Kochi

BMW has presented the sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB), continuing its association as the official partner of the international contemporary art exhibition since its inception in 2012.

Curated by artist Nikhil Chopra in collaboration with HH Art Spaces, the sixth edition, titled ‘For The Time Being’, features 66 artist projects from more than 25 countries. The Biennale opened to the public on December 12, 2025, and will run for four months.

Hardeep Singh Brar, President and CEO, BMW Group India, said the company was proud to continue its long-standing partnership with the Biennale, describing it as a platform that celebrates creativity, dialogue and new perspectives.

“Art has the power to inspire progressive thinking, and this partnership reflects our belief in innovation that moves both people and culture forward. The Biennale’s spirit of openness and exploration mirrors BMW’s philosophy of redefining possibility,” Brar said.

The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, the largest contemporary art exhibition in South Asia and India’s first such biennial, is spread across 29 venues in Fort Kochi, Mattancherry, Willingdon Island and Ernakulam. Alongside the main exhibition, it hosts a range of performances, talks and discursive programmes that engage with Kochi’s geographical, social and cultural landscape.

This edition foregrounds process as a curatorial methodology and places the idea of “friendship economies” at the centre of the exhibition. It explores the body as a site of memory, labour, joy and loss, inviting visitors to reflect on embodied histories carried through generations.

BMW Group India has been actively engaged with the arts in the country for nearly two decades. Its cultural initiatives include showcasing BMW Art Cars by artists such as Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jeff Koons and Sandro Chia in India, as well as supporting emerging artists through initiatives like “The Future is Born of Art” in partnership with the India Art Fair. In 2012–13, the BMW Guggenheim Lab was hosted in Mumbai, engaging diverse communities on issues of urban life.

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The Kochi-Muziris Biennale, launched with support from the Kerala government, private patrons and local businesses, has evolved into a major global cultural platform, bringing international artists to India while amplifying Indian voices on the world stage.