KOCHI: As the curtains fell on the sixth edition of Kochi Muziris Biennale, the visitor footfall figures present a different picture compared to the fifth edition. According to official calculations, 6.62 lakh people visited the latest edition of the international art event that saw some controversies hogging the limelight towards the fag end. The fifth edition had seen a footfall of 9 lakh!
However, according to Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) chairperson V Venu, the actual figures would come to 7 lakh this edition.
“I can’t comment on how the figures for the fifth edition were arrived at. But the sixth edition saw a good number of visitors, both tourists and Keralites, at the different venues,” Venu told TNIE.
“As always, Aspinwall, the main venue of the Biennale, attracted the largest number of visitors, followed by Pepper House and Anand Warehouse. Art By Children (ABC) near the Fort Kochi Water Metro Terminal got more than 1 lakh visitors. The art projects by children awed visitors. The various innovative programmes arranged at the Pavilion at Bastion Bungalow too were a crowd-puller,” he said.
“The West Asia conflict might have played a role in the reduced footfall. We faced a lot of cancellations from foreign tourists towards the end of February and for the entirety of March. However, it was heartening to see that more and more Keralites are showing interest in art,” he added.
He pointed out that the Biennale saw an ebb and flow of visitors, with the months of December and January seeing the maximum footfall. “February was a lean period. But March saw footfall picking up again,” he added.
At the historic Aspinwall House, the symbolic ‘kodiyirakkam’ (flag-lowering) ceremony marked the conclusion of three and a half months of artistic exchange. Curator Nikhil Chopra lowered the flag, bringing the curtains down on an edition that transformed contemporary art spaces and relationships alike.
Speaking on the occasion, Chopra reflected on the transformative nature of the experience. “I am overwhelmed with gratitude. I leave with enduring memories, deep friendships, and collaborations. This journey has changed me... I am not the same person I was three months ago. Kochi has opened doors and taken me to places I had never imagined,” Chopra said, describing the Biennale as a space that fosters creative exchange.
Announcing the next biennale, Venu said, “The next edition of the Biennale will open on December 12, 2027.”
Past years’ turnout
Third edition - 6.5 lakh
Fourth edition - 6 lakh
Fifth edition - 9 lakh
Sixth edition - 6.62 lakh