KMB 2025: Chicago Visitors Hail Biennale as a Platform from Young, Marginalised Voices

KOCHI:

Aspinwall House, Fort Kochi, turned into a meeting of global and local perspectives as an international group from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) visited the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, describing it as an event that gives space to young, marginalised, and international voices.

The group, comprising 20 students, two faculty members explored the exhibition spaces and spent time engaging with artworks around Aspinwall House.

The visit coincided with the presence of Indian film director and screenwriter C Prem Kumar, who was experiencing the Biennale for the first time.

Encouraging people not to postpone their visit, Kumar said the Biennale “opens your mind” and “offers an experience that stays with you long after you leave.”

The visiting group from Chicago was led by faculty member Shaurya Kumar, who said the Kochi-Muziris Biennale holds a special place among international exhibitions, particularly in South Asia. He noted that students benefit greatly from seeing such a large and diverse international Biennale first-hand. He also appreciated the openness of the curators and the opportunity to interact with artists from across the world.

Many of the projects, he felt, encourage viewers to pause, reflect quietly, and think about both the past and the future. He also highlighted how the Biennale gives space to young, marginalised, and international voices, addressing complex themes related to the present Anthropocene moment through art.

Students from SAIC shared equally personal responses to the exhibition. Merlin, one of the students on the study trip, said visiting the Biennale as part of a university class made the experience more meaningful. She spoke about her strong connection to the work of the Panjiri Artist Union, especially their video installation and zines.

“I spent a lot of time sitting there, going through their zines,” she said. As a bookmaker and zine collector, Merlin felt naturally drawn to the work and expressed excitement about adding one of the zines to her personal collection.