KOCHI: The curtain falls on another edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, even as the shadow of a sexual assault allegation looms over it. With only a few days remaining, this is the last opportunity for those who have been putting off their visit to the exhibition before it closes on March 31.
This edition, inaugurated on December 12, 2025, saw a footfall of 1.6 lakh visitors within the first 20 days, with the number crossing 2.4 lakh in a month. The final count, however, will be announced soon.
“I don’t think we’ve had such a diverse programme before, with so many moving parts at the Biennale,” says Mario D’souza, programming director of the Biennale.
“Almost every day has been truly full,” he says. “For us, it has been a phenomenal moment. The Students’ Biennale, too, has been incredible, bringing together diverse ideas and approaches from established art schools as well as smaller regional institutions across Maharashtra, Karnataka, and the Northeast. It’s truly been a moment of pride and satisfaction, and a huge learning curve from previous editions — one that has brought together a deeply engaged public,” he adds.
Looking ahead, he says, there are plans to develop the Students’ Biennale into a sustained series of workshops, expanding activities across Kerala and into other parts of the country through off-sites and satellite programmes.”
The closing weekend of the 6th edition of Kochi-Muziris Biennale will feature a rich blend of performance, sound, and experimental practices across venues.
On March 28, ‘How dare you?’, a live art platform will come to life at Aspinwall House.
Alongside it, an open performance by HH Art Spaces, in collaboration with Berlin-based grüntaler9, will unfold. Conceived as an evolving, shared space, the platform brings artists and audiences together, with works presented one after another without pause.
In the evening, Esperança Prats will lead the masterclass ‘Soft Land Soul — Perfume as an Art Tool’ at Bastion Bungalow. She will explore scent as a medium of memory and meaning. This will be followed by a musical performance by Ziskakan, a ‘maloya’ group from Réunion.
On March 29 and 30, the Biennale’s recurring thread ‘Yes To Love’, a series that blends music, memory, and resistance, will take place at Aspinwall House. From Hussain Mon’s vinyl-led sonic showcase to Rajii V B’s workshop on folk traditions, and Kenneth Lobo’s exploration of Creole journeys, the venue will turn into a site of listening as much as viewing.
March 31 marks the official closing day. At noon, Aspinwall House will host Kodiyirakkam, the ceremonial lowering of the Biennale flag — a gesture marking the end of months of artistic exchange and public engagement. The gates at all Biennale venues will close at 5 pm on the day.
In the evening, the mood will turn celebratory, with the closing ceremony at Durbar Hall, Ernakulam, featuring a performance by Bengaluru-based band Parvaaz.
As the Biennale draws to a close, it leaves behind both reflection and expectation — hopes for another engaging and inspiring edition, and for safer, more accountable spaces in the years to come.