Kochi-Muziris Biennale venues come alive as show is opened to public

Kochi: The fifth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale has been opened to the public with over 200 projects spread across heritage properties and warehouses, galleries and public spaces across Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, and Ernakulam. The central exhibition In Our Veins Flow Ink and Fire curated by Singaporean artist Shubigi Rao, will run until April 10, 2022, featuring 88 artists in historic Aspinwall House, Pepper House, and Anand Warehouse in Fort Kochi.

The mega art event was opened to the public on Friday (December 23) after it was formally inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on December 12. The opening of the event to the public got delayed due to some organisational glitches.

On the show being opened, the curator, Shubigi Rao, said: ‘Returning after a gap of 4 years, the 5th edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale examines how we survive, through song, materiality, joy, humour, and through language, whether written, verbal, and oral. After the states of fear, trauma and uncertain limbo of the pandemic years, it may seem strange to call for joy. Where is this optimism? Perhaps we can sense it more tangibly in artistic and collective work, especially in regional or particular contexts and forms, of the artists gathered here, in this Biennale.”

“As we await you in Fort Kochi, for the 5th edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, we acknowledge change- a recalibration of our lives post the pandemic and at the foundation as we gear for another decade, having just turned 10 this year. We are optimistic, learning from Shubigi Rao’s vision for 'In Our Veins flow Ink and Fire’ - of how artists navigate the realities of their conditions and hold hope with their creative intelligence and humour” Bose Krishnamachari, president, Kochi Biennale Foundation, said.

The venues, including the main venue of Aspinwall House and the Pepper House and the Anand Warehouse were opened to the public from 10 am on Friday. Scores of people from both within the country and outside thronged the venues to see and enjoy the Biennale art works.

The entry to the venues is open from morning 10 till evening 7. The ticket rate is Rs 150. Students and senior citizens are eligible for concession. Their ticket prices are Rs 50 and Rs 100 respectively. A weekly ticket costs Rs 1,000 while for a month it costs Rs 4,000.

Other than the counter at Aspinwall House, Biennale tickets are also available through the Book My Show App.

Entry to the Idam venue at Durbar Hall Art Gallery is free.

The various programmes already open to the public from December 12 as part of the KMB like the Students Biennale, Idam exhibition by eminent artists from Kerala, and invited art exhibitions, among others, have drawn a huge response from the visitors. Art Rooms as part of the ‘Art By Children’ programme are also open at Njarackal and Kadamakkudy.