Car turns artist’s canvas as biennale rides the last lap

Artist and biennale co-curator Bose Krishnamachari paints a Tata Nano car, in Kochi on Sunday. Photo: Special Arrangement

Painting, music, tea and eggshells were all part of the day’s programme at the Kochi-Muziris Biennale on Sunday.

The main venue of the art festival hosted two live painting sessions — one of them to the beats of a traditional drum – even as an innovative tea pavilion came up a little away.

Day-long session

Artist and biennale co-curator Bose Krishnamachari hand-painted a white Tata Nano car, transforming it into a colourful work of art by the evening.

The day-long painting session was captured on camera by ace cinematographer Santosh Sivan, even as young

tavil artiste Karuna Moorthy lent music to the scene.

The decked-up four-wheeler will now be exhibited at the heritage building before it is sold off at an open auction early next month. According to a communication from the biennale organisers, actor Mohanlal would be present at the auction of the car.

“The prices can soon be quoted online as well,” said Devan Raghavan, CEO of Blue Mermaid Events, on behalf of which the biennale got the car.

Tavil recital

As the tavil recital gathered momentum at the painting session, more support came from the cymbals by Krishna Das and cello by Aditya.

From the crowd also emerged singer-actress Rashmi Sathish. The young vocalist, known for her hit numbers in the film 22 Female Kottayam , began belting out folk songs.

At this Jerry Dubai joined the carnival with his guitar, said the biennale organisers in a release.

Tea pavilion

Meanwhile, an art installation of sorts opened at the venue in the form of a tea stall.

Cups of fresh steamy tea were served by Nanda Lal, a vendor from Uttar Pradesh who has made Kochi his home for the past 16 years.

He was part of ‘The Tea Pavilion - Dictionary in Public’ — an artwork that concentrates on local tea cultivation and tea culture. The project is the idea of subject expert Dorothee Albrecht.

Along with the art car and the tea pavilion was a Malayali artist painting on eggs without drilling or hollowing them.

C.K. Soorajkumar, 25, of Wadakkancheri in Thrissur district drew a big gathering of onlookers, curious to get a peek of his unusual art.