As a certain sense of normalcy and pre-pandemic nostalgia grips the air, it is now more imperative than ever for us to reflect on the changes and transformations that the past two pandemic-stricken years will lead us towards. Reflecting on this, the Chennai Photo Biennale returns with its third edition starting from December 9, 2021 to February 6, 2022.
In its last edition, the event covered several of Chennai’s heritage buildings, libraries and more with multidisciplinary artwork from across the world, securing the city a definite spot on the global map for its artistic sensibility.
As 2020 stalled the third edition of this much-awaited festival, the curators unravelled newer ways to make the exhibition more in sync with the times that we live and the uncertain future that awaits us.
Keeping this in mind, the biennale unveiled its theme for its third edition titled, ‘Maps of Disquiet’ which will reflect on the exigencies of our times - from resisting majoritarian impositions, ecological collapse, and technological dystopias; the festival aims to reclaim pluralities of thought, voices, and art, and to build new networks of solidarity and care in an impending post-pandemic world.
This edition is curated by eminent personalities such as Arko Datto, Bhooma Padmanabhan, Baoz Levin, and Kerstin Meincke and will predominantly occupy the corridors of Chennai’s prestigious Goethe-Institut.
The festival takes a physical-hybrid approach this year owing to the restrictions imposed due to the pandemic. There will be a wide range of online screenings, virtual exhibitions, webinars alongside physical exhibitions, and offline workshops.
As a promotional activity leading up to the exhibit, the curators have also developed an online journal, ‘Through the Glass’ which is an amalgamation of podcasts, writing, and illustrations surrounding the festival’s theme.
The festival will be exhibiting works of prominent artists such as Gauri Gill, Senthil Kumaran, Yuvan Aves, Soumya Sankar Bose, and more.
You can get further details regarding the third edition of the Chennai Photo Biennale here.
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