THRISSUR: Moving beyond the four walls of a gallery, an entire state is turning into a stage for photography. As PhotoMuse-Festival of Photography 2026 gets under way in Kerala as part of the celebrations marking 200 years of photography, images, photographers and photographic history from different parts of the world are coming together across the state. The festival, which began on Friday, will continue for 122 days until January 31, 2027, across more than 25 venues.
Based in Kodakara, Thrissur, PhotoMuse - The Museum of Photography is organising the festival under the theme ‘Open Origins - Open Ends’. According to the current figures, the festival will showcase over 1,530 photographs by 490 photo-artists from 50 countries. The programme includes 70 exhibitions, 11 documentaries, five photo-history exhibitions, artist talks, academic discussions, artistic performances and more than 30 programmes for schools and colleges.
Netherland-based photographer and filmmaker Lora Berends is the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony. The decision to begin the festival on Gandhi Jayanti also reflects the deep connection between the history of photography and India’s freedom struggle. The festival seeks to present the history of photography across Kerala during the period from Gandhi Jayanti to Gandhi Smriti/Samadhi Day.
The evolution of Indian photography is another major focus of the festival. From colonial-era documentation to the visual history of the freedom struggle, and from recording social change to emerging as a contemporary art form, photography has evolved into an important visual language in India.
PhotoMuse is emerging as a platform connecting this legacy of Indian photography and contemporary photographic experimentation with international photography.
Museo Camera, Kerala History Museum and Art Museum of Love, along with various international photography festivals, are among the collaborators. Prominent figures from the fields of photography, curation, gallery management and academia will participate at different stages of the festival. Dr Unni Krishnan Pulikkal, associated with the founding and curatorial leadership of PhotoMuse, coordinator Jamal Panambad, Nandakumar
Mudadi and S Hariharan are leading the organisational efforts. Another major highlight of the festival is the PhotoMuse collection comprising 16,742 archival photographic objects. The collection represents a significant visual archive connecting 200 years of photographic history, from the past to the contemporary era.
PhotoMuse aims to transform Kerala into a cultural space not merely for viewing photography, but also for learning, dialogue, creative expression and revisiting history.
As different parts of the state come together as one large frame, Kerala is celebrating 200 years of photography through its own visual language.
1,530 photographs, 490 photo-artists
The festival will showcase over 1,530 photographs by 490 photo-artists from 50 countries. The programme includes 70 exhibitions, 11 documentaries, five photo-history exhibitions, artist talks, academic discussions, artistic performances and more than 30 programmes.