
Celebration of India-UAE ties on KMB firmament
Kochi: ‘Binary States India-UAE’, an exhibition celebrating the overlapping elements in the Emirati-Indian cultures, commissioned by Abu Dhabi’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and produced by Cultural Engineering commenced at the Greenix Village in Fort Kochi, as part of the third edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale(KMB). It was jointly inaugurated by Dr Ahmed Al Banna, UAE Ambassador to India and Kadakampally Surendran, Minister for Tourism in the presence of Jamal Hussein Al Zabi, UAE Consul General in Kerala; M A Yusuffali, Vice Chairman, Norka Roots and a large gathering of art lovers. The exhibition showcases cultural interpretations by three commissioned artists, including Rasha Al Duwaisan, Ammar Al Attar and Vikram Divecha, co-curated by Umer But and Rashid Bin Shahib, through audio installation, podcasts, written narratives, photographs and video films that portray the various features that have been the outcome of the migration between India and the UAE. Hoisting Histories, the oral history installation features stories of migration between India and the UAE in the mid-20th century. The exhibition will be on till March 2, 2017.