Kochi, India's premier art event, the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, just tapped a new visionary to lead its 2027 edition: Kader Attia. He's an artist currently making waves at the Venice Biennale and a recipient of France's prestigious Prix Marcel Duchamp. Basically, he's got the art world's attention.
Attia is known for his sculptures and installations that don't shy away from the weighty impacts of colonialism, particularly in North Africa. This isn't his first rodeo as a curator, either. He previously helmed the 2022 Berlin Biennale, which spotlighted artists from the Global South. Though, it did hit a snag when some Iraqi artists pulled out over a French artist's work. Because, apparently, even art can't escape international relations.
His selection keeps a rather cool tradition alive for the Kochi-Muziris Biennale: it's often led by artists themselves. Nikhil Chopra organized the most recent show, and Anita Dube curated the 2018 edition. It's like letting the chefs design the kitchen.
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Start Your News DetoxJitish Kallat, a prominent Indian artist who headed the selection committee, practically gushed about Attia's "artistic depth, curatorial openness, and a strong pedagogic sensibility." Attia, who actually exhibited at the biennial back in 2014, sounds equally thrilled to return. He's looking to weave together Kochi's myriad cultural influences, hoping the biennial will help reclaim "sovereignty over our dreams." Which, if you think about it, is a pretty grand ambition for an art show.
A Biennial in Flux
Attia steps into this role during a bit of a shake-up for the biennial. Its co-founder, Bose Krishnamachari, stepped down as head of the foundation in January. It later emerged in March that a sexual harassment complaint was among the reasons for his departure—allegations Krishnamachari denies. Venu Vasudevan, the foundation's chairperson, called Attia's appointment "an exciting new chapter." Here's hoping it's a chapter filled with more art and less drama.
