Kochi Biennale Has Grown into a Powerful Cultural Force: M. A. Baby

KOCHI:
CPM General Secretary M. A. Baby has said that the Kochi-Muziris Biennale is steadily evolving into a powerful cultural event, becoming more intense with deeper artistic expressions with every edition.

Speaking after visiting the sixth edition of the international art exhibition, Baby said he had been associated with the Biennale since its inception in 2012 and had witnessed its remarkable growth over the years.

“The first edition was held in 2012, and now the sixth edition has elevated the event to another level,” he said. According to him, the Biennale has emerged as a platform that helps people culturally and artistically elevate themselves.

Baby said the artworks on display encourage visitors to reflect on their own lives and think philosophically. “One cannot simply walk past these works without being affected. Whether it is an installation or a painting, the works displayed here have the power to haunt viewers and transform them,” he said.

Referring to the views of renowned artist A. Ramachandran, Baby said that art often speaks for itself. “As Ramachandran once said, there is no need to explain an artwork in great detail. A true connoisseur understands it on his own and undergoes a transformation after experiencing it,” he said.

Baby described the Kochi Biennale as a matter of pride not only for Kerala but also for India and the global art community.

Addressing questions about funding for the Biennale, he said the larger question was about the continued existence of human civilisation itself. “If the human race is to continue to exist on this earth, art and literature must continue to thrive. What distinguishes human beings from other animals is art and culture,” he said.

He recalled that the late artist Vivan Sundaram had made a substantial personal contribution to the inaugural edition of the Biennale in 2012, an instance that, according to him, underscored the importance of the event.

Baby also noted that many biennales around the world operate with much larger budgets than the Kochi event. “The Kochi Biennale has shown that such a global art event can be organised even on a shoestring budget,” he said, adding that it has also given a significant boost to tourism in the region.

Baby termed the recent military aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran as unjust. He said cultural gatherings such as the Kochi Biennale serve as spaces of resistance against wars and as platforms that call for peace.

He also pointed out that two Pakistani artists whose works are being exhibited at the Biennale were unable to attend the event because of travel restrictions arising from strained relations between India and Pakistan.