KOCHI: It’s been a month since the Kochi-Muziris Biennale opened to the public. Though started later than the usual date of December 12 amid various controversies, the mammoth art event is a meeting place for people from all walks of life.
According to Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF), so far more than 2.4 lakh people have visited the fifth edition of the art event. “That Kochi Biennale has been able to make arts popular at all levels and it is the most important and relevant fact proved by the increased people’s participation,” said Bose Krishnamachari, president of KBF.
“The Biennale has brought together all kinds of people. This is not a five-star venue. In fact, Biennale has succeeded in making people who thought contrarily and those who falsely assumed art to be a luxury think differently,” Bose added.
“In the Biennale, art lands amidst the people. The Biennale could teach people about the aesthetics of art and also how important art is in public thinking, consciousness, and sociology. The presence of such a large crowd reveals that people have been able to enjoy it with an open mind without any bias.”
And according to Alain Servais, a noted art collector from Belgium who is considered the foremost among the international Biennale specialists, artworks that invoke freshness and leave the viewers spellbound are the speciality of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.
Alain, who gave 4 out of 10 for the Singapore Biennale and 2.5 out of 10 for the Bangkok Biennale, said he would give Kochi Biennale an outstanding 7.5 out of 10. “The vision behind the curating of the Kochi Biennale is clear — it shows the wonderful ability to bind society and arts together,” he said.
Students from the Buds schools to those from professional colleges in different states, IAS trainees, people’s representatives, thinkers, academicians, prominent personalities from various fields, high-ranking officials, art collectors, and art experts all have become part of the Biennale alongside the art enthusiasts.