Nikhil Chopra Talks About his Artistic Journey Through Imaginary Australian Nigel

KOCHI:
Boundaries and divisions are man-made, but artists can defy them and connect communities,” said Nikhil Chopra, curator of the sixth Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), adopting the persona of Nigel, a fictional Australian.

More like a subtle performance art, Nigel, with a distinct Australian accent, unfolded the artistic journey of Chopra and his perspective on art during his talk session today at The Choice School, Tripunithura, igniting and enthralling the students.

When a student queried him about HH Art Spaces, he said it was formed in 2014 by a group of artists with an attempt to demystify the art and to show that it was not just for galleries or institutions but also a living force. “It was a space to take future into our hands and to give fellow artists a safe space,” observed Nigel.

Another student asked him about what he wanted his audience to take away from the Biennale. Nigel said expectations and assumptions were a problem and that art aimed to change and transform.

As for a query on artificial intelligence, Nigel said he was interested in intelligence and that AI as a tool would be used minimally at the show as focus was on the value of human presence. “AI will never ever be able to love you,” he said as he invited all to the KMB set to open on December 12.

Ananya Pahwa of class XI said the talk inspired her to connect and collaborate more.

“The talk has changed my outlook of life. The concepts of nation, money, and religion are man-made and one should explore new thoughts and think out of the box,” said Philip Maju Jacob of class X.

Suma George, Head of the English Department at the school, said, “Nigel made the children believe he was not Nikhil as he narrated his story, and introduced the Biennale. He was quite successful in doing so. We loved the session, and he loved the kids. He saw the art gallery and met our art department teachers.”