Air India and Air India Express have associated themselves with the Kochi-Muziris Biennale as the official travel partners for the largest art exhibition in the country and the biggest contemporary art festival in Asia.
As part of this association, Air India will be flying international artists and art enthusiasts to Kochi to participate in the festival while Air India Express supports the event as a sponsor.
With over 38 flights per week, Air India connects Kochi to international and domestic destinations. Air India Express is the single largest international airline operating from Kochi airport in terms of the number of flights. The airline connects the city to all major destinations in Gulf with 80 flights per week.
Art features
Air India Express has distinct livery designs, each tail of its aircraft portraying the diverse art and culture of the country. Recognising this unique feature, artists at Kochi Biennale Foundation will design an exclusive tail art for Air India Express.
A newly inducted Boeing 737-800 aircraft will flaunt this tail art, taking the spirit of Biennale to the global stage. Besides, five unique mural paintings highlighting Air India’s international destinations will be displayed at the Biennale.
Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer, Air India, said, “Air India has always promoted the distinct art and culture of India and the legacy continues with our support to this aesthetic event in association with Kochi Biennale, which provides local and international artists with a platform to exhibit their art to the world. Through this collaboration, we are also seeking to connect with a considerably large segment of aficionados of art and culture in India and abroad.”
Aloke Singh, CEO, Air India Express, said, “The Kochi-Muziris Biennale’s theme of connecting the modern with the mythical past, expressing that via contemporary art while making it accessible to the wider community, resonates well with what we stand for as an LCC and as the larger Air India group. We will proudly display a specially created artwork as ‘tail-art’ on an aircraft, to symbolise this association.”
A boost to tourism
The four-month-long Biennale commencing on December 23 will have Indian and international artists exhibiting artworks across a variety of mediums including film, installation, painting, sculpture, new media, and performance art. Alongside the exhibition, the Biennale offers a rich programme of talks, seminars, screenings, music, workshops, and educational activities.
Bose Krishnamachari, Founder Member and President, Kochi Biennale Foundation, said, “The Biennale is expected to offer the State’s tourist and service industries a much-needed boost by putting Kerala on the map as a go-to location for art enthusiasts.”