Kochi–Muziris Biennale to Turn Kerala’s Port City into an Inclusive Culture Space

By
N Muraleedharan
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7
254

Kochi: The sixth edition of the Kochi–Muziris Biennale (KMB-6), India’s iconic contemporary art festival, is all set to begin on December 12.

Touted as South Asia’s largest art show, KMB-6 will run until March 31, 2026. The season will bring together artists, sculptors, craftspeople, performers, and cultural practitioners across diverse genres to the port city.

The event will transform Kochi’s sprawling waterfront landscape—shaped by centuries of multicultural influences—into a vast canvas for artists to showcase their creativity before a global audience. Stretching across the towns and suburbs of greater Kochi, the Biennale’s venues are lapped by the gentle waves of the Vembanad backwaters and cooled by the Arabian Sea breeze.

This edition of the Biennale is curated by multi-disciplinary artist Nikhil Chopra, in collaboration with HH Art Spaces, a Goa-based artists’ collective.

‘Kochi’ and ‘Muziris,’ the two geographical markers at the heart of the Biennale, reflect the region’s eclectic history. Muziris—the ancient spice port—evokes Kerala’s centuries-old maritime links with the Mediterranean and West Asia. It is also believed to be the entry point of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam into Kerala. Though the actual location of Muziris no longer exists, historians place it somewhere between present-day Kochi and Kodungallur.

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Modern Kochi, now a bustling commercial hub and tourist hotspot, witnessed the earliest waves of Western colonialism on India’s west coast. The city’s backwaters dotted with small islets still preserve the architectural footprints of the Portuguese, Dutch, and British eras.

The theme of KMB-6, ‘For the Time Being’, promises a comprehensive exploration of contemporary art and diverse forms of visual expression from across continents.

According to the Kochi Muziris Biennale Foundation (KBF), the festival has redefined the idea of a biennale. It has evolved from being a mere exhibition of art into a sustainable and inclusive ecosystem—creating space, time, and resources for artistic expression in all its forms.

KBF Chairperson Dr. Venu V, former Chief Secretary of Kerala, said that KMB-6 is conceived as a festival that embodies the central theme: art as a dynamic process that unites cultures. He noted that the Biennale has grown into one of India’s most eagerly awaited cultural events, expanding far beyond paintings, sculptures, and installations.

KMB now features a rich mix of traditional and folk performances, stage shows, and conversations on art, literature, heritage conservation, and contemporary culture.

KMB-6 will span 21 venues, including 12 new ones. Additional venues from West Kochi to Willingdon Island and Ernakulam will host collateral events. Each location carries the layered memories of history and culture that shaped Kochi’s cosmopolitan ethos. Many quaint warehouses and heritage structures will be converted into vibrant exhibition spaces for the season.

These venues will host the main exhibition curated by Nikhil Chopra with HH Art Spaces, featuring works by 66 artists and collectives, along with several parallel shows.

The Collaterals of KMB-6 will present a wide range of practices aligned with the Biennale’s key theme. KBF Director of Programmes Mario D’Souza said the collateral segment has been “reimagined” to showcase a remarkable diversity in artistic expression.

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