Biennnale foundation hands over Rs 3 crore to CM's relief fund

Channelling the proceeds from an art auction it conducted six months ago, the Kochi Biennale Foundation Wednesday donated Rs 3 crore towards the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund for those affected in last years floods in the state.

The amount was handed over to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan at Thiruvananthapuram by a KBF delegation led by the foundations president Bose Krishnamachari, a release said.

KBF secretary Sunil V and treasurer Bonny Thomas were part of the foundations team at the Chief Ministers Office in the presence of state Tourism minister Kadakampally Surendran.

The CM hailed the KBF endeavour as a sign of its social commitment, showing the artists care and concern for their fellow beings, the release said.

The January 18 auction in Kochi had seen participation of no less than 40 artists from India and abroad, contributing their works for the event titled Art Rises for Kerala.

Among them were Gulammohammed Sheikh, Anish Kapoor, Dayanita Singh, Francesco Clemente, Anju Dodiya and K M Madhusudhanan.

"It is a small contribution," KBFs Krishnamachari said, after handing over the cheque.

"But it represents the coming together of the artists community for Kerala after the disastrous floods."