Kochi-Muziris Biennale's Collective Curatorial Model Faces Organizational Challenges

The sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale in Kerala, India, employed a collective curatorial approach with ten curators from HH Art Spaces, an artist-run movement co-founded by Nikhil Chopra, Romain Loustau, and Mahavi Gore. The curatorial team, which also included Alex Xela Alphonso, Madhurjya Dey, Mario D'Souza, Shivani Gupta, Shruthi Pawels, Shaira Sequeira Shetty, and Divyesh Undaviya, selected sixty-six artists through a collaborative process. The exhibition, titled 'for the time being,' was presented across eight venues including Aspinwall House, Pepper House, SMS Hall, Anand Warehouse, Markaz, Island Warehouse, and Space Gallery. The biennale's framework emphasized concepts like the 'unfinished spectacle,' process as methodology, and friendship as exhibition scaffolding. However, artists reported production difficulties including tight deadlines, unclear resource allocation, and organizational confusion. These issues echo concerns raised during the 2022-23 edition when artists published an open letter criticizing systemic failures. The Kochi Biennale Foundation, established in 2010, has faced previous controversies including financial mismanagement allegations and non-payment to contractors in 2019. The foundation's president resigned a month after the 2025 opening following sexual harassment allegations. Despite the collective curatorial model, the exhibition revealed gaps between theoretical commitments to decentralization and practical implementation. Notable projects included the Panjeri Artists' Union presentation at Coir Godown, featuring works addressing maritime trade, anti-caste struggles, and labor migration. The collective redistributed resources to over ten additional artists. Another commissioned work, 'Barakah' by Bani Abidi and Anupama Kundoo, faced implementation challenges with its intended function as a communal dining space not fully realized during the exhibition's first month. The biennale highlights broader questions about whether claims of collectivity in contemporary art exhibitions are supported by adequate organizational structures and resource allocation.