Behind the scenes at Lokame Tharavadu

The biggest festival of Malayali artists is all set to open on April 18

This month, Lokame Tharavadu (The World is One Family in Malayalam) will turn the spotlight on 268 Malayali artists from India and abroad. Their works will be showcased across five venues in this seaside town with its Venice-like canals and quaint bridges, including the Port Museum, Easter Produce Company (EPC), the Goodacre Warehouse at the Revi Karunakaran Museum, and the New Model Society Building. The upcoming contemporary art show — organised by the Kochi Biennale Foundation in association with the state government, and curated by renowned artist Bose Krishnamachari — may have pushed its opening date (pandemic protocols), but the preparatory work continues unabated. In Alappuzha since January, Krishnamachari has been ideating for the past seven months. The show (three times the size of KMB with reference to participants) will not only display the works on one platform, but will allow collectors, curators and viewers to evaluate pieces for later exhibitions or for their personal collections. “An online exhibition cannot replicate the strength of a physical display of art, just like life. There has been no tangible show for a long time. This [show] will build the confidence of the artists, who are all highly talented,” adds Krishnamachari. The show is being buoyed by the hopes of the people of Alappuzha. “They have formed a group and meet every other day at venues to oversee the progress of how the huge exhibition is coming about.”