Pop up' shows light up Kochi-Muziris Biennale

KOCHI: The Kochi-Muziris Biennale is facilitating expression of creativity of visitors through its popular sessions called ‘pop up.’ The interested can present papers, read poetry and conduct lectures and discussions at the pavilion.

Curator Anita Dube is keen to welcome the crowd to experience the joy and freedom of self-expression at the ‘people’s biennale.’

“I realised the exhibition model was not sufficient to address self-determination of audience and that something else was required,” said Anita Dube.

Last week, a team of Kochiites specialising in street dances performed and jammed with fellow visitors at the pavilion at Cabral Yard. The space was abuzz with hip-hoppers from different areas walking in and starting jamming raising the spirit of the event at short notice.

On January 15, student groups from Baroda’s Maharaja Sayajirao University and the School of Art Institute of Chicago came together at the pavilion for informal discussions with Anita Dube and some members from the Kochi Biennale Foundation.  “The idea of opening up the pavilion was to have interactive conversations with creative minds and provide a platform for idea exchange,” Dube said.

LGBTQ rights activist Alok Vaid-Menon, an American performance artist-poet, made use of the pavilion to showcase his talent of reciting poems. “It was one of the most spontaneous performances we had so far and I was amazed with the visitors’ response,” Dube said.

Art mediator Marina Thayil did a talk titled ‘The Half-naked Fakir.’ There was also a musical performance by members of the Coast Guard, a documentary film by Antony Zimayon called ‘Pazhaya Paalam’ and a talk on heritage and social entrepreneurship by Subhi Gupta of the Mussoorie Heritage Centre.