The event brought in its wake a new ecosystem for art in Kerala

Keralites debated artist A. Ramachandran’s oeuvre for decades before they got to see his work exhibited for the first time in the State last year, courtesy the Kochi Muziris Biennale.

The ripple effect of India’s first biennale in Kochi in 2012 swept over moribund systems, bringing in its wake a whole new ecosystem for art in Kerala, and the rest of the country by extension.

“It was a watershed and nothing has remained the same,” observes veteran artist Paris Viswanathan, who is on his way to Kochi to see the Biennale. The internationally-renowned artist was a robust presence in the first edition in which he exhibited his film series based on the ‘Elements’.

“While any cultural change permeates the society in a slow, inconspicuous manner, the experiential nature of the biennale has been an awakening. The fact that mediocrity was getting erased was in itself a big achievement,” says artist Bose Krishnamachari,  Kochi Biennale Foundation co-founder.

The first biennale, which closed the lid on controversies relating to art being commercialised, made contemporary art tremendously popular, expanded the horizons of Kochi in the world of art and engaged international artists of stature in a dialogue with Kerala.

“Our Biennale might have been simplistic when it comes to monetary figures, but we have been able to grab the eyeballs of the art world and the model is now being hailed as one of the best. It was emotionally more touching than any other art event, people say.”

What started off on 12/12/12 did not pull a stop even after three months as a series of research programmes, art residencies, experimental events like the ‘arts and medicine programme’, several art talks, collateral events and cultural programmes gave momentum to the new wave.

“Look at the current edition and you have some 20 finely-curated collateral events going with it,” adds Mr. Krishnamachari. Thanks to the Biennale, something like Art*Ry, an art commune of some 45 Keralites, was born in Dubai. It is now organising a collateral event, an exhibition of the late artist C.N. Karunakaran’s works, alongside KMB-14.

The Tourism Department in Kerala owes to the Biennale — whose first edition saw some four lakh footfalls— for its hop-on-hop-off boat service along the Muziris heritage route as the boats and the taxis are painted with works by Kerala-based Biennale artists. “The script, ‘Welcome to the art capital’ inscribed on them makes us proud,” he says. The tourism potential of the Biennale is well-known. Culture accounts for 35 per cent of the United Kingdom’s gross domestic product (GDP). “But we need infrastructure and the renovation of the Durbar Hall (using Rs. 5 crore government grant) was a step in that right direction.”

On the education front, new vistas have been thrown open to students and culture enthusiasts. The students’ biennale being curated by 15 young artists for instance, connects them umbilically with an event that showcases the best in the practice in the world, he says. Like last time, art enthusiasts around the globe and students from all over the country are preparing

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> Cities> Kochi / by S. Anandan / Kochi – December 10th, 2014