Just before the curtain comes down on the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, a reluctant Kerala government is learnt to have issued orders to disburse Rs.1 crore to the cash-strapped Biennale Foundation from the Rs.2 crore sanctioned earlier by the State Cabinet.
This will put the government contribution to the ongoing edition at Rs.3 crore, way short of the Rs.9 crore bankrolled by the State for the maiden edition of the biennale in 2012.
Second edition
The second edition of the three-month-long biennale — which registered a footfall of nearly half-a-million, one lakh visitors more than the opening edition, and earned kudos from the who’s who of the global art world and common people alike — will draw to a close on Sunday. However, the official closing ceremony is on Saturday.
With the government reneging on its promise of underwriting a major part of the expenses — it had agreed to contribute Rs.9 crore, as in the first edition — the current edition ran into a major crisis a month before the art carnival was to get under way in December, forcing the foundation to mobilise funds on a war footing.
“By the time the government went back on its words, we had gone well ahead with our detailed plan, done with the promise in mind,” an official said. “Without that, we would have scaled down the biennale and collateral events.”
Individual patronage
While the foundation raised Rs.8 crore by way of individual patronage and institutional contribution, the government gave Rs.2 crore.
“Unless we have at least Rs.6 crore by April 15, we will be in trouble,” another official said.
Estimates suggest that the foundation will have to shell out Rs.2 crore for shipping artworks back to different parts of the world.
“We have 93 artists from 30 countries exhibiting their works here. While video installations and some site-specific works will not be expensive to ship back, huge installations will cost a fortune on account of insurance premiums and handling charges. If we fail to pay the sum in full, the consignments could get held over midway, causing us to further cough up money by way of penalty,” he said.
