The Kochi-Muziris Biennale

The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, India’s first such show, provides a much-needed platform for a vital inquiry into today’s art by bringing together artists, curators, critics and the general public in a new form of sociality and productive interrelationship.

Atul Dodiya reflected upon the mystery of creativity using a poem and many photographs of artists and poets.

Ernesto Neto from Brazil, in 'Life is a River', used local textiles for his creation, complete with pouches that carry spices, whose fragrance contributed to the total impact and turned what was once a coconut fibre-processing factory into a magical cave.

Ibrahim Quraishi, in his installation 'Islamic Violins', organised a series of violins to invoke a chapter from the history of music and of his country.

Subodh Gupta packed a lot of things into from the daily life of the common people in Kerala into a typical Kerala wooden boat, suggesting several contexts.

Amar Kanwar, the film-maker and artist, presented the state of the peasants of Odisha through the photographs of farmers who committed suicide, albums, books, newspapers report, paddy seeds and cultural artefacts.

Ai Weiwei, the great Chinese artist and dissenter, in his video installation 'So Sorry', reflects on his situation, the destiny of a dissenting artist in a totalitarian regime. He was not allowed to leave China to visit Kochi.

Dylan Martorell with his work 'Soundtracks-Kochi'. He crossed the boundaries between music and visual art when he designed his own magical musical instruments from objects he picked up from the locality.

K.P. Reji at work on his huge canvas depicting village life.

Behind Cochin Club, the work of Delhi-based Mrida.

The Portuguese artist Rigo 23's installation.

Sheela Gowda and Christoph Storz paid homage to a vanishing lifestyle by displaying scores of grinding stones, once used to grind spices, rice and wheat but now replaced by electric grinders and mixies.

A fallen tree at Vasco da Gama Square in Fort Kochi that was painted by the artists at the biennale.

Vivek Vilasini with his work 'Last Supper Gaza', on the opening day of the biennale.

The artist Zhang Enli painted whole walls to create patterns with one dominant hue in the company of many others and duplicated them with mirrors.

A view of Aspinwall House, the main venue of the biennale.

Durbar Hall, in Ernakulam. An important venue of the biennale.

A view of Pepper House, which is located between Fort Kochi and Bazar Road, another of the biennale venues.

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Mumbai-based Anant Joshi's installation 'Three Simple Steps'.