KOCHI: Nearly five months after he stepped down from all management positions of Kochi Biennale Foundation following #metoo allegations, artist Riyas Komu has resigned from KBF, which he co-founded with another leading artist Bose Krishnamachari in 2010.
Riyas, it is learnt, has expressed his anguish over the lack of support and that he was sidelined by Anita Dube, the curator of KBF’s 2018 edition, after the #metoo allegations surfaced against him in October last year.
When contacted, Krishnamachari said the board of trustees of KBF will meet on March 28 - a day before the ongoing fourth edition of Kochi-Muziris Biennale ends - to discuss the issues raised by Komu and will take a decision. “The board is to discuss the matters,” Bose told Express. Komu did not respond to the text messages seeking comments.
Following allegations of sexual misconduct, Komu had stepped down from all his management positions on October 19 last year - nearly two months before the fourth edition of Kochi-Muziris Biennale, which will come to a close of March 29.
“Though the foundation has received no formal complaint, we are collectively committed to ensuring zero tolerance to any harassment or misconduct, and have decided to constitute a committee to inquire into this matter,” the KBF statement had said in October after its management committee met to decide on a complaint raised against Komu.
“Kochi Biennale Foundation is responsible for the safety and security of its community and will take all measures to ensure this as we work together in making the Biennale,” it had said.
An allegation was raised by an art world professional, which was shared on an anonymously-run Instagram account ‘Scene and Herd’, where the woman said she had come to Kochi in October 2015 to discuss a project with Komu. In Kochi, she alleged Komu pushed her against a wall and kissed her.