Renowned artist Nikhil Chopra to curate Sixth Kochi-Muziris Biennale, opening on December 12
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has confirmed that the sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), one of the most prominent contemporary art exhibitions globally, will commence on December 12, 2025, and run until March 31, 2026. Renowned Indian contemporary artist Nikhil Chopra, alongside his team at HH Art Spaces, Goa, has been chosen as the event's curator.
The Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) organises this four-month-long event, which will feature 60 artists and artistic practices from India and beyond. The curatorial team was selected by an esteemed panel of art-world experts, including Shanay Jhaveri, Dayanita Singh, Rajeeb Samdani, Jitish Kallat, and KBF President Bose Krishnamachari.
Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Vijayan extended an open invitation: "We invite the people of Kerala, the nation, and the world to join us in celebrating this spectacular event that fosters the spirit of art, community, and dialogue."
Bose Krishnamachari praised Chopra’s eclectic artistic approach, which combines performance, drawing, painting, sculpture, and installation to explore identity, politics, history, and the body. "Nikhil’s unique perspective, paired with the creative energy of HH Art Spaces, promises to bring fresh dialogue and innovative perspectives to this global platform," he added.
Chopra, an alumnus of Kochi, expressed his excitement and sense of privilege at being entrusted with the curatorship. Reflecting on the Biennale's legacy, he noted: "The ancient, the modern, and the contemporary in the region have always been in critical dialogue with each other, churning ideas and knowledge into wisdom."
Highlighting his curatorial philosophy, Chopra said: "For this Biennale, we look at works that lean more on the process, works that are still in the making, as opposed to the industrial norm of valuing only the completed work. It’s important to embrace the unfinished and the process."
About Nikhil Chopra
Born in Kolkata, Chopra pursued fine arts after earning a commerce degree. He completed his BFA at The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda in 1999 and later an MFA at Ohio State University, USA, in 2003.
Chopra’s work is renowned for its durational performances, often featuring characters inspired by personal and colonial histories. His installations, such as the 'Memory Drawing' series, blend theatricality with art, using his body as a canvas while exploring themes of identity and history.
His solo exhibitions include Lands, Waters, and Skies at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York (2019), and Blackening V at the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi (2013). He has also participated in significant group exhibitions, such as Soft Power at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (2019) and CHALO INDIA! at the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (2008).