KOCHI: Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu, well known Mumbai-based Malayali artists, co-founders of Kochi Muziris biennale, the only one of its kind in the country, have been ranked among the top 100 most influential people in contemporary art world by leading British magazine ArtReview.
The vintage London-based publication’s latest issue features Krishnamachari and Komu in its list of ‘Power 100’ for their contribution to contemporary art by organising the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) which completed its second edition earlier this summer.
ArtReview regularly compiles an annual list of 100 people, ‘Power 100’, one of the most established rankings in the art world in recognition of their contribution to contemporary art featuring artists, gallerists, curators, directors of museums, art foundations, fairs, collectors and patrons of art. This year, the list was compiled by a 16-member international jury.
Both the artists-expressed pleasure over the achievement. “ArtReview’s ‘Power 100’ is an established ranking. Such international recognitions make us more responsible. It is an acknowledgement of ‘soft power’ of India by the global art world,” said Bose.
Komu, who is the Director of Programmes of KMB, termed his getting listed as an honour to the KBF team, the supporters of the 2010-registered foundation and the people of Kochi. “All of them, including the artists’ community, have made KMB a platform for celebrating co-existence and artists’ autonomy. We salute them all,” he added.
The Illustrious Others
ArtReview’s 2015 ‘Power 100’ list also includes celebrated Chinese contemporary artist Ai Weiwei, 2015 Venice Biennale curator Okwui Enwezor, London’s Serpentine Galleries directors Hans Ulrich Obrist and Julia Peyton Jones, Tate director Nicholas Serota, performance artist Marina Abramovic, curator Carolyn Christov-Bakargiev and artists Gerhard Richter, Jeff Koons and William Kentridge, besides Sharjah Art Foundation president Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi and Museu de Arte de Sao Paulo artistic director Adriana Pedrosa.