Key facts
- The Kochi Biennale Foundation was set up in 2010 by artists Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu, and the first Biennale opened on 12 December 2012, according to Wikipedia.
- The first edition showed about 80 artists across 14 sites, including Aspinwall House, Pepper House, David Hall and Durbar Hall.
- The 2018 edition, curated by Anita Dube, ran from 12 December 2018 to 29 March 2019 with 94 projects by 138 artists from 32 countries.
- The fifth edition, curated by Shubigi Rao, was planned for December 2020, postponed because of Covid-19 and finally opened on 23 December 2022.
- The sixth edition, “For the Time Being”, curated by Nikhil Chopra with HH Art Spaces, ran from 12 December 2025 to 31 March 2026.
How the Biennale began
The Biennale is run by the Kochi Biennale Foundation, a non-profit trust set up in 2010 by the artists Bose Krishnamachari and Riyas Komu. Wikipedia credits Venu Vasudevan, then Kerala’s culture secretary, with backing the idea inside government, and the state has supported it since. The name joins Kochi with Muziris, the ancient port north of the city.
Each edition usually opens on 12 December and runs for three to four months, with Aspinwall House on the Fort Kochi waterfront as the main venue. Our planning guide, the Biennale from Kalamassery, covers getting there; this page is the record of past editions.
Edition by edition
| Edition | Dates | Curator / artistic director | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (2012–13) | Opened 12 Dec 2012 | Bose Krishnamachari | About 80 artists, 14 sites; free entry until 23 Dec 2012, then ₹50 | Wikipedia |
| 2nd (2014–15) | 2014 (opening date not confirmed by us) | Jitish Kallat | About 5 lakh visitors; state funding fell to ₹3 crore | Wikipedia |
| 3rd (2016–17) | Opened 12 Dec 2016 | Sudarshan Shetty (announced 15 Jul 2015) | 12 venues; over 6 lakh visitors; opened during demonetisation | Wikipedia |
| 4th (2018–19) | 12 Dec 2018 – 29 Mar 2019 | Anita Dube | “Possibilities for a Non-Alienated Life”; 94 projects, 138 artists, 32 countries | Wikipedia |
| 5th (2022–23) | Opened 23 Dec 2022 | Shubigi Rao | “In Our Veins Flow Ink and Fire”; postponed from Dec 2020 because of Covid-19, then again on the eve of opening | Wikipedia |
| 6th (2025–26) | 12 Dec 2025 – 31 Mar 2026 | Nikhil Chopra with HH Art Spaces | “For the Time Being”; 66 artist projects from more than 25 countries | Wikipedia; KBF |
| 7th (2027–28) | Planned | Kader Attia (announced May 2026) | Upcoming | KBF |
The early editions, 2012 to 2016
The first edition opened on 12 December 2012 with Bose Krishnamachari as artistic director. Wikipedia records about 80 artists, nearly half from abroad, across 14 sites including Aspinwall House, David Hall, Pepper House, Durbar Hall and the Fort Kochi beach, at a cost of around ₹16.5 crore. Entry was free until 23 December 2012 and then cost ₹50.
The second edition in 2014 was led by the Mumbai artist Jitish Kallat. According to Wikipedia it drew about five lakh visitors, but state funding fell from ₹9 crore to ₹3 crore, and the foundation leaned on sponsors and crowdfunding. The third edition, curated by Sudarshan Shetty, opened on 12 December 2016, weeks after the demonetisation announcement, across 12 venues, and Wikipedia records more than six lakh visitors.
2018: the edition after the floods
The fourth edition opened on 12 December 2018, under four months after the August 2018 floods that hit Aluva, Eloor and much of central Kerala. Curated by the artist and critic Anita Dube, it was titled “Possibilities for a Non-Alienated Life” and ran until 29 March 2019. Wikipedia lists 94 projects by 138 artists from 32 countries, at Aspinwall House, Pepper House, Kasi Art Café, Cabral Yard and David Hall.
2020–2022: postponement and a troubled opening
The Singapore-based artist Shubigi Rao was announced as curator of the fifth edition in May 2019. It was planned for December 2020 to April 2021 and was postponed because of Covid-19. It was then due to open in December 2022, but the opening was put off again the night before, with the organisers citing organisational challenges. The edition, titled “In Our Veins Flow Ink and Fire”, finally opened on 23 December 2022. For what else was happening locally that year, see Kalamassery in 2022.
Wikipedia records that 53 artists signed an open letter about how the edition was run and that visitors were left stranded by the last-minute delay. We have not found an official inquiry report, so we note only that the concerns were raised publicly and that the edition went ahead.
2025–26 and the next edition
The sixth edition, “For the Time Being”, opened on 12 December 2025 and closed on 31 March 2026. It was curated by the artist Nikhil Chopra with HH Art Spaces, and Wikipedia lists 66 artist projects from more than 25 countries. In May 2026 the foundation announced that the artist Kader Attia would curate the seventh edition, planned for 2027–28.
We could not confirm the exact opening and closing dates of the 2014 and 2016 editions, or the closing date of the 2022–23 edition, from the sources we opened, so they are left out of the table.
Why it matters from north Kalamassery
The Biennale is a reason many young men in Kochi make their first trip to Fort Kochi, and it keeps returning every two or three years. For someone based at Ashraf Gents Hostel near the NAD signal, the metro to Ernakulam and the Water Metro to Fort Kochi make a day trip possible. Browse more of the Kalamassery history archive or our literature and book fairs history.
Frequently asked questions
When was the first Kochi-Muziris Biennale?
It opened on 12 December 2012, with Bose Krishnamachari as artistic director, across 14 sites in Kochi.
Why was there no Biennale in 2020?
The fifth edition, planned for December 2020, was postponed because of Covid-19. It finally opened on 23 December 2022 after a further last-minute delay.
Who curated the 2025–26 Biennale?
Artist Nikhil Chopra with HH Art Spaces. The edition, titled ‘For the Time Being’, ran from 12 December 2025 to 31 March 2026.
Who will curate the next Biennale?
The Kochi Biennale Foundation announced in May 2026 that Kader Attia would curate the seventh edition, planned for 2027–28.
What is the main venue?
Aspinwall House in Fort Kochi has been the main venue, with others such as Pepper House, David Hall, Cabral Yard and Durbar Hall in different years.
Related guides
Sources
- Wikipedia: Kochi-Muziris Biennale
- Wikipedia: Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2018
- Wikipedia: Shubigi Rao
- Wikipedia: Jitish Kallat
- Kochi Biennale Foundation (official site)
- Kochi Biennale Foundation: 7th edition curator announcement (May 2026)
Facts about Ashraf Gents Hostel come from the hostel’s own profile and photos; rates are indicative and confirmed on the call. Last reviewed . How we write these guides: editorial notes. Map embeds © Google.
Cite this guide: Ashraf Gents Hostel. “Kochi-Muziris Biennale: Past Editions from 2012 to 2025–26.” Published 8 October 2026. https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/kochi-muziris-biennale-past-editions/ Plain-text (Markdown) version · quoting with a link back is welcome.