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The first list of participating artists in the 2018 Kochi-Muziris Biennale, curated by ANITA DUBE (pictured), has been announced in a press release. Courtesy Kochi Biennale Foundation.
On June 12, the Kochi Biennale Foundation announced the first roster of participating artists for the upcoming fourth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), which will run from December 12, 2018 to March 29, 2019 across various locations in Kochi, in the South Indian state of Kerala. The initial list includes 35 artists from India and beyond.
Keeping with the biennale’s tradition of being curated by an art practitioner, the 2018 edition will be helmed by Indian artist Anita Dube, whose practice spans sculpture, photography, installation and performance. Dube is the first woman to take on the role of lead curator for the KMB since it was launched in 2012 by Kerala-born visual artists Riyas Komu and Bose Krishnamachari.
The official title and theme of the 2018 biennale have yet to be announced, but Dube remarked in a press release: “My earliest intuitive vision for this edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale to explore the possibilities for a non-alienated life has remained with me. The need to listen, think, and learn with each other, particularly voices from the margins—of women, of the queer community, the oppressed castes, the whispers and signs of nature—with a spirit of freedom and comradeship is vital. In both the exhibition and the carefully designed interactive spaces, I hope the incredible range of exhibiting artists and visitors will become active participants and co-producers of the Biennale as a knowledge laboratory.”
According to the press release, Dube visited 29 countries in preparation for the upcoming KMB, and her selection of international artists “reflects the dynamic range of practices and conversations she shared along the way.”
The first group of participating artists are as follows:
Aernout Mik (Netherlands)
Akram Zaatari (Lebanon)
Annu Palakunnathu Matthew (India/USA)
Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook (Thailand)
Barthélémy Toguo (Cameroon)
BV Suresh (India)
EB Itso (Denmark)
Goshka Macuga (Poland)
Guerrilla Girls (USA)
Heri Dono (Indonesia)
Ines Doujak and John Barker (Austria and UK)
Jitish Kallat (India)
Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba (Vietnam)
Madhvi Parekh (India)
Marlene Dumas (Netherlands)
Nilima Sheikh (India)
Pangrok Sulap (Malaysia)
PR Satheesh (India)
Prabhakar Pachpute (India)
Rana Hamadeh (Lebanon)
Rina Banerjee (India)
Santu Mofokeng (South Africa)
Shilpa Gupta (India)
Shirin Neshat (Iran)
Shubigi Rao (India)
Song Dong (China)
Sue Williamson (South Africa)
Sunil Gupta and Charan Singh (India)
Tania Bruguera (Cuba)
Thomas Hirschhorn (Switzerland)
VALIE EXPORT (Austria)
Vipin Dhanurdharan (India)
Vivian Caccuri (Brazil)
Walid Raad (Lebanon)
William Kentridge (South Africa)
Phoebe Tam is an editorial intern of ArtAsiaPacific.
The fourth Kochi-Muziris Biennale will be on view at various locations in Kochi from December 12, 2018 to March 29, 2019.
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