‘Biennale Shows Language is not a Barrier to Convey Artist’s Pain’: Former Minister Benoy Viswam

KOCHI:
For former minister and CPI leader Benoy Viswam, pain lies at the heart of Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2016 with Aleš Šteger’s ‘Pyramid of Exiled Poets’ and Raúl Zurita’s ‘Sea of Pain’ exemplifying artistic production that draws on pain.
“The art works exhibited at the Biennale shows that language is not a barrier to convey artist’s pain. The Pyramid installation is a representation of the darkness of ignorance, which is spread across the world, and the sounds heard inside are the anguished cries of litterateurs,” said  Viswam, following a visit to Aspinwall House in Fort Kochi on Tuesday.
He added that the ‘Sea of Pain’ installation casts a timely spotlight on the plight of the refugees affected and displaced by humanitarian crises around the world.
Former deputy Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Niranjan Pant deemed the works fascinating, noting that art creations transcend time and space.
“Though the whole show under the curatorial vision of Sudarshan Shetty is anchored in Kochi, it is unique and diverse,” said  Pant after a tour of the Biennale’s primary venue today.
Citing the example of western classical music, he said, “A classical western music can be labelled as such if it is sustained for at least 50 years. The same is applicable in art as well. And I believe the audio-visual works and other forms of art at the Biennale are worth as much.”

Earlier, Kochi Income Tax Commissioner A. Mohan had noted that the KMB transports visitors to worlds of their imaginations.
“After visiting this contemporary art festival, we feel as though we are merged with an imaginary world. The outstanding videos and other installations show us different cultures and different perspectives of approaching the same topic,” Mohan said.