#Kochi Muziris Biennale 2016

[nedsecondline]

“Chandelier” by Sirous Namazi — Barbara Picci

“Chandelier” by Sirous Namazi — Barbara Picci

Artist: Sirous Namazi (Iran) Title: Chandelier Year: 2014 Courtesy of: the artist and Galerie Nordenhake “Sirous Namazi was born in 1970 in Kerman, Iran. He lives and works in Stockholm. In 2018 he participated in the Athens Biennale: ANTI, in 2016 he took part in the 3rd Kochi-Muziris Biennale and in 2007 he represented Sweden […] “Chandelier” by Sirous Namazi — Barbara Picci

[galleryoed-blog]

[gokoulane]

After weeks and weeks of procrastination, I finally pulled myself up to write about one of the exciting trips of my life. Who said short trips aren’t exciting enough? This one easily defined that assumption.

One fine day, my dear blogging friend Deepanarayana a.k.a Prince Deepu called me to check if I was interested in a 2 day trip to Cochin. As I haven’t visited the place yet, I gave my nod without a second thought. Later, he also informed me that there’s Kochi Muziris Biennale, a contemporary art festival going on in Cochin at the same time. For me, it felt like killing two birds with one stone. In other words “Kanna Rendu Laddu Thinna Aasaiya” feeling :D. Like any other trip, a few opted out and finally ended up with Bragadesh Prasanna a.k.a Brags Anna, Karthik Pasupathi a.k.a KP, Deepanarayana a.k.a Deepu and Yours Truly.

That Friday (10.02.2017), left my office early so that I could pack up my things and catch the train on time. Luckily, like my last trip to Hyderabad, there wasn’t any eleventh-hour adventure. Though our train was scheduled for 22:50 it was around 23:15 when we took off. After bits of chit chats, my sleepy head wasn’t able to hold anymore. So, I wished the rest a very good night and dozed off.

The Train

Just before going into sleep mode

Conversations never ends

zzzzzzzzz

It was around 12 in the noon when we reached the Ernakulam Junction the next day (11.02.2017). We were hungry as we had a very little for the breakfast on the train. So, indulged on traditional Kerala Parotas and Biryanis in a restaurant near the station. From there, we took an Auto to Fort Kochi and it was already 2 while we checked-in into our homestay. Then, we freshened ourselves before heading out to roam around by 2.30. Renting the bike from the homestay helped us.

On the way scenes

Conversation continues

He He .. Not my glasses.

On way from Ernakulam to Fort Kochi

Kerala Parata

Malabar Biriyani

Our first stop was “Cabral Yard”, where we saw an array of awesome audiovisuals projected on unusual surfaces inside a mud hut. Then we moved to the greatest attraction of the fest, “THE ASPINWALL HOUSE”. It’s one of the famous heritage property in Fort Kochi. Established in 1867, the former business premises of Aspinwall & Company Ltd was well converted into a well-organized art exhibition. After picking up our entrance passes which will be valid for the whole Biennale for Rs 100 each, we took a free guided tour, sincerely considering our expertise in the field of contemporary art. The following are the artworks that completely blew me away.

Cabral Yard

Gate To Heaven

Inside Cabral Yard

AV Projections

AV Projections

AV Projections

Kochi Muziris Biennale

The first on the list is “Sea Of Pain”. Many times I have heard Poems, but for the first time, I experienced one. It’s the conceptualization of the below poem by Raul Zurita on Syrian refugee. The heaviness and gravity caused while walking in the dark, dense sea water in the room are beyond expression by words, one has to feel it being there.

Don’t you look? In the sea of pain. Don’t you hear me? In the sea of pain. Don’t you see me? In the sea of pain. Don’t you feel me? In the sea of pain. Won’t you come back? Never again? In the sea of pain. Never? Never? Never? In the sea of pain.”

#HappinessIs an #Intense #Experience . Many times I have heard #Poems , but #ForTheFirstTime I experienced one . "Don't you listen? Don't you look? In the sea of pain. Don't you hear me? In the sea of pain. Don't you see me? In the sea of pain. Don't you feel me? In the sea of pain. Won't you come back? Never again? In the sea of pain. Never? Never? Never? In the sea of pain." The above poem by #RaulZurita on #SyrianRefugee was #Conceptualized in a large room with #Dense #SeaWater at #KochiMuzirisBiennale and it turned out to be an #Unforgettable experience . #ThrowBackThursday #TBT #Kochi #TravelDairies #Video #ForAChange . #300thPost 89/365 #365PhotoChallenge #365DaysOfHappiness :)

A post shared by Gokoulane Ravi (@gokoulane) on Mar 30, 2017 at 11:00am PDT

The next on the list is “The Pyramid of Exiled Poets”. It’s a Pyramid with a very faintly lit path inside, it’s almost dark in there. Along the path, you hear the voices of poets who were exiled from their country. Again, it’s tough to express these experiences by words, at least for me.

The Pyramid of Exiled Poets

The Pyramid of Exiled Poets

“Ghost Keeping“, a depiction of a textile factory run by ghosts, “Room for Lies“, a room filled with lots of photographs and paintings, “Dance of Death”, an art installation made of electric bulbs and “12 Stories”, a live mural painting project using only natural colors depicting a mythological story are the other artworks that got inscribed deep in my thoughts. It was great to see a pop-up post office got set up in the venue, what an opportunity to write postcards to a few friends.

Ghost Keeping

Ghosts of Ghost Keeping

Room for Lies

Too much truth in “Room for Lies”

Dance of Death

Dance of Death

12 Stories – Natural Mural Painting

Natural Paint preparation table

Pop-Up Post Office

Postcards <3

I liked the view of Kochi port from there. It was amazing to see huge ships moving in and out of the port. Wish we could stay there for more, but we had to leave the place as every Biennale venue get closed by 6 pm. Then we headed straight to the beach, I have no idea why I love beaches a lot, I just love them. One of my long time dreams came true, it’s to watch those massive Chinese nets in action. The breeze, the sand, the waves and the tiny shells. OMG, the beach bought an unexplainable joy and I was singing aloud “Andha Arabic Kadaloram” song as the tiny tides wet my legs. Again, we went back to the homestay, got freshened up and started scouting for a better place to have dinner. Unfortunately, our search got ended up in an overpriced Italian Restaurant. Our purse got emptied, but our stomach wasn’t even half full. So, we headed up to a local fast food joint nearby the beach to fill up the rest. After roaming all the day, we were all dead tired when we returned back to the room. So, I dozed of quick and that’s how an awesome day came to an end.

Huge ship guided by Tugboats

A big ship and Traditional Kerala House Boat

Chinese Fishing Nets

Some fresh sea food – Near the beach scenes

Beach Scenes

Calm and Serene

Happy times

Overpriced Pasta

Rescued by Fast Food Noodles

#ChineseFishingNets being lift at #FortKochi #Beach . #AwesomeTime #LovelyEvening #Kerala #TravelDiaries #Video #LoveThis :)

A post shared by Gokoulane Ravi (@gokoulane) on Feb 11, 2017 at 9:32am PST

The next day (12.02.2017), as planned we all woke up early and headed straight to the beach. Yes, it’s the beach again. We were so early that the beach was deserted and oddly any people there. But, the environment was serene to enjoy. Slowly the dawn broke and the sun came out, so the people. One thing that caught our eyes was “Fish Cemetery”, an art installation that was created to bring awareness on marine pollution created by disposal of plastic into the ocean. Here comes the best part of the day, the breakfast. Isn’t it a sin, being in Kerala and not having Aapam or Appam. Lucky a Thattukada (Road Side Shop) near the beach saved us from committing that sin. We had Appam with a super spicy egg curry and finished it with a KattanChaya (Black Tea). OMG, that morning is so vivid in my memory. With soo much salt and sand on our body, we returned back to homestay to freshen up and get ready for the rest of the day.

Moonset – bokeh

Chinese Fishing Nets

Boiler from a old ship

Happy Pic :)

Fishermen in action

He He .. No words

Fish Cemetery

Fish Cemetery

#HappinessIs having #Aappam a.k.a #Appam at land of Appam itself , I.e. #Kerala . It's a type of pancake made with fermented #Rice batter and #Coconut milk. Had it with a #Spicy #Egg #Curry at a local #Thattukada ( #StreetFood Vendor ) . #JustLikeLocals #AuthenticKeralaFood #MyFavourite #Breafast #Hoppers #FortKochi #TravelDiaries #InstaSumar #FoodLove #Foodie 43/365 #365PhotoChallenge #365DaysOfHappiness :)

A post shared by Gokoulane Ravi (@gokoulane) on Feb 11, 2017 at 7:35pm PST

Compared to other places, it was quite a long ride to Mattancherry Palace. It’s a Portuguese palace popularly known as the Dutch Palace. Now this palace acts as a museum where the artifacts of the royal family are been preserved. It was unfortunate that they didn’t allow photography inside the palace. Experts would have advised visiting popular venues like “Pepper House” or “David Hall”, but we decided otherwise to visit Student Biennale instead. Our next stop was a small Student Biennale near the palace itself. Then, we made a detour towards the Jewish Synagogue. On the way, we stopped by a collateral project which showcased some beautiful Pichvai or Pichwai form of paintings. The place also features a long Snake Boat decorated with bowls filled with color powder.  Just before the Synagogue, there was Mandalay hall which showcased some of the Pepper House projects, we didn’t want to miss it either. Finally the Jewish Synagogue. It’s my first time to a Synagogue and it’s well decorated with Chandeliers, Hanukkah Menorah (Jewish Candle Holder) and artistic blue tiles. It was definitely a unique experience out there. It was lunch time and the alarm went off in our stomach. Luckily we found the snooze button not far away. We had a typical Kerala Meals for our lunch. As we had few more hours to spare, we decided to explore a few more venues.

Mattancherry Palace

Mattancherry Palace

A Student Biennale Venue

Art on Marine Life

Inside Student Biennale

Dejected by Failure

Decorated Streets

Decorated Streets

Bowl of Colors

Pichwai Painting

Pichwai Painting

Mandalay Hall – Peperhouse Project

Inside Mandalay Hall

Inside Mandalay Hall

Lost in Conversations

Lost in Art

Clock Tower

Inside Jewish Synagogue

Inside Jewish Synagogue

Some Hebrew

Kerala Meals for Lunch

On the way, we came across one awesome Student Biennale at “Mohamed Ali Warehouse”. It featured many interesting artworks which include a comic type art installations, tools of goldsmith and animals portrayed as soldiers. Just a few meters from there, there was an “Artists In Residence (A.I.R) Kochi” exhibition which featured awesome works, especially by women artists. Then, we stepped into “Routes”, yet another collateral exhibition which showcased colorful and vivid art installations by Indian artists. Further down the road, we found yet another awesome Student Biennale which featured works of students from Government College of Fine Arts of Chennai and Kumbakonam. Their works were all inspired by the life of normal working people. The sweat drops collected in bottles, tools of the blacksmith and the portraits of weavers made of silk are few of the highlights.

Iron Head

Tools of the Goldsmith

Artwork with palm leaves

Comic Style

Lost Play

Animal Soldiers

A.I.R Artists Of Kochi

Map Of Mysery

Tile Art

T-Shirt Art

Sculptured Emotions

It’s all colors

Workers in Action

AI

Light and Lifted

Mystery Girl

Tools of the Blacksmith

Let’s Rest A Bit

Woven Weavers Portrait

My Father Is A Sign Board Artist

By that time, my brain has reached its saturation point. Whenever I see an art piece it threw an “Art Overflow” exception.  Usually, it’s a symptom of creativity overdose, probably caused due to continuous exposure to awesome artworks. I pleaded to go back, but we decided to visit one last venue before packing up. The last one was “TKM Warehouse” and this place featured a traditional Uru Boat along with a few other artworks. Finally, we were back to our homestay packed our bags, said our farewell to the owner and headed straight to the Jetty to catch a ferry back to Ernakulam. There here was a huge queue standing for the tickets and we weren’t sure of the ferry timings too. Hard luck, so we took a cab to Ernakulam and boarded our train in the last minute.

TKM Warehouse

Art Illusion

Just Hang In There

The Time Machine

Uru Boat

Finally, we were back to our homestay packed our bags, said our farewell to the owner and headed straight to the Jetty to catch a ferry back to Ernakulam. There here was a huge queue standing for the tickets and we weren’t sure of the ferry timings too. Hard luck, so we took a cab to Ernakulam and boarded our train in the very last minute. Next day morning around 7.30 we were back to Chennai and an awesome trip came to an end. Wish we had more time to explore the whole Biennale. But not to complain, we made max use of the time we got, enjoying every moment of it. What makes a trip exciting is not just the place alone, but also the company. With no doubt, it’s definitely a trip to remember.

Trip To Remember – Kochi – Muziris Biennale After weeks and weeks of procrastination, I finally pulled myself up to write about one of the exciting trips of my life.

[greatindiantourist-blog]

The Biggest Exhibition of Contemporary Art in India is live at Kochi, Kerala. Here is everything you need to know about Kochi Muziris Biennale 2016. 

[xishnu]

#Fromthearchive: TheMapmaker written by CGSalamander and illustrated by me with @kokaachifor Motherland’s special edition for the 2016 Kochi Muziris Biennale.

[nytcap]

Alicja Kwade - ParaPivot" Press Preview by j- No Via Flickr: The Roof Garden @ the Metropolitan Museum of Art Manhattan NYC April 15, 2019

Berlin-based artist Alicja Kwade has created a site-specific installation for The Met's Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Roof Garden, entitled "ParaPivot." The Roof Garden Commission: Alicja Kwade, ParaPivot will be on view from April 16 through October 27, 2019.

"The Met's Roof Garden Commission is a catalyst for bold artistic intervention and the continuous rethinking of a unique space, and it's with great anticipation that we look forward to unveiling Alicja Kwade's project this spring," said Max Hollein, Director of The Met. "The setting—perched atop the Museum's vast collection and set against New York City's iconic skyline and Central Park—presents a compelling site for Kwade, whose works offer an expansive view of the history of art and science."

Born in 1979, Alicja Kwade lives and works in Berlin. Raised by a cultural scientist mother and a conservator and art historian father, she grew up in Poland and, later, Germany. In 1999, Kwade entered the Universität der Künste in Berlin to study sculpture, and three years later she began showing in solo and group exhibitions, achieving a remarkable degree of critical success in a relatively short period of time. Although Kwade has also made videos and sound art, she is best known for her sculptures and installations, most of which are designed with specific spaces in mind. With equal parts poetry and critical acumen, her work not only reflects on the nature of time and perception; it also investigates the structures and theories we have adopted to understand the physical universe in which we reside. The resulting works are elegant, astute, and highly experiential.

Kwade's work has been the subject of numerous exhibitions, including Out of Ousia, at Kunsthal Charlottenborg in Copenhagen (2018); Medium Median, at Whitechapel Gallery in London (2016); and The Void of the Moment in Motion, at Schirn Kunsthalle in Frankfurt (2015). Her work has also been featured in such prestigious exhibitions as the 57th Venice Biennale, Viva Arte Viva (2016), and the 2016 Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Forming in the Pupil of an Eye. This is the artist's first solo exhibition at a museum in the United States.

The Roof Garden Commission: Alicja Kwade, ParaPivot was conceived by the artist in consultation with Sheena Wagstaff, Leonard A. Lauder Chairman of Modern and Contemporary Art, and Kelly Baum, Cynthia Hazen Polsky and Leon Polsky Curator of Contemporary Art, both of The Met's Department of Modern and Contemporary Art. It is the seventh in a series of site-specific commissions for the outdoor space.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a book published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and distributed by Yale University Press.

The Roof Garden Commission: Alicja Kwade, ParaPivot will be featured on The Met's website, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter via the hashtag #CantorRoof.

[maialeesfineart]

Praneet Soi's Cut-Out Archive, Kochi-Muziris Biennale (2016)

9.2.22 This week our lecture was with Shwetal A Patel, an artist and curator who deconstructs the idea of the biennale by establishing his ‘people’s Biennale’ in Kerala (the Kochi-Muziris Biennale). Through this, he highlights the importance of community and cultural contribution on the showing and viewing of art. The classic Biennale model is guilty of excluding a variety of languages and cultures from performance and art. It falls victim to the tunnel-vision of the westernised approach. He looks at the understanding of how the theoretical framework in which we operate in is important. In today’s society we so often fall victim to the grasp of standardised and homogenised ideas, which although comfortable in its lack of opposition, do not allow us space to develop our ideas on an intellectual front. We need discourse, debate and opposition to be challenged enough to develop our thoughts and ideas.

He discussed the importance of the way in which you approach artwork – he described this as ‘top-down thinking’ (looking at art in how it immediately visually presents to you) versus ‘bottom-up’ thinking, which takes into account the social context, languages, culture, and history and thus its influence on the work before examining it on an aesthetic level.

Patel raised the idea of the White Cube, an approach of display that maybe has its roots in Klimt’s 1910 Venice Biennale, or perhaps Nazi Germany, or perhaps groups such as De Stijl and the Bauhaus. The point was that the setting provides the ideal distraction-free environment for modern art, but art critic Brian O’Doherty proposed that the ‘white cube’ setting elevates the perceived importance of any object when in this setting, distorting the reading of art. Whilst I admit that I also have fallen victim to the charms of the White Cube; I do agree with the idea that anything within it takes on a status it would not normally have. Often have I made a piece of work and been initially disappointed with it, but upon imagining it within this hypothetical white minimalist gallery space, have seen it in a new, positive light. This prompts me to question whether I have actually enjoyed the art I have seen before – or did I just fall for its context rather than its content?

Patel raised the concept of the anglo-sphere and how it perpetuates this western viewpoint – in that the global lingua franca is english – spread well beyond its traditional boundaries vastly due to the long-standing impact of the British Empire, which spread geopolitical dominance in the spheres of language, art, science, culture, education and diplomacy. This contributes to the westernised and anglicised lens through which we view artwork.

Sunil Padwal’s Room for Lies, Kochi-Muziris Biennale (2016)

The internet has also given us a single lens through which we interpret art. Whilst, on a positive note, it has allowed us to view the world from a global perspective – we have more free access than ever before, even without needing to travel. However, I feel that this has given us an almost obstinate system of ideas, which is unfortunate as it erases opportunity for individual thinking and multicultural points of view. I find that the internet has almost a very black-and-white mindset today – we are occupying an online space in which we are either on the side of ‘good’ or we are wrong, or worse, cancelled. Which – at least right – now seems to be the worse fate you can come to on the internet, as if being exiled. At the end of the day, its not really real and entirely inconsequential. I believe alternative ways of thinking are key to provoking critical thought and developing one’s ideas. Without it, I think that people often proclaim to have an opinion, but when you raise counter-points, you realise that they are half-hearted and unconsidered.

Patel discussed the relationship between art and politics – why are today’s artists so disconnected from politics when we should be making current and challenging work? Initiatives are playing catch-up with politics instead of trailblazing – according to him, the modulation of curatorial practice in the 19th and 20th century is the death of creativity. Art should represent structures of cultural change; yet under capitalism, culture and profit are so intrinsically linked that the art we see has often been chosen decided by what is popular and profitable. As stated by Patel: ‘culture is meant to emancipate us, not industrialise us’.

Heri Dono’s Smiling Angels from the Sky, Kochi-Muziris Biennale (2019)

I agree with his interpretation. I do believe that there is too much standardisation in the way we look at art – a ‘right’ and a ‘wrong’ way, and a lack of room for different approaches and diversity in thinking. This is a shame as I believe in the importance of different interpretations – after all, disagreement feeds discourse. Without being challenged, do we truly develop our ideas – or do we just internalise them and not verbalise them. Being presented with opposition gives us a way to see from a perspective we may not have considered before, which is important in becoming a well-rounded individual. I think that looking through a widely-accepted lens of neoliberalism without considering other ideas is fatal to individual thought.

Whilst Patel’s work does not relate to own practice immediately or obviously (in that I don’t plan to do curatorial work) on a wider scale, it impacts my work in the sense that it impacts all artists. Patel’s work directly challenges the structure that we, as artists, operate within. Elitism and and misuse of funds is so tied into the art world today – the impact of a biennale on the local area commercially, culturally, socially and economically are undeniable. Since profit is involved, dealers and critics’ voices are raised over those with less financial standing. I think the links between profit and art suppress both individual creativity, but also make it increasingly difficult to gain footing as a young and unknown artist.

[abhishekdasgupta]

[myartville]

Artist of the Day

Nilima Sheikh

Mother Sequence 2016 Mixed tempera on sanganer paper 24.1 × 34.3 cm

Nilima Sheikh has inspired several generations over her 50 year career as a Baroda based painter. Sheikh has a solid position in the history of Indian Modernity, and was a student of KG Subramanian. Rooted in Eastern painting traditions such as miniature painting, oral tradition found in vernacular folk songs, as well as her own life experience, Sheikh continues to create bodies of work that evoke mystical imaginary landscapes that address feminine experiences. Sheikh has a gift for storytelling. Inspired by reading Rabindranath Tagore, the artist became interested at an early age in the connection between stories and images, an age-old connection from murals to ancient manuscripts. Beyond appropriating traditional techniques in her work, Sheikh works with figure and narration in her practice, which has also beautifully translated into theatre sets such as the 1993 Vivadi theatre production of Umrao, and also children’s books.

One series that earned Sheikh international acclaim and has exhibited extensively internationally was ‘When Champa Grew Up,’ a narrative and delicate 12 work series from 1984-1985 which revealed a tragic and too familiar story of a woman murdered for her dowry money by her husband’s family. Sheikh used traditional tempera painting techniques to question the darker sides of Indian traditions such as arranged marriages, which often subvert women. The artist used text from vernacular folk songs along with the paintings, a motif that has continued in her work decades later. Her painterly treatment of tempera also continues in her practice but in increasingly ambitious scales. In 1996, ‘Shamiana’ was unveiled at the Second Asia-Pacific Triennial, an installation with six hanging tempera on canvas scrolls, covered with a canopy made of synthetic polymer paint on canvas that referenced a marriage tent.

Beyond India, the artist turns to visual references from Kashmir, Turkey, Iran, and even pre-Renaissance Italian painting to create introspective works that question the meaning of the turbulent political landscape around her. Sheikh visited Kashmir often in her childhood, and was fascinated by it, but it was not until the 2002 Gujarat riots, which caused her immense internal turmoil, that she was able to directly address her connection with this state. Trained as a historian before she was trained as a painter, Sheikh delved into the history of Kashmir, and believes that Kashmir’s turmoil “is owing to our lack of understanding (of the place and people there) as Indians…The artist’s role is to bear witness - to both the past and present.” Two shows at Chemould, one in 2003 and one in 2010, address the artist’s deep concern with Kashmir. In the first exhibition, ‘The Country Without a Post Office: Reading Aga Shahid Ali,’ the artist connected with the Kashmiri poet’s words and illustrated the trauma found there and her thoughts with a vibrant and violent palette.  In her 2010 show at Chemould Prescott Road, the artist exhibited a series of 9 painted scrolls reflecting her 8 years of arduous work called ‘Each Night Put Kashmir in Your Dreams.’ Her use of the motif of the scroll, a reference to Kashmir’s forgotten Buddhist past, allowed her to draw viewers into Kashmir outside of existing stereotypes which fuel the conflict that Sheikh hopes will diffuse with her lyrical works.

Anita Dube, the curator of the upcoming KMB that is hosted by the Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF), announced Sheikh’s name as the First Artist for the fourth edition of Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), which begins December 12, 2018 courtesy of artsy.net, gallerychemould.com

[louartspace]

“Hatoum is a latter-day surrealist, imbuing the familiar with darker, stranger meanings.”

Ben Luke, The Evening Standard, 2016

Mona Hatoum was born in Beirut to Palestinian family in 1952. She lives in London.

Hatoum challenges the movements of surrealism and minimalism, making work which explores the conflicts and contradictions of our world. Her studies at the Slade School of Art coincided with developing ideas around gender and race, and she began to explore the relationship between politics and the individual through performance.

In the late 1980s she began to make installations and sculptures in a wide range of materials. These often use the grid or geometric forms to reference to systems of control within society. She has made a number of works using household objects which are scaled up or changed to make them familiar but uncanny.

My favourite way of working is to go and spend time in the place I am exhibiting in and make  work locally. I feel much more inspired when I… can work with people and materials that I find in that location. 

Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2015

[galleryoed-blog]

[southeastasianists]

This is the first of a two-part essay on origins and rise of  biennales within the context of Malaysia’s aspirations for a world-class international visual art mega-exhibition. Read Part II here.

Part I

News that Kuala Lumpur will stage its first biennale in November this year have been circulating amongst Malaysian art insiders since 2015. The biennale: that mega-exhibition of contemporary art which some might say is the pinnacle of international art exhibitions, and which has become an increasingly popular strategy for cities striving to put themselves on some sort of global map. When the intention was first announced in late 2015, the appointed organiser, the National Visual Arts Gallery, held a small programme of advocacy and discourse with members of the arts community; and from December 2016 to January 2017, the Gallery staged an exhibition demonstrating the ‘biennale history’ of Malaysia, presumably for the purpose of making known Malaysian artists’ prior involvement in biennales around the world. Normally, for a show of the scale as most biennial exhibitions tend to be, formal announcements of dates and other details would have been made known by now, but by the 1st of February 2017, there was still nothing confirmed about the status of the planned KL Biennale. There had been little to go on apart from industry talk, insider gossip. At a recent symposium on the future of biennials in Singapore, an audience member who revealed himself to be a member of a discussion group in communication with the KL organizing committee, said that the KL Biennale would be a great event that everyone should come to, making the analogy of a biennale to a fashion week.*

However, a countdown has now appeared on the website of the National Visual Arts Gallery, indicating November 1 as the start of the KL Biennale. So we now officially have a date, and await further details to be announced such as curatorial theme or direction/director. Why does it matter, though, whether or not KL stages a biennale? Most Malaysians will not know a biennial from a perennial, and it is arguable that even within the art circles of Kuala Lumpur, the hows and whys of these spectacular exhibitions remain fuzzy. Does anyone even care about contemporary art apart from a small circle of elite collectors, the galleries that service them, and the artists who jostle for space in the construct that is the art market? I would make a case, however, that we should care. Cities from Sydney to Sharjah, Shanghai to Singapore are all organisers of biennials, and in the Asian region, one of the younger kids on the block is the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, taking place in Kochi, India, and launched in 2012. It seems that KL is determined to not be left behind. But I ask what relevance a Biennale is going to be for a city like Kuala Lumpur.

In Malaysia, developments in the local art world go mostly unnoticed by the general populace. One has to consider the state of the arts in Malaysia in order to assess the benefits a biennial may or may not bring us; and the question of benefit is necessary. Organised by the National Visual Arts Gallery, and promoted, one has no doubt, by the Ministry of Tourism, this is an event that will be funded by public money. It also plays a significant role in the positioning of Malaysia on a global stage, and the reputation of the country and how it seeks to be perceived should be of matter to its citizens. It also presents an opportunity to reflect on the developments – or lack thereof – of the arts in Malaysia, an unfortunately rather cheerless prospect.

This essay is in two parts: in the first, to help in our assessment, I will first look briefly at the history of biennials, paying attention to three in particular that are close to us in geography and offer some constructive points for comparison and reflection. In part 2, I return to the spectre of the KL Biennale and what this could mean given the context in Malaysia. Throughout, I consider the ways in which biennials are useful to governments, which justify their expense and the often considerable efforts of the organisers, as well as the benefits they may or may not bring to the arts community and wider society of a city or country.

Some background on biennales

Till this point it might seem that the words ‘biennale’ and ‘biennial’ have been used interchangeably. They do, in fact, carry the same meaning, but the term ‘biennial’ shall be used as an encompassing term to refer to the recurring large-scale exhibitions that take place every two years (or even three and five years); while ‘biennale’ is used to refer to the exhibitions which have chosen to call themselves by the Italian term, after the Venice Biennale, which is the archetype of these grand international art exhibitions.

The Venice Biennale was founded in 1895, in that famed historic city-state that had been a major commercial centre in the middle ages, teeming with artists, artisans, and craftsmen, and wealthy patrons who could commission works of astounding architecture and art. At the time of the Biennale’s founding, the city of Venice was part of a still young unified Italy, and also part of a larger European (and American) worldview. In the mid-19th century we also saw the rise of the phenomenon of World’s Fairs, the precursors to the giant exhibitions and festivals of art that have become the norm in our current age. Showcasing scientific innovations, ethnographic curiosities (both inanimate objects and living human beings), and works of art and cultural artefacts from around the world, the fairs were products of post-Enlightenment thinking and demonstrations of Euro-American desires of collecting, labelling and ordering, and of colonial ambition. They also set early ground rules for perceiving the world through the medium of culture and creative expressions.

By the mid-1950s the World’s Fairs were on the decline, but the Venice Biennale had by now established itself as a platform for the celebration of art that included music, cinema and theatre (architecture only acquired its own distinct forum in 1980). As Federica Martini and Vittoria Martini have described in their study of the history of the Biennale,

At the beginning of the twentieth century, Venice opened itself to the world while still retaining its tradition of an ancient cosmopolitan Republic… Venice, with its rich past, but lack of industrial development, strove for internationality, and once again became the centre not of politics and commerce, but of art and culture. (143)

This desire for internationality is central to most, if not all biennials: the desire to be a platform for modes of global exchange, to enable the coming together of artists and intellectuals, as well as a powerful elite of the commercial and political classes with the aim of building geopolitical relationships. A cultural diplomatic event at a grand scale.

Gardner and Green, in their work focusing on the biennials in the Global South, i.e. the developing countries of the world, identify the politically charged effects of biennials in countries that do not lay claim to hundred-year old legacies as cosmopolitan city states, or as newly minted cities of a booming bourgeoisie with cultural monuments built by 20th century industrialists as one sees in the history of the U.S.A. With examples that include the São Paulo Biennial (1951) and the Biennale de la Méditerranée, founded in 1955 in Alexandria, Egypt, and focused explicitly on artistic co-operation amongst the participants who came from countries along the Mediterranean, the authors describe a reordering of center-periphery relations, and the establishment of a critical platform for regional discourse.

Indeed, if the catalogue for the second Biennale de la Méditerranée is anything to go by, with its frequent references to liberation and new nationalisms along the shores of the Mediterranean, it was precisely the cultural development of decolonizing states – of the new evolving regional identities that could challenge old colonial and new Cold War decrees – that was a primary concern. And it was the medium of the large-scale international biennial that was considered one of the best ways to manifest that regional amicability and transcultural potential. (85)

We see, hence, the geopolitical role that international exhibitions can play. The biennial is a format that can realise this in a particular way, which will, it is hoped, be made clearer with the examples to follow.

From the 1990s there was a surge in the founding of biennials in Asia, though earlier examples do exist such as the Tokyo Biennale (est.1952), New Delhi’s Triennale-India (1968) and the Fukuoka Asian Art Show (1979). In Indonesia, the Pameran Seni Lukis Indonesia was founded in 1974 as a national level exhibition and held on a bi-annual basis; in 1982 it adopted the term Biennale and is now known as the Jakarta Biennale. Australia’s Asia-Pacific Triennale was founded in 1993, followed by Gwangju, Korea (1995), Shanghai, China (1996), Busan, Korea (1998), Taipei, Taiwan (1992/1998), Jogjakarta, Indonesia (1998), the Guangzhu Triennial, China (2002), Singapore (2006), Colombo, Sri Lanka (2009), Kochi-Muziris, India (2012). This is just a partial list; there are several more cities and biennial exhibitions that go by other names. By 2011, there were over 100 biennials across the world.

Parallel to the rise of biennials, we also see a proliferation of art fairs (sales oriented large-scale expositions with the art market as its primary objective over the exhibition of art) and of art festivals – music, film and the performing arts. Governments, in waking up to the realisation of the economic benefits of the arts and the spread of theories of the creative class and creative city, have embraced the idea of a large arts event for its tourism and economic potential and for the role it plays in global city branding.

This is particularly evident in Singapore, with its Renaissance City Plans (RCP) and policies for turning Singapore into a “global city for the arts”[1]. The government’s goals were twofold: to position Singapore as a top city in the world in which to live, work and play; and for nation-building. The Singapore Biennale is specifically mentioned in the 2002 Creative Industries Development Strategy, produced by the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s Economic Review Committee’s Workgroup on Creative Industries:

It is recommended that the Singapore Art Series be transformed into Singapore Biennale to become the most important national visual arts event showcasing top local and international artists. It should aim to be on par with other Biennales such as Shanghai Biennale and Kwangju Biennale, within the larger network of international biennales and triennales. Aside from emphasising excellence, innovation and originality, this proposed biennale should be an international event framed in an Asian and Southeast Asian context. (p.18)

The regional emphasis in Singapore exemplifies the geopolitical disruptions described by Gardner and Green, enabling discourse on identity and culture that originates from a newly oriented centre, but also illustrates Singapore’s ambition to be a regional capital of culture. Other scholars such as John Clark have highlighted the role of Asian biennials in drawing contemporary art from other Asian countries into an inter-regional circuit of comparison and circulation of goods, of production and the art market (2006/7). The Singapore Biennale both offers opportunities for multi-nation relationship strengthening, as well as provides a platform by which to further establish its own art industry in relation to others in the region.

By contrast, the Jogja Biennale and Jakarta Biennale of Indonesia harbour rather different ambitions. The history of biennials in Indonesia is recognised as a tumultuous one, with vocal protestations and challenges to its organisation mounted throughout the years by the local arts community, with their disagreements centering mainly on exclusionary practices in selection of artworks and artists[2]. By 2010 this led to the founding of the Jogjakarta Biennale Foundation and in 2013 the Jakarta Biennale Foundation, shifting organisation of the exhibition to an independent, non-governmental agency comprising artists, curators, cultural activists and arts practitioners. The emphasis of the biennales here is on the development of the arts in Indonesia via the community of artists and their practice, while developing arts audiences through extensive art education programmes. The biennales also stand out for a system of greater artist agency in shaping the form and purpose of the events and the biennale institution; particularly significant given the lack of government led initiatives for the development of the arts ecosystem. The Jogja Biennale further defines itself by a distinct kind of new regionalism, ignoring the north-south relationships entirely, and fostering a new set of bilateral engagements that purposefully seeks to create dialogue and exchange with a single specific country or region at a time. This is underscored by an intellectual premise of re-picturing the idea of the equator and their relationship with countries along this latitude. In 2011 the Biennale focused on Indonesia and India, in 2013 Indonesia-Arab Region, and 2015 Indonesia-Nigeria. The Biennale includes curatorial exchanges and artist residencies as well as forums to accompany the culminating exhibition.

Gardner and Green have observed that often in the case of the biennials of the South, the artworks can be secondary to the significance of the exhibition as a whole: “the importance of (these biennials) lay less in the assemblage of artworks than in the gatherings of artists, commissioners, writers and publics from within and outside a given region” (450)[3]. This is especially evident in a format such as that employed in Jogjakarta, that frames a South to South discourse and engages with countries which might otherwise be on the periphery of the global art world conversations, and less able to participate in a direct and sustained exchange with each other of ideas and cultural practices.

The last example mentioned here is the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. The idea for an international art event in Kochi was first mooted by the state, which led to the founding of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale by two Kerala-born though Mumbai-based artists, Bose Krishnamachari and Riyaz Komu. We see an alignment in objectives here, to bring tourism and economic stimulus to a specific region of India, and to challenge the dominance of Mumbai as the art centre of India –a local repositioning of centre-periphery power dynamics. The latter is a significant point in most creative city or cultural city initiatives, to regenerate declining secondary, often post-industrial, cities. In the case of developing Asia and other parts of the world, this can also be a strategy to create an attractive global identity for an emerging city or one that lacks other forms of viable industries or distinguishing characteristics.

Like their Indonesian counterparts, the organisers of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale see their role as filling a void in the development of the arts ecosystem in their specific locale. While international in scope and profile, and attracting increasing numbers of global arts ‘tourists’, the Biennale positions itself as a festival of local relevance, deeply rooted in the city and its communities. Partly fueled by necessity due to the lack of dedicated arts venues, the exhibitions take place in multiple borrowed spaces throughout the city such as disused warehouses and former historic buildings, relying on teams of people to put together including local tradesmen and architecture students, with the refurbishment of these venues adding to the city’s burgeoning cultural infrastructure. Speaking at a symposium on biennials in Singapore earlier this January and citing the excitement and new life it brings to the city, artist and curator of the Biennale 2014, Jittish Kallat, attests to the benefit that the biennale brings to the city of Kochi.

That large festivals of art can and do make some impact on the city in which they take place is undeniable. However, the exact benefit – whether economic, social, cultural, reputational – is difficult to measure. Basic metrics exist and may be employed by governments or event organisers such as audience numbers, hotel room occupation figures, or even satisfaction surveys, but these are inadequate to ever fully capture the true effects of an arts event. In addition to the more easily quantifiable, there is the reputational benefit to be gained through the presentation of these events, both in the country or city, and outside of it. Immediate evidence of this can be gained from press coverage (both number of and reporting content); however, a more revealing measure would emerge only over time. This is a similar case in point for the building of cultural diplomatic relations. A biennale or even a one-off large cultural event provides a convenient platform at that moment for presidents to officiate, ministers of culture to make speeches while trade officials hover in the background – or in some cases take centrestage – and it offers a range of hosting opportunities of foreign delegations from countries with which one wants to do business or to impress. It is also a display of confidence and sovereignty, exemplified through art. It is all of this, however, which creates a tension with arts practitioners and many who are uneasy with the over-instrumentalisation of arts and culture for state gain.

It is apparent how the biennial as a format for an international art exhibition can be useful to both city-state and artist community for a range of reasons that may or may not have artistic advancement and enlightenment as a central agenda. What the motivating forces might be for the KL Biennale shall be explored in Part II of this essay.

[1] In 2000 Singapore released the first Renaissance City Plan, outlining its vision and six strategies for transforming Singapore into a world-class city for art and culture. This was updated in 2005 with Renaissance City 2.0 (RCP II) and RCP III in 2008. The Arts and Culture Strategic Review was commissioned in 2010 and released in 2013, and included an outline of the government’s vision for arts development till 2025.

[2] This is described on the website of the Jakarta Biennale and has also been spoken about by Indonesian curators in public fora such as the recent Southeast Asia Forum at Art Stage Singapore 2017, and the symposium, ‘Why Biennale at All?’ organized by the Singapore Art Museum and Singapore Management University.

[3] Anthony Gardner & Charles Green (2013) “Biennials of the South on the Edges of the Global”, Third Text, 27:4, 442-455

Guest Contributor Sunitha Janamohanan has been working in the arts in Malaysia since 1999 and has been an arts manager, producer, curator, and heritage manager. Since 2015, she has been teaching in the Programme in Arts Management at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore. Her research interests include regional community or socially engaged arts practice, and how cultural policy is implemented – or not.

*Editor’s Note: This essay was amended on 9 March to note that the speaker was not a member of the organising committee as originally stated,  and to reflect his use of the idea of fashion week as an analogy.

[jjsdiary]

The future is now: Following the contributions by Jeff Koons and John Baldessari, Cao Fei (b. 1978) is the youngest and first Chinese artist ever to create a BMW Art Car. By employing augmented and virtual reality, the internationally acclaimed Chinese multimedia artist addresses the future of mobility such as autonomous driving, airborne cars and digitalization. In the presence of Dr Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, and hundreds of invited guests, the reveal of BMW Art Car #18 was celebrated at the Minsheng Art Museum in Beijing on May 31.

Dr Ian Robertson, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG: “We were thrilled by the decision of an independent jury of international museum directors to have nominated Cao Fei. Considered as a lucky number in China, her vehicle is the official 18th rolling sculpture of the collection. For her project, Cao Fei chose an unprecedented and immersive approach, empowering the viewer to engage with the artwork through cutting-edge technology. This is truly a BMW Art Car for the 21st century!”

Cao Fei commented upon her BMW Art Car: “To me, light represents thoughts. As the speed of thoughts cannot be measured, the #18 Art Car questions the existence of the boundaries of the human mind. We are entering a new age, where the mind directly controls objects and where thoughts can be transferred, such as unmanned operations and artificial intelligence. Which attitudes and temperaments hold the key to opening the gateway to the new age?”

The BMW Art Car #18 by Cao Fei Cao Fei’s work is a reflection on the speed of change in China, on tradition and future. With her BMW Art Car project, she delves into a trajectory spanning thousands of years, paying tribute to Asia’s ancient spiritual wisdom as it swiftly spreads out into the third millennium. The multimedia artist approached the BMW Art Car in a way typical for her artistic practice, building a parallel universe. The body of work consists of three different components: a video focusing on a time traveling spiritual practitioner, augmented reality features picturing colorful light particles, accessible via a dedicated app (App Store: keyword “BMW Art Car #18”), and the BMW M6 GT3 racecar in its original carbon black. Paying tribute to the carbon fiber structure of the racecar chassis, Cao Fei’s holistic use of a non-reflective black incorporates the car into the possibilities of the digital world.

Within this concept, Cao Fei’s implementation of video art as well as augmented reality creates an environment of which the M6 GT3 is an essential part. In her video work, the practitioner executes spiritual movements, which echo in colorful streams of light. When the app is used within the premises of the car, these light swishes become an AR installation floating above and around the BMW M6 GT3 – involving the spectator as an interactive agent of participation. This narrative reflects on a traditional spiritual ceremony very common throughout Asia in which new objects such as automobiles are being blessed, in this case wishing good luck to car and driver. On a broader level, the light elements mirror what the eyes cannot see and the mind cannot picture.

During the course of over three years following her announcement, Cao Fei took part in a racing experience with female race driver Cyndie Allemann in Switzerland in 2015. During manifold visits to headquarters, she worked closely with BMW Group’s engineers, designers, and digital specialists. For her research, the artist also went on an extended BMW plant visit to Tiexi.

The Jury The jury of the 18th BMW Art Car consisted of the following members: Richard Armstrong, Director, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York); Chris Dercon, then Director, Tate Modern (London); Juan Gaitán, Director, Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo (Mexico City); Gabriele Horn, Director, Berlin Biennale; Udo Kittelmann, Director, Nationalgalerie Staatliche Museen zu Berlin; Dr. Matthias Mühling, Director, Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus (Munich); Hans-Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director, Serpentine Gallery (London); Shwetal A. Patel, Kochi-Muziris Biennale (India); Beatrix Ruf, Director, Stedelijk Museum (Amsterdam); Bisi Silva, Director, The Centre for Contemporary Art (Lagos); Philip Tinari, Director, Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (Beijing) and Adam D. Weinberg, Director, Whitney Museum of American Art (New York).

Joint statement of the international jury on Cao Fei’s BMW Art Car project: “Cao Fei plays with many different dimensions in her artistic practice. In the international art world, she is well known for exploring virtual realities and digital platforms in her works, while eventually bringing her narrative back into the analogue world. We are not surprised that she picked a scenario that is on the one hand imaginary, even fictitious, but then on the other hand very concrete and physical.“

Quotes on the occasion of the World Premiere of BMW Art Car #18 The 18th BMW Art Car was revealed in the presence of Olaf Kastner (President and CEO of BMW Group, China Region), Jens Marquardt (BMW Motorsport Director), Augusto Farfus (BMW works driver) and Fan Di’an (President of China Central Academy of Fine Arts).

Olaf Kastner, President and CEO of BMW Group, Region China: “We are proud to present the first BMW Art Car designed by a Chinese artist, Cao Fei, who is also by far the youngest. She is a solid example of BMW Group’s commitment to promote the new emerging generation of Chinese artists. We are not only active in shaping the future of mobility, but also in developing strong social connections with China through cultural engagement initiatives, dating back as early as 11 years ago. China is undergoing huge and rapid developments, especially in the digital landscape. The 18th BMW Art Car pays tribute to the flourishing changes in the Chinese society.”

Jens Marquardt, BMW Motorsport Director: “The 18th BMW Art Car is perfectly suited to this era. Cao Fei took the logical step of creating the first ever digital Art Car. The augmented reality experience makes this BMW M6 GT3 unique. For everyone involved at BMW Motorsport it was both exciting and fascinating to work with Cao Fei and her team on this project. This makes 2017 a very special year in the history of BMW Art Cars. First, the BMW M6 GTLM Art Car of John Baldessari took to the track in Daytona, at the end of the season comes Art Car #18 by Cao Fei in Macau. This makes the tradition of BMW Art Cars livelier than ever.”

Augusto Farfus, BMW works driver: “It’s a huge honour for me to race Cao Fei’s BMW Art Car, the 18th member of the BMW Art Car Collection. I’m extremely proud that I get the chance to drive my second Art Car this year. This is absolutely unique for a racing driver. I’m really looking forward to diving deeper into this project and learning more about the artist’s ideas and her philosophy behind it.”

Fan Di’an, President of China Central Academy of Fine Arts: “Cao Fei’s achievement in creating the 18th BMW Art Car through augmented reality as a multimedia installation resonates with the rapid development and huge transformation of China over the past decades, such as globalization, urbanization and digitalization, which drives the flourishing development of contemporary art in China. In the increasingly digitalized world, technology has become an important means for artists to create. I’m delighted to see Chinese artists are at the forefront of digital art.”

The BMW M6 GT3 on the racetrack The BMW M6 GT3 has been the top model in the BMW Motorsport customer racing line-up since 2016. The car is powered by a 4.4-litre V8 engine with M TwinPower Turbo Technology, generating 585 hp – with the whole car weighing less than 1,300 kilograms. Technical characteristics of the BMW M6 GT3 are also the drive concept, six-speed sequential racing transmission, and high-performance motorsport electronics. In 2016 the GT car got off to a flying start, proving to be a race winner from the word go. Maxime Martin (BEL), Alexander Sims (GBR) and Philipp Eng (AUT) drove the BMW M6 GT3 to victory in the 24-hour race of Spa-Francorchamps (BEL). In addition, private BMW teams and drivers collected many more victories and titles over the course of the season with this challenger. The GTLM version of the car is competing in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. Sims, Bill Auberlen (USA), Augusto Farfus (BRA) and Bruno Spengler (CAN) took turns racing John Baldessari’s BMW M6 GTLM Art Car during the 24 Hours of Daytona (USA). Again, it will be up to Farfus to race yet another Art Car, this time designed by Cao Fei, at the FIA GT World Cup in Macau (CHN).

Dimensions:

Length: 4,944 mm Width: 2,046 mm Wheelbase: 2,901 mm Weight: under 1,300 kg (without driver, depending on regulations)

Engine: Model: Based on the S63 production engine and slightly modified for the specific requirements of motorsport; with M TwinPower Turbo Technology Type: V8 Capacity: 4,395 cc Performance: up to 585 hp (depending on classification) Oil supply: Oil system, based on dry sump, specifically developed by BMW Motorsport Top speed: approx. 280 km/h

The BMW Art Car Collection Since 1975, a total of 19 artists from all over the world have created BMW Art Cars on the basis of contemporary BMW automobiles. The collection was inaugurated when French racecar driver and art aficionado Hervé Poulain in collaboration with the then current BMW Motorsport Director Jochen Neerpasch asked his artist friend Alexander Calder to design a car. The result was a BMW 3.0 CSL, which in 1975 was raced at the 24 Hours of Le Mans and became an instant favorite with the public: the BMW Art Car Collection was born. The home of the BMW Art Cars is the BMW Museum in Munich. In addition, they travel internationally for display in exhibitions and museums.

In November 2015, BMW Group announced two artists to create the next BMW Art Cars at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York. In addition to multimedia artist Cao Fei, American icon John Baldessari designed a BMW M6 GTLM, both joining the ranks of: Alexander Calder, Frank Stella, Roy Lichtenstein, Andy Warhol, Ernst Fuchs, Robert Rauschenberg, M. J. Nelson, Ken Done, Matazo Kayama, César Manrique, A. R. Penck, Esher Mahlangu, Sandro Chia, David Hockney, Jenny Holzer, Olafur Elíasson and Jeff Koons. After its world premiere on November 30, 2016, during Art Basel in Miami Beach, the BMW Art Car by John Baldessari competed at the legendary 24 Hours of Daytona from January 28 to 29, 2017.

Over the summer, her multimedia installation will be displayed at the BMW Experience Shanghai, a brand and driving experience center, before her BMW M6 GT3 needs to prove itself on the racetrack of the FIA FT World Cup in Macau on November 17-19, 2017. A virtual experience of her BMW Art Car will also be on display at the UBS Forum during Art Basel in Basel in June 2017.

About Cao Fei Born in 1978 in Guangzhou, Cao Fei is one of the most innovative young Chinese artists to have emerged onto the international scene. Currently living in Beijing, she mixes social commentary, popular aesthetics, references to Surrealism, and documentary conventions in her films and installations. Her works reflect on the rapid and chaotic changes that are occurring in Chinese society today. She exhibited her works and projects in Serpentine Gallery, Tate Modern (London); New Museum, Guggenheim Museum, MoMA (New York); Palais de Tokyo and Centre Pompidou (Paris). Cao Fei’s recent projects in 2016 include her first retrospective at MoMA PS1. Furthermore, Cao Fei received the Chinese Contemporary Art Award (CCAA) Best Young Artist Award in 2006 and Best Artist Award in 2016; Piedra de Sal Award at Cuenca Biennale in 2016.

About BMW Group’s Cultural Commitment For almost 50 years now, the BMW Group has initiated and engaged in over 100 cultural cooperations worldwide. The company places the main focus of its long-term commitment on contemporary and modern art, classical music and jazz as well as architecture and design. In 1972, three large-scale paintings were created by the artist Gerhard Richter specifically for the foyer of the BMW Group’s Munich headquarters. Since then, artists such as Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Daniel Barenboim, Jonas Kaufmann and architect Zaha Hadid have co-operated with BMW. In 2016 and 2017, female artist Cao Fei from China and American John Baldessari created the next two vehicles for the BMW Art Car Collection. Besides co-initiatives, such as BMW Tate Live, the BMW Art Journey and the “Opera for All” concerts in Berlin, Munich and London, the company also partners with leading museums and art fairs as well as orchestras and opera houses around the world. The BMW Group takes absolute creative freedom in all its cultural activities – as this initiative is as essential for producing groundbreaking artistic work as it is for major innovations in a successful business.

About BMW Group’s commitment to culture in China BMW Group has always been committed to fulfilling corporate social responsibility through cultural engagement in China contributing to the development of Chinese art and culture.

In China, BMW Group kicked off BMW Culture Journey in 2007 to safeguard and promote Chinese cultural heritage. In the past decade, the initiative has visited six major eco-cultural preservation zones and over 270 intangible cultural heritage items and has donated over 16 million RMB to support 90 projects in urgent need of safeguarding.

The Tiexi plant in China is one of the world’s most advanced and sustainable automobile plants, which is also known as an “art factory”. There are many displays of artworks throughout, all of which are the result of a project called “10+10”, a cultural engagement program jointly initiated by the BMW Group, BMW Brilliance, LuXun Academy of Fine Arts and Akademie der Bildenden Künste München, to reflect on the relationship between industry, nature and humans under different cultural contexts.

The all-new BMW Brand Experience Center in Shanghai is a creative institution that harmoniously combines the strong BMW identity with Chinese elements, and offers free access to the public. The institution has a dedicated area to showcase the BMW Art Cars and allows the public to design their own art cars virtually. In addition to BMW branding events and experiential activities, it also hosts various programs regularly, e.g. innovation talks and culture journey workshops.

BMW | Art Car reloaded The future is now: Following the contributions by Jeff Koons and John Baldessari, Cao Fei (b. 1978) is the youngest and first Chinese artist ever to create a BMW Art Car.

[lucieetromane]

Kochi-muziris biennale 2016

C'est le coeur chargé d'émotion mais avide de nouvelles aventures que nous partons pour Cochin, capitale du Kerala, sur la côte ouest. La 3ème biennale d'art contemporain de la ville nous attend pour nous faire découvrir la richesse de la scène artistique indienne et internationale. Cochin, ville côtière et ancien comptoir portugais regorge d'un certain charme authentique malgré l'impact assez peu positive du tourisme de masse. Les indiens ont perdu l'innocente gentillesse que nous avions appréciée au Tamil Nadu. Pas méchant pour autant, simplement un peu plus insistant et “westernisé” comme dirait nos amis les Américains. Les anciennes Villas portugaises côtoient les petites bicoques locales donnant à la ville cette fameuse contradiction indienne où l'insalubrité déborde sur la luxure. Hormis la biennale, c'est également pour les réputés “backwaters” que nous souhaitons visiter Cochin et ses alentours. En chemin nous rencontrons deux françaises très sympas avec qui nous décidons de descendre un peu plus au sud pour parcourir comme il se doit - en pagode indienne - les milles rivières d'Alleppey. Elles sont parties pour an de tour du monde autour du bijoux ! Allez voir leur site qui est super intéressant : www.jeworld.org Nous consacrons les deux derniers jours à arpenter la ville à la recherche de tous les espaces dédiés à la biennale et ses événements parallèles. Une biennale à l'image de son pays, chaotique et poétique, surprenante et débordante. Nous avons été très agréablement surprises par l'art contemporain indien qui apporte un vent de fraîcheur, de beauté et de simplicité au monde de l'art tel que nous le connaissons chez nous. L'Aspinwall house est l'immense et magnifique bâtisse qui accueille artistes indiens et étrangers. D'autres galeries, musées, cafés et autres espaces présentent d'autres artistes, principalement indiens. Parmi eux, une biennale des étudiants en art, une résidence d'artiste, un lieu de création pour les enfants, un espace consacré à la vidéo et un autre aux événements (conférences, workshops et concerts). Heureux hasard, une conférence et un concert eu lieu le dernier jour de notre séjour à Cochin. Même si ce ne fut pas le “best concert of ouR Life” on gardera un joli souvenir de ce groupe typiquement indien jouant très calmement devant une foule déchaînée. Quant à la conférence, Charles Landry, spécialiste des villes créatives et des mondes nomades, nous parla de ces concepts qui rendent les villes plus agréables.

Nous assistons également à un désastreux spectacle de danse locale, le Kathakali show. Ça aurait pu être bien si les acteurs mais surtout les musiciens avaient été impliqués dans leur spectacle ! Les mimiques et gestuelles qui constituent la base de cet art nous ont quand même impressionnées, les 10 premières minutes (sur 2h de spectacle + maquillage). Bref, une expérience. Nous partons ensuite en direction de Hampi, un misérable trajet de deux jours de trains en passant par Bangalore.

[disasterandtriumph]

Later The Atelier Ate Her

Dear Kee,

Sharing with you once of my favorite poem from the Kochi Muziris Biennale 2016 that we attended yesterday.

Found this at Fadi building, Bazaar Street, Mattancherry.

The sea murmurs through the window, the wind climbs unnoticed, flirting with the dusty walls of an abandoned staircase at Bazaar road.

A stranger enters the empty room Her eyes, uncertain Stroke the roof Bite the corners Gulp the floors The ship screams afar, Loud floating like the colours on the walls Steady like the wooden doors Like an old neighbour, who never leaves you. The space grasps screaming holds a library of voices within. Drifting clouds of the informal Distant conversations, Endless, like long corridors, surround her. Pressing her, to release secrets Toxic Hot Perfumed The space craves for it, The rumbling stomach of the space Hungry for works. She looks up “What do you want?” Distortion The foundation trembles. Sound of sand churning. Somebody shuffles his feet on the ground floor, perhaps a door closes on the second floor. There is fresh white paint on the walls a potential space for fiction or a resurrecting dead gallery? Her fingers slide along the blue stained walls. The paint peels off, piles up She discovers scars, an archaeological wound. Will she expose it? dream? Or cover it with a thick layer of a morning A figure, a passerby: the stranger, the observer, researcher, curator. She switches on the lights and collects her thoughts: crawling away from her, she throws open the window. The room spreads its limbs, It takes a deep breath. 6 A haunting moment in the timeline, She takes a step back. The atelier never could scare her

The Students’ Biennale 2016 Curatorial Team

Love and Light, Bi.