International artists arrive for biennale research

The run-up to the debut Kochi-Muziris Biennale beginning 12-12-12 has begun with artists of international repute descending on the city to conduct research for their works to be displayed at the event.

The latest to arrive in the city is Argentina-born visual artist Ariel Hassan, who lives and works between Germany and Australia. According to a Biennale Foundation communiqué, Mr. Hassan is slated to present a project titled Hypothetical Future Value (HFV), part of which recomposes photographic portraits of young people into abstract paintings. He will be in the city till the end of the month interacting with young residents of Fort Kochi and inviting them to take part in the project.

Mr. Hassan is one among many artists visiting the city to understand the region’s culture and history and give shape to the projects for the grand international festival of visual art.

Hossein Valamanesh, a leading Australian contemporary artist born in Iran, also visited the city to select space for displaying his project.

A visual artist who works in sculpture, painting, installation and collage, he draws inspiration from personal experiences and memories, and uses ordinary objects and natural materials to create visual poetry that reflects on his life in Australia and earlier experiences of his birthplace, Iran. Mr. Hossein has begun developing an installation for Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2012 and will soon return to begin his work at a space in Fort Kochi.

The city has already hosted noted artists Subodh Gupta, Sudarshan Shetty, Jyothi Basu, Shaina Anand, Reji KP, Sanchayan Ghosh and performing artist M.I.A.

Meanwhile, a number of city-based artists such as Upendranath T.R., Vivek Vilasini, Jalaja P.S., K. Reghunadhan, Zakir Hussain and Siji R. Krishnan are also working for the biennale.

Slated to arrive in the coming days are artists Vivan Sundaram, Atul Dodiya, Sheela Gowda, Kiran Subbaiah, T Venkanna, Srinivasa Prasad, Justin Ponmany, Anita Dube, Nalini Malani, L.N. Tallur, Alex Mathew, Amanulla Mohajadidi (Afghanistan), Joseph Semah (Amsterdam) and Rohini Devasher.

Project proposals submitted by these artists following their city visit will eventually result in site-specific artworks that respond to the locality’s cosmopolitan legacy and urbanised present.