The city of Kochi, Kerala in India is known for its picturesque waters and stunning natural beauty. Now the small city is home to the first ever international arts festival in India, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.
The Biennale's website states, "The exhibition will be set in spaces across Kochi, Muziris and surrounding islands. There will be shows in existing galleries and halls, and site-specific installations in public spaces, heritage buildings and disused structures"
Both Indian and international artists will exhibit at the show and include various artistic mediums including painting, sculpture, new media, performance art and film. The Biennale started on Wednesday Dec. 12 and lasts for three months.
"Through the celebration of contemporary art from around the world, The Kochi-Muziris Biennale seeks to invoke the historic cosmopolitan legacy of the modern metropolis of Kochi, and its mythical predecessor, the ancient port of Muziris," states the Biennale's website.
CNN reports that Muziris was a trading hub that from the first century B.C. and traders everywhere from Rome, China and Greece came to the area. The area was an active hub until the 14th century when it disappeared under sea for reasons unknown, possibly a tsunami or flood. Excavations a few years ago brought up artifacts from the Muziris era. The Biennale's theme is the port itself.
Going with this theme, many artist have used found objects to create art, reported CNN, some of which was found in the area. Indian installation artist, Vivan Sundaram used terracotta shards unearthed at the excavation site to create a 400 square-foot replica of Muziris.
"It's about a certain fragility of this quiet, thriving port town, of which little is actually known," he said to CNN.
Kerala is an area which has produced many Indian artists including K.C.S. Panicker an Indian abstract painter and Raja Ravi Varma.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
