KOCHI: Tata Group-owned Air India and Air India Express have associated themselves with the Kochi-Muziris Biennale this year as the official travel partners for the four-month-long international contemporary art festival in Asia.
As part of the association, Air India will be flying international artists and art enthusiasts to Kochi to participate in the festival while Air India Express will support the event as a sponsor.Air India Express has distinct livery designs, each tail of its aircraft portraying the diverse art and culture of the country. Recognising this unique feature, artists at Kochi Biennale Foundation will design an exclusive tail art for Air India Express.
A newly inducted Boeing 737-800 aircraft will flaunt this tail art, taking the spirit of Biennale to the global stage. Besides, five unique mural paintings highlighting Air India’s international destinations will be displayed at the Biennale. “Air India has always promoted the distinct art and culture of India and the legacy continues with our support to this aesthetic event in association with Kochi Biennale, which provides local and international artists with a platform to exhibit their art to the world,” said Nipun Aggarwal, chief commercial and transformation officer, Air India.
The association of Air India and Air India Express with the art extravaganza is in sync with the airline’s long and rich legacy of encouraging art and artists. The pioneer of Indian aviation and the creator of Air India, JRD Tata, had set the tone for this aesthetic mission for the airline with his vision of putting ‘a little bit of India’ in most of Air India’s international establishments.
“We are elated to have Air India and Air India Express on board with us. Their support over the years for local art is commendable. The Biennale is expected to offer the state’s tourist and service industries a much-needed boost by putting Kerala on the map as a go-to location for art enthusiasts,” added Bose Krishnamachari, founder member and president of Kochi Biennale Foundation.