Kochi-Muziris Biennale set for largest edition with 28 venues from December 12

The sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale will open on 12 December with its largest-ever footprint, expanding across 28 venues from West Kochi to Willingdon Island and Ernakulam.

The Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) said in a statement on Tuesday that the upcoming edition will feature 12 new venues in addition to nine existing locations and seven collateral sites. Artists from India and abroad will present contemporary works across these spaces during the 110-day festival.

Since its launch in 2012, the Foundation has repurposed unused warehouses and historic structures into exhibition spaces for the biennale.

“We have selected the venues in such a way that they resonate with the theme, wherein art is a process, dynamic and shape-shifting. From Durbar Hall in Ernakulam to the venues in Fort Kochi, Mattancherry and Willingdon Island, each space is an exploration of time, space and life,” KBF Chairperson Dr Venu V said.

The main exhibition, curated by Nikhil Chopra with HH Art Spaces, Goa, will showcase works by 66 artists and collectives.

Parallel programmes include the Invitation Programme; ‘Edam’, a curated exhibition spotlighting 36 artists and collectives with roots in Kerala; and the Students’ Biennale curated by student artists representing seven regions across India.

Also part of this edition are the ‘Art By Children’ (ABC) initiative—designed to widen access to high-quality art education—and the Residency Programme, which aims to strengthen international collaboration through partnerships with organisations and collectives.

Preparations are underway across all venues for Asia’s largest contemporary art festival, the statement said.

In Fort Kochi, the new venues include St Andrew’s Parish Hall (Students’ Biennale, Invitations); Arthshila, Kochi (Students’ Biennale); the Jail of Freedom Struggle (Invitations); and the Water Metro (ABC).

Additional locations on Bazaar Road in Mattancherry include BMS Warehouse (Students’ Biennale); 111 Markaz and Cafe (KMB); SMS Hall (KMB); Devassy Jose and Sons (Invitations, Residency); Simi Warehouse (Invitations); Cube Art Spaces (Edam); and Space, Indian Chamber of Commerce (KMB, Invitations, Students’ Biennale).

Island Warehouse (KMB), positioned next to the Water Metro station on Willingdon Island—the country’s largest artificial island—will also serve as a key venue. All sites are connected through the Water Metro network to ensure seamless visitor movement.