Kochi Biennale: Art That Moves Your Body & Mind

The sixth Kochi-Muziris Biennale, an expansive 110-day event, urges attendees to engage with art through embodied experience, moving beyond simple observation. This edition, themed 'For The Time Being,' showcases 66 artists and collectives from 25 nations, fostering a dynamic ecosystem where art, space, and time intertwine and interact continuously.

A significant characteristic of this biennale is the direct engagement of artists with Kochi's unique environment. Numerous artworks were conceptualized and produced locally, utilizing materials readily available in the city. This approach prompts a re-evaluation of the Western-originated biennale format, encouraging adaptation to local contexts, constraints, and creative possibilities.

Artists like Adrian Villar Rojas, Ibrahim Mahama, Hiwa K, Monica De Miranda, Shiraz Bayjoo, and Bhasha Chakrabarti contribute diverse installations and participatory works. These pieces often reflect on themes of capitalism, post-colonial memory, cultural exchange, resistance, and diasporic experiences, deeply resonating with the histories and present realities of their creators and the Kochi locale.