KOCHI: It has been a long time since a major art event has been associated with Riyas Komu, a name that had been associated with the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) since its inception. However, the artist-curator is back with an event in Mattancherry that, interestingly, is running parallel to the Biennale. The art event, titled ‘Sea — A Boiling Vessel’, will be on till April 30, 2023. The very fact that it is being curated by Riyas has accorded the event attention.
Though the timing of the multi-disciplinary art exhibition coincides with that of the Biennale, organisers stress the event will not compete with KMB. According to C S Venkiteswaran, curatorial advisor of the event, it works complementary to the Biennale. “Saying that the event is being held as a challenge would be very wrong. Nothing like that is happening here. Biennale is an international event that will attract a lot of art lovers and visitors. It is providing us with a space to expand,” he said.
He said the event is a product of the interactions that had taken place around Kerala and Indian Ocean histories. “The event is based on archaeological findings and documentation. It is being held in association with various academic institutions like the Mahatma Gandhi University, the Nirox Foundation and the Centre for Indian Studies in Africa,” Venkiteswaran said.
He said the title of the event was taken from the description of the Indian Ocean by a seafarer. “‘Sea – A Boiling Vessel’ looks at the sea as a constant reminder of histories of migration, lineages of cross-pollination and synthesis: of cultures, livelihoods and religions, settlements and segregations, also of colonial plunder and slave trade that have shaped the history and culture of what is now called Kerala,” he said.Riyas, who co-founded KMB along with Bose Krishnamachari, was forced to step down from his position with the foundation following a #metoo accusation.