Kochi: As curtains go up on the third edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) here Monday, art enthusiasts around the world will receive access to an immersive virtual tour of the exhibits and panoramic imagery at KMB 2014.
With the Kochi Biennale Foundation entering into a partnership with the Google Cultural Institute, the highlights and delights of ‘Whorled Explorations’, the Biennale’s second edition, can be relived at the Google Arts & Culture project.
Among the included experiences is the chance to ‘go back in time’ and move around 11 locations in Fort Kochi, Ernakulam and Mattancherry, including the eight KMB 2014 venues, through the ‘Street View’ feature. Visitors can select and explore in detail the works that interest them through an exhaustive collection of high-resolution images.
“By capturing the sites and settings of the artworks presented at the previous edition of the Biennale in 2014, this project will allow those who were unable to be there to experience what makes KMB the largest and most eagerly anticipated celebrated of contemporary art in South Asia. As well, for those of us who were fortunate to have been able to visit last time, the virtual tour is a chance to retrace our steps,” KMB 2016 curator Sudarshan Shetty said.
At KMB 2014, specially designed Street View ‘trolley’ and ‘trekker’ took 360 degree images of selected locations, which were then stitched together to enable seamless navigation of the spaces and sites captured.
In addition, users can discover 11 interactive virtual exhibits, specially curated by the Kochi Biennale Foundation. The digital exhibitions tell the story of the artworks presented at various sites in Aspinwall House, Durbar Hall, Cabral Yard, Pepper House, CSI Bungalow, David Hall, Kashi Art Gallery and Vasco da Gama Square.
Examples of the pieces featured in the online exhibition include Yoko Ono’s postcard exhibit ‘Earth Piece’, installations such as ‘Erasure’ by Vietnamese artist Dinh Q Lê and Sahej Rahal’s ‘Harbinger’, among a host of other thought-provoking artworks.
“The KMB seeks to invoke the cosmopolitan legacy of Kochi. The 2014 edition of the Biennale received five lakh visitors from all over the world. With this partnership, the Biennale will be experienced by more people in more places than ever before,” said Riyas Komu, KMB co-founder and director of programs.
About Google Arts & Culture
Google Arts & Culture is a new, immersive way to experience art, history, culture and world wonders from over a thousand organisations worldwide. Google Arts & Culture has been created by the Google Cultural Institute and it is available for free for everyone on the web, on iOS and Android.
For more information, visit google.com/culturalinstitute.
