Biennale will open the world to Kochi, says Madhavan

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Kochi Muziris Biennale will be the great opening to the world of art.

“For the harbour city which once opened its doors to the myriad world of trade, this Biennale will now open the world to Kochi,” is how writer N.S. Madhavan sees this mega event taking place here on December 12.

Madhavan, who held a heritage walk in Fort Kochi across David Hall, Aspinwall and Pepper House, recounted that a similar event, though on a smaller scale, was held in 1965 by Fertilizers and Chemicals Travancore (FACT), styled as an all-India art exhibition.

“That exhibition threw up great artists like Paris Vishwanathan to the world; and (young) Aravindan, much before he became a renowned director, was the art curator, while Adoor Gopalakrishnan the film curator.”

Way back in the 90s, similar events on a smaller scale were held in New Delhi every three years. But, this event in December will be a different platform with all eyes from the world watching.

And this should also give Kochi and the state, known for the culture of openness, ‘a new honour,’ making it a centre of the art world.

It was in the 90s that Venice held a Biennale. Madhavan remembers walking around with artists across the streets there. “The Kochi event excites me. The buzz is missing because it is the first one,” he says.

About the controversy on whether Kochi should host such a mega event, Madhavan says controversies are natural in a democracy.

When the Vallarpadam terminal was set up, a campaign came up against relaxing the shipping rules. “You are welcome to say how the door should be, but you cannot block the view,” he adds.