Hectic preparations are on for the smooth conduct of the second edition of the Kochi Muziris Biennale, which will start off on December 12, and feature works of around 85 artists from 28 countries.
Jitish Kallat, the curator and artistic director for the biennale being organised by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF), said the 108-day art extravaganza, will see around 85 artists participating.
Some key artists have already made site visits, and they include Franceso Clemente, Sir Anish Kapoor, Christian Waldvogel, K G Subramanyan, Sudhir Patwardhan, Ghulam Mohammed Sheikh and Namboodiri, among others.
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Kallat said it was a 'rewarding moment' for him when conversations with artist-colleagues, concretize into projects on the ground in Kochi. "The embryonic form of the project is taking shape," he noted.
"The exhibition brings together art-works that picture versions of the world referencing history, geography, astronomy, time and myth, interlacing the terrestrial with the celestial," he said.
The full list of artists will be announced at an exclusive event in a few weeks.
Kallat had been engaged in a year-long research trip to select the artists for the much-awaited second edition.
The organisers are prepping up the venues for the second edition as artists have already started working on site.
KBF president Bose Krishnamachari said the foundation has retained most of the venues from last time. "But we will have a few additional venues and projects in a few public spaces".
KBF has been organising several talks and cultural programmes as a run-up to the Biennale.
Riyas Komu, Director of Programmes, said the KBF has always been mindful of the larger participation of the people to engage them with contemporary art.
"To amplify it this time, we will be having several programmes including the Student's Biennale, Children's Biennale, Artists' Cinema project and various Cultural programmes that will run parallel to the Biennale," he added.
The first edition held in 2012 was an unprecedented national and international success. As expectations run high this time, most of the hotels, home-stays and boarding and lodging houses in Fort Kochi and nearby areas have been completely pre-booked.
