Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurates the 6th Kochi-Muzaris Biennale at the Parade Ground in Fort Kochi on Friday. | Photo credit: THULASI KAKKAT
Organized attempts to malign Kerala through art are being appreciated at the national level, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said on Friday while inaugurating the sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) at the Parade Ground in Fort Kochi.
He said the very relevance of the awards was called into question by the act of awarding films that defiled the state. He called for artistic resistance against the attempts of what he called destructive forces to implement regressive ideas by crushing diversity.
“The biennale should be able to pave the way for attempts to prevent such acts. It should take the lead in resistance activities. That is the political dimension of the biennale,” the chief minister said.
He said the state’s ability to host events of an international scale was demonstrated during the biennale. “An amount of ₹ 7.5 crore has been sanctioned to the management of KMB in recognition of the organizational ability. The Kerala government has earmarked maximum financial assistance for such cultural activities in the country,” he added.
“Cultural exchanges are the pinnacle of art events like the biennale. Cultural progress is the foundation of economic progress. The government accelerates social progress through effective interventions in the cultural sphere,” he said.
Curator Nikhil Chopra, while presenting the theme of the sixth edition of KMB ‘For now’, said that the freedom of the artist is a symbol of the freedom of the society.
KMB President Bose Krishnamachari presented the report. Kochi Biennale Foundation Chairperson Venu V and CEO Thomas Varghese also spoke.
Industries Minister P. Rajeeve, Hibi Eden, MP, MLAs TJ Vinod and KJ Maxy, Mayor M. Anilkumar, CPI(M) General Secretary MA Baby, Special Representative to the Government of Kerala in New Delhi KV Thomas, Additional Principal Secretary (Museums and Archives) Rajan N Khobragade, Patron KMB, Maria AMF trust, AB Amrites, KB trust Jhaveri, Shabana Faisal, Tony Joseph and NS Madhavan, Director of Programs KBF Mario D’Souza and former editor-in-chief of The Hindu N. Ram were among those who attended the inaugural ceremony.
The inauguration was followed by a public concert by Shanka Tribe. Organized by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF), the latest edition of KMB will be held across 22 venues in addition to seven accompanying events. The 110-day event will end on March 31, 2026. The exhibition presents the works of 66 artists/collectives from 25 countries along with a series of parallel exhibitions.
Published – 12 Dec 2025 21:43 IST
