Mayor Tony Chammany has officially declared Kochi as a biennale city on Saturday, ahead of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale which will begin in December.
“It is a great opportunity for the city to be able to host an international event like the biennale. The event will put Kochi on the international map as an art destination,” said the Mayor. The Mayor announced that the Corporation will extend all support for the event.
“Every city has its own identity which distinguishes it from other cities. Through this event, Kochi will be able to project itself as a city where famed for cultural activities and to elevate its profile as a place for artists from across the globe to meet,” said Corporation secretary Ajith Patil.
Artist Riyas Komu said that the biennale will be a novel attempt to bring about an art consciousness among the people here and give recognition for the artists and students of art.
“Today, the majority of art students in the country are facing a bleak future even after years of hard work and professional training.
“In the last 15 years, no museum in the country has bought a work of art. “In such a scenario, the exhibition will help the young artists to showcase their art to a global audience.
“ Through the frequent exhibitions, people will be able to get acquainted with art and appreciate it, thereby giving it more respectability and recognition,” he said. The artist added that all the transactions of the Biennale Foundation, i n c l u d i n g various contributions, will be audited and be made transparent.
As part of the Kochi- Muziris Biennale, exhibitions and events will be held in selected sites in Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, Kochi, Paravoor and Kodungalloor. The event will see 80 artists from over 35 countries exhibiting artworks created from a variety of mediums.
Film and documentary screenings, musical nights and public art installations will be part of the event.