KOCHI: Usually, when governments change, several projects conceived during the previous administration get scrapped or stifled. However, thankfully, Kochi Biennale didn’t suffer that fate under Oommen Chandy. Though mooted during the LDF rule, Chandy emerged as an enthusiastic supporter of the idea of the city hosting a biennale after coming to power in 2011.
“After the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) was formed in 2010, we went through difficult times where there was a lot of anxiety and uncertainty, but Oommen Chandy was always supportive throughout this period,” recalls KBF president Bose Krishnamachari.
“He was a patient listener, this earned him the love and support of many. We realised two editions of the biennale under his leadership of the state. Once, after many trips to government offices to raise funds and get the paperwork done, I remember sharing my frustration with Chandy. I told him, ‘If I draw all the times I have had to pass through the corridors and offices of the Secretariat to get work done, the abstract lines will be a fantastic work of art.’ He laughed out heartily and assured me of support.”
Artist and writer Bony Thomas, who is KBF treasurer, echoes similar views. “First, Chandy wanted to know what a biennale was and what it intended to do,” he recalls. “Then he gave his support and asked other departments, including tourism, to help out. That was one thing about him, he listened. He made sure we had support and funding. He inaugurated the first Biennale on December 12, 2012.”
Subsequently, the Chandy government earmarked Rs 4.4 crore in 2013. In 2016, again, it allocated Rs 7.5 crore for the biennale. Though Bony isn’t sure whether Chandy was an art lover, he is certain that the former chief minister “understood that art and culture can help society grow”.