KOCHI: Instead of breathtaking art installations, it’s piles of soil and ditches full of mud and slime that welcomed one to Aspinwall House, the main venue of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2022, on the opening day of the four-month-long mega event.
Authorities have barred the public from Aspinwall House as well as other venues — Anand Warehouse and Pepper House — till December 23. But as one sneaked in, the rooms supposed to host installations resembled a war field with objects strewn all over, labourers running around and artists setting up installations, even as the chief minister inaugurated the extravaganza returning to Fort Kochi and Mattancherry after a gap of four years.
Outside the venues, foreign tourists who descended the city to get a glimpse of the visual treat stood with disappointment writ large on their faces. Mara Davis, a 60-year-old from London, said, “I had come here with much anticipation to see the art installations. I had planned my travel to coincide with the Biennale. But, I am disappointed at not being able to see the works.” She will be returning this week.
Mara pointed to her friend from New Zealand and said, “She might come back.” “Not likely,” said Susan Matheus. “Coming back soon within four months is not going to happen,” she added in a dejected voice. When asked the reasons for the fiasco, the organisers put the blame squarely on the rain. The inordinate delay in getting Aspinwall House from Delhi-based real estate firm DLF for the preparations was also a major reason, they say.
Organisers’ reasons fail to satisfy artists
“There was much delay in getting the Aspinwall House. This affected preparatory works, especially the setting up of the venue. There was also a delay in the art installations reaching Kochi from abroad due to technical reasons. Rain and adverse weather created further hindrances. All the works are being completed on a war footing,” said Bose Krishnamachari, president of the Kochi Biennale Foundation.
According to a person with the production team of Biennale, Aspinwall House had been leased to a film crew for a horror movie and the set hadn’t been dismantled even by the mid-November. The artists too were a disappointed lot and were not ready to accept the organisers’ explanation that placed vagaries of nature in the dock.
“The organisers blame everything on the rain and also the delay in getting the venue from DLF. But I think there are various communication issues. This was inevitable. I had to reduce the scope of my work to fit everything within the time frame. Nor did I get the material I needed on time,” said one of the artists, who wanted to remain anonymous.
“The communication issue is persisting. That was why the decision to postpone the Biennale also came at the last moment,” he added. Another artist said, “The organisers also blame the fund issue.”According to another artist, it is a known fact that art installations need a lot of time.
“In the past Biennales, the work began in July and by the time it’s December, all the works including the setting up of the installations would be completed. Getting the venue towards the middle of November is not conducive,” said the artist.
(With inputs from Krishna PS)