The second edition of Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) got off
to a spectacular start, unveiling an imaginative line-up of contemporary
installations, sculptures as well as paintings that seek to punctuate time and
redefine space in an unprecedented assembly. The 108-day KMB ’14, a
once-in-two-years exhibition of cross-continental aesthetics encompassing
sight, sound, smell and touch, was inaugurated by Kerala Chief Minister Oommen
Chandy on 12/12/14. The festival mirrors the latest trends in global art in a
display of 100 works by 94 artists from 30 countries including India.
The evening began with a two-hour traditional ensemble
featuring 305 artistes. Exponents of ethnic drums, cymbals, pipes and horns
made more than half-a-dozen long rows to present the ancient ‘Pandi Melam’ that
lasted for two hours under the leadership of chenda maestro Peruvanam Kuttan
Marar, ahead of state chief minister Oommen Chandy formally declaring the
108-day extravaganza open. The Pandi recital was typically preceded by an
introductory chembada melam which lasted 20 minutes.
‘Whorled Explorations’, which is the central exhibition of
the 2nd KMB titled by the curator of KMB ’14 Jitish Kallat will follow a
designated route that commences at the sprawling and colonial Aspinwall House,
which is the largest venue of the biennale hosting the works of 69 artists. The
itinerary will then track to six other venues around Fort Kochi (Cabral Yard,
Pepper House, Vasco da Gama Square, David Hall, Kashi Art Gallery and CSI
Bungalow), before ending at Durbar Hall, a stately gallery space situated
across the waters in downtown Ernakulam. The 108 – days festival will concludes
on March 29, 2015.
Artists from India who are part of the Biennale include
Gulammohammed Sheikh, Akbar Padamsee, K G Subramayan, Dayanita Singh, N
Pushpamala, Navjot Altaf, Sudhir Patwardhan, N S Harsha, Gigi Scaria and Valsan
Koorma Kolleri among others. International participants include Xu Bing, Mona
Hatoum, Adrian Paci, Yoko Ono, Rafael Lozano Hemmer and Anish Kapoor.
KMB ’14 also features cultural programmes besides cinema,
seminars and lectures along with partner projects and collaterals. According to
Riyas Komu, the secretary of the 2010-founded KBF, the idea of KMB’14 is to
reflect the composite culture. KBF is a non-profit organisation engaged also in
the uplift of traditional forms of art besides conservation of heritage
properties and monuments.
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