Visitors impressed by versatility of Kochi Biennale

Kochi: A host of noted personalties who streamed into the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) over its first weekend were left amazed and impressed by the versatility of the creative works and the organisational excellence.

Renowned poet Ashok Vajpeyi, who was among the visitors to the multiple Biennale venues in Fort Kochi on Saturday, hailed the overall management of India s biggest contemporary art event and the selection of artworks, in particular.

"The sheer plurality and quality of the works exhibited at the Biennale is quite stunning," said Vajpeyi, who had received a Sahitya Akademi award in 1994 for the poetry collection Kahin Nahin Wahin.

"The Biennale venues have allowed the artists to play with their imagination, resulting in creative works that leave a sense of mystery, wonder and magic in viewers mind," a Biennale statement quoting him said here today.

KMB 2016, which opened last Monday, features distinctive artworks including performances, video installations, works based on sound, visuals and light as well as paintings and sculptures.

"Contemporary artworks that explore the scope of sound and images have given the concept of art a new dimension.

There hasn t been an art exhibition of this extensive scale and diversity in India for the last 20 years," he said.

The installations, Sea of Pain by marquee artist Ra l Zurita and Ale teger s Pyramid of Exiled Poets , were among the artworks that grabbed his attention.

"Besides the conceptualisation of poems, the theatre production by Anamika Haksar was also a memorable experience for me," Vajpeyi said.

Customs Commissioner K N Raghavan was of the same opinion following a visit on Sunday.

Tamil Nadu Handicrafts Development Corporation Chairman & Managing Director Dr Santosh Babu also visited KMB 2016 today as did noted scholar Sunil Khilnani and acclaimed designer Asha Sarabhai, the release said.

Delhi State Food Supplies Minister Imran Hussain and Somnath Bharathi MLA had visited the Biennale earlier in the week, it added.