The fifth edition of the Kochi Muziris Biennale will end on Monday, April 10. After a delayed launch in December last year, the Biennale lasted for four months this time, a month longer than its usual run. A closing ceremony will be held at the Durbar Hall in Ernakulam on Monday evening at 7, to be inaugurated by Minister of Tourism PA Muhammed Riyas. Curator of the fifth edition Shubigi Rao will be honoured, along with curators of the 'Idam' exhibition held as part of the Biennale to feature artists in Kerala. Jiji Scaria, Radha Gomaty and PS Jalaja curated Idam in Durbar Hall.
The Biennale, which missed a year during the COVID-19 pandemic, suffered a delayed start last year, causing trouble for participating artists and art lovers. The exhibitions — running across several venues in Fort Kochi and Ernakulam city — were supposed to begin on December 12 but some of the main venues were not ready on time. These were opened only on December 23. However, the postponement was announced only at the last minute, leaving in the lurch artists, connoisseurs, critics and curators who had flown from different parts of the world to attend the opening.
However, once the main venues such as Aspinwall and Pepper House opened, the exhibition went on as usual, visitors flowing down every day for four months.
A report in the Times of India said that though the fifth edition was a success with nine lakh visitors making it to the Biennale, it still suffered a loss of Rs 9 crore. The Kochi Muziris Biennale Foundation has not yet received all the funds it was supposed to from the government and other supporters, the report says. Founding curator of the Biennale Bose Krishnamachari is quoted as saying that the foundation will think about the next edition only after settling the dues.