KOCHI: The fifth edition of Kochi Muziris Biennale, the country’s biggest contemporary art show, is just around the corner. But there’s a clear lack of excitement in the air and ground. The reason is simple -- lack of funds.
While the organisers blame post-pandemic blues for the low-key build-up, there seems to be an absence of confirmations by big names on their participation in this edition. The first big casualty due to ‘insufficient’ funds is obviously the publicity campaign. MD Niche, which has been handling the biennale account since the art show’s inception in 2012, is not chosen this time. Instead, Accurate Media, which charges much less, will handle the media for the art extravaganza, which will go on till April 10, 2023.
MD Niche charges around Rs 30 lakh for two years for media, publicity and other related works, and obviously, Accurate Media has got the prestigious assignment at a much lower rate. MD Niche first landed the biennale contract when the organisers were struggling to convince the general public and the government about the entire concept of the biennale itself. There were discussions in both hushed tones and even openly that the biennale was floated to allow foreign artists to sell their works when in reality the event is not a venue for artists to sell their works.
Kerala government is the biggest sponsor of the Kochi Muziris Biennale, and it’s no secret that the state treasury is not flooded with money. Out of the Rs 7 crore allotted for the biennale, the organisers say they received Rs 3 crore. Usually, the big money, at least in previous editions, came from private sponsors.
For instance, the 2014 edition saw artist Vivan Sundaram and his spouse art critic Geeta Kapur donating Rs 40 lakh. The art couple then told the biennale trustees to adjust the amount against a loan of Rs 76 lakh they had given for the maiden Kochi Muziris Biennale in 2012. This time, the organisers are hopeful that private sponsors will come in once the biennale ball gets rolling.
The biennale has been on hold since December 2020, and is also coming after the devastating flood of 2018 and the Covid pandemic. Hence it hasn’t been an easy task for the organisers to get everything together. This time, the organisers say they expect 10 lakh visitors as against the 2016-17 biennale, which drew about 6 lakh visitors.
The biennale, which is the largest-of its-kind art exhibition and festival in South Asia, is also an economic lifeline for the Kerala economy, given the number of tourists arriving from different parts of the country, and across the globe. The success of any event, big or small, depends on how it survives without publicity push and gimmicks by outside agencies.
The biennale has successfully managed five editions, of course with a big push from the professional PR agency. The big question now is whether it can script a similar success without outside backing. We are watching.
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