Amid concerns related to the Covid-19 outbreak, the President of the Kochi Biennale Foundation, Bose Krishnamachari, said that the organisers of the art exhibition do not have any plans of postponing the Kochi-Muziris Biennale this year.
“The board will take a call in this regard sometime in August. We shall wait until then,” said Krishnamachari.
At present, the Biennale is scheduled to take place from December 12, 2020 to April 20, 2021.
However, he further stated that there would be concerns related to raising funds for the event due to the current crisis.
When asked about the possibilities of conducting an online exhibition, he commented, “Physical presence is crucial important in such cases. The art work has to be installed. A decision, however, will be taken by the board in August.”
Art on Instagram
Meanwhile, the organisers have begun to use Instagram to promote the works of a few artists. “Art and culture can cure. The biennale gives a sense of hope to the local communities and the artists. Hence, we decided to showcase the work of our artists to our audiences through Instagram and Facebook,” he explained.
In a note to the artists, Krishnamchari stated that the initiative was aimed at showing what sort of art can be created during a pandemic and the purpose that art serves during such a crisis.
The works that are posted on online platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, include sketches, photos, line-maps and even yet-to-be finished drawings.