11 Must-See Works at Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2016
Apart from being the first of its kind, here is why you have to visit India’s biggest contemporary art festival in Kochi
It’s that time of the year when art lovers from across India and beyond head down to ‘God’s Own Country’ for the third year of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. The stage has been set with celebrated artist Sudarshan Shetty curating this year’s art show. Works by 97 artists from 35 countries are on display across 12 locations, ranging from heritage buildings, abandoned warehouses and galleries to the streets and rickshaws of Fort Kochi and Ernakulum.
Shetty outlines the theme for this year’s biennale as ‘Forming in the pupil of an eye‘. As this edition is all about different understandings of the world, the artworks thus attempt to create multiple, layered worlds, urging viewers to move between them. Kicked off on 12 December 2016, the biennale is on till 29 March 2017. So if you haven’t been there already, here are our top picks of must-visit works.
Photos courtesy: Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2016
Shetty outlines the theme for this year’s biennale as ‘Forming in the pupil of an eye‘. As this edition is all about different understandings of the world, the artworks thus attempt to create multiple, layered worlds, urging viewers to move between them. Kicked off on 12 December 2016, the biennale is on till 29 March 2017. So if you haven’t been there already, here are our top picks of must-visit works.
Photos courtesy: Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2016
2. River of Ideas by Chittrovanu Mazumdar
The Franco-Bengali artist creates a bridge to walk over a river of light consisting of hundreds of tiny electric bulbs. Resembling the millions of lamps floating along a water body at night, for his installation, Mazumdar conjurers up a proverbial river, referencing the omnipresence of water in Indian life. It attempts to highlight the flow of ideas and everyday rituals that connect people. The installation is also accompanied by sound and four mixed media works in a distinctive colour scheme of black, red and gold.
The Franco-Bengali artist creates a bridge to walk over a river of light consisting of hundreds of tiny electric bulbs. Resembling the millions of lamps floating along a water body at night, for his installation, Mazumdar conjurers up a proverbial river, referencing the omnipresence of water in Indian life. It attempts to highlight the flow of ideas and everyday rituals that connect people. The installation is also accompanied by sound and four mixed media works in a distinctive colour scheme of black, red and gold.
3. The Pyramid of Exiled Poets by Aleš Šteger
Slovenian poet and novelist Aleš Šteger’s installation transcends the boundaries of languages, countries and time periods. Built on the lines of the Great Pyramid of Giza with wood, matting, mud and dung, the artist says that this pyramid holds the souls of ten late poets, exiled from their respective countries. The installation attempts to chronicle the condition of being in exile as voices recite their poems, and ask viewers to go back as they walk through the pitch dark interiors. It is an ode to some of history’s most controversial poets, including Czeslaw Milosz, Dante Alighieri, Bertolt Brecht and others.
After experiencing the hopelessness and unease in the approximately ten-minute walk-through, Šteger then encourages participants to burn the verses in a fire outside the structure, as a way of releasing the poets’ souls.
Slovenian poet and novelist Aleš Šteger’s installation transcends the boundaries of languages, countries and time periods. Built on the lines of the Great Pyramid of Giza with wood, matting, mud and dung, the artist says that this pyramid holds the souls of ten late poets, exiled from their respective countries. The installation attempts to chronicle the condition of being in exile as voices recite their poems, and ask viewers to go back as they walk through the pitch dark interiors. It is an ode to some of history’s most controversial poets, including Czeslaw Milosz, Dante Alighieri, Bertolt Brecht and others.
After experiencing the hopelessness and unease in the approximately ten-minute walk-through, Šteger then encourages participants to burn the verses in a fire outside the structure, as a way of releasing the poets’ souls.
4. Where the flowers still grow by Bharat Sikka (in image)
Sikka’s series of photographs present a vision of everyday life in Kashmir. It is a visual portrait of the pressures placed on people in war zones, detailing both the devastation and resilience of life in this region.
5. Inverso Mundus by AES+F
Comprising photographers, conceptual architects and designers, this Russian collective’s work is a combination of photography, video and digital technology. As the name suggests, Inverso Mundus depicts a world upside down on a larger-than-life screen at Anand Warehouse. Taking a cue from sixteenth century engravings of an ‘inverse’ or a ‘world upside down’, the video installation includes inverted depictions of popular medieval scenes as everyday episodes of contemporary life, such as fish flying, students punishing teachers and other absurd utopias.
Sikka’s series of photographs present a vision of everyday life in Kashmir. It is a visual portrait of the pressures placed on people in war zones, detailing both the devastation and resilience of life in this region.
5. Inverso Mundus by AES+F
Comprising photographers, conceptual architects and designers, this Russian collective’s work is a combination of photography, video and digital technology. As the name suggests, Inverso Mundus depicts a world upside down on a larger-than-life screen at Anand Warehouse. Taking a cue from sixteenth century engravings of an ‘inverse’ or a ‘world upside down’, the video installation includes inverted depictions of popular medieval scenes as everyday episodes of contemporary life, such as fish flying, students punishing teachers and other absurd utopias.
6. Sourcemouth: Liquidbody by Hanna Tuulikki
This audio-visual performance by Scottish composer and performer Hanna Tuulikki is a fine example of the traditional meeting the contemporary. Tuulikki collaborates with Kutiyattam mentor Kapila Venu to learn the traditional sequence known as nadi varnana (river description) from Kutiyattam (one of India’s oldest living performing arts practiced in Kerala).
The gestural pattern is adapted into a performance-to-camera sequence with three interlinked films that represent different stages of the river cycle. In the first, a silver-painted Tulikki portrays each stage of the river’s journey. In the second film, the focus is on her eyes performing choreographed gestures taking the river to its source. And the third is a closeup of her lips mouthing instructions for the performance. As one video stops, the other begins, showing the continuous cycle between the old and the new.
This audio-visual performance by Scottish composer and performer Hanna Tuulikki is a fine example of the traditional meeting the contemporary. Tuulikki collaborates with Kutiyattam mentor Kapila Venu to learn the traditional sequence known as nadi varnana (river description) from Kutiyattam (one of India’s oldest living performing arts practiced in Kerala).
The gestural pattern is adapted into a performance-to-camera sequence with three interlinked films that represent different stages of the river cycle. In the first, a silver-painted Tulikki portrays each stage of the river’s journey. In the second film, the focus is on her eyes performing choreographed gestures taking the river to its source. And the third is a closeup of her lips mouthing instructions for the performance. As one video stops, the other begins, showing the continuous cycle between the old and the new.
7. Room for Lies by Sunil Padwal
In his work, Padwal gives viewers a glimpse into the thought process of artists and how they are able to string together unrelated objects to instil them with meaning, thus creating an “artwork”. In his installation, 600 drawings, paintings, photographs and curios are brought together to present a ‘fractured whole’ that conveys the concept of life of a city through the artist’s gaze.
In his work, Padwal gives viewers a glimpse into the thought process of artists and how they are able to string together unrelated objects to instil them with meaning, thus creating an “artwork”. In his installation, 600 drawings, paintings, photographs and curios are brought together to present a ‘fractured whole’ that conveys the concept of life of a city through the artist’s gaze.
8. Secret Dialogues by C Bhagyanath
For his piece, C Bhagyanath draws from the ancient folk forms of Theyyam (a living practice going on for centuries) from his native home in north Kerala. His ‘Portrait of the self in the world’ attempts to make the transparent apparent and seen. The artist inhabits a studio throughout the biennale where he creates layers of his drawings on translucent paper – adding to them each day to illustrate the history of Theyyam.
For his piece, C Bhagyanath draws from the ancient folk forms of Theyyam (a living practice going on for centuries) from his native home in north Kerala. His ‘Portrait of the self in the world’ attempts to make the transparent apparent and seen. The artist inhabits a studio throughout the biennale where he creates layers of his drawings on translucent paper – adding to them each day to illustrate the history of Theyyam.
9. Garbh by GR Iranna
Garbh is a giant egg-shaped sculpture that immediately draws links between life and death. The name and shape references a womb, but it is made of holy ash or vibhuti, which has several meanings and purposes in Hinduism. For instance, it is applied by devotees as three horizontal lines across the forehead to please the gods in agamic rituals, while holy ash is also what remains after the ritualistic burning of wood and the body during cremations.
Garbh is a giant egg-shaped sculpture that immediately draws links between life and death. The name and shape references a womb, but it is made of holy ash or vibhuti, which has several meanings and purposes in Hinduism. For instance, it is applied by devotees as three horizontal lines across the forehead to please the gods in agamic rituals, while holy ash is also what remains after the ritualistic burning of wood and the body during cremations.
10. Home by Rajeev Thakker
The Mumbai-based artist/architect explores the multiplicity of lifestyles in his installation titled, ‘Home’. From apartments to bungalows and cottages, he showcases a series of dwellings as dioramas, stacked on top of each other in small compartments. This presents a strange reality as he highlights many different ways in which people live within a space smaller than a family home.
The Mumbai-based artist/architect explores the multiplicity of lifestyles in his installation titled, ‘Home’. From apartments to bungalows and cottages, he showcases a series of dwellings as dioramas, stacked on top of each other in small compartments. This presents a strange reality as he highlights many different ways in which people live within a space smaller than a family home.
11. Farewell, Spring and Autumn Pavilions by Wu Tien-Chang
Set within a stage in the exhibition space with multi-coloured lights, this piece is an illusion. A screen shows a masked sailor presumably returning home, as the backdrop behind him continues to change while a Taiwanese folk song plays on. The imagery may seem garish on the surface, but soon causes one to cringe as it is realised that the military figure’s walk within his artificial vulgar outfit is the unsightly outcome of the region’s armed immigration history.
Read more:
The Journey of Materials in Modern Architecture
Decorating: Make Andy Warhol Proud by Adding Pop Art at Home
Androgyny in The Architecture of Homes
Tell us:
Which work did you like the best? And what kind of art do you prefer? Comment below.
Set within a stage in the exhibition space with multi-coloured lights, this piece is an illusion. A screen shows a masked sailor presumably returning home, as the backdrop behind him continues to change while a Taiwanese folk song plays on. The imagery may seem garish on the surface, but soon causes one to cringe as it is realised that the military figure’s walk within his artificial vulgar outfit is the unsightly outcome of the region’s armed immigration history.
Read more:
The Journey of Materials in Modern Architecture
Decorating: Make Andy Warhol Proud by Adding Pop Art at Home
Androgyny in The Architecture of Homes
Tell us:
Which work did you like the best? And what kind of art do you prefer? Comment below.
The acclaimed Chilean poet was the very first artist to be announced and to set the tone for what was to follow. Now the highlight of the biennale, his immersive installation at Aspinwall House brings together text, sound and architecture in a meditative piece. People are invited to take off their shoes as they wade through a stretch of knee-deep water to read the poem printed on one of the walls. Viewers are encouraged to ponder on the Syrian refugee crisis as Zurita’s poem is dedicated to Galip Kurdi, the brother of little Syrian refugee Alan, who became the face of the crisis after photographs depicting his lifeless body washing ashore a Turkish beach went viral.