Air India and Air India Express have associated themselves with the Kochi-Muziris Biennale this year as the official travel partners for the largest art exhibition in the country and the biggest contemporary art festival in Asia. The four-month-long Biennale commencing on 23rd December 2022 will have Indian and international artists exhibiting artworks across a variety of mediums including film, installation, painting, sculpture, new media and performance art. Alongside the exhibition, the Biennale offers a rich programme of talks, seminars, screenings, music, workshops and educational activities.
As part of this association, Air India will be flying international artists and art enthusiasts to Kochi to participate in the festival while Air India Express supports the event as sponsor. With over 38 flights per week, Air India connects Kochi to international and domestic destinations. Air India Express is the single largest international airline operating from Kochi airport in terms of number of flights. The airline connects the city to all major destinations in Gulf with 80 flights per week.
Air India Express has distinct livery designs, each tail of its aircraft portraying the diverse art and culture of the country. Recognising this unique feature, artists at Kochi Biennale Foundation will design an exclusive tail art for Air India Express. A newly inducted Boeing 737-800 aircraft will flaunt this tail art, taking the spirit of Biennale to the global stage. Besides, five unique mural paintings highlighting Air India’s international destinations will be displayed at the Biennale.
Speaking on this unique aesthetic association, Mr Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial and Transformation Officer, Air India said, “Air India has always promoted the distinct art and culture of India and the legacy continues with our support to this aesthetic event in association with Kochi Biennale, which provides local and international artists with a platform to exhibit their art to the world. Through this collaboration, we are also seeking to connect with a considerably large segment of afficionados of art and culture in India and abroad.”
Commenting on this association, Mr Aloke Singh, CEO, Air India Express, said, “The Kochi-Muziris Biannale’s theme of connecting the modern with the mythical past, expressing that via contemporary art while making it accessible to the wider community, resonates well with what we stand for as an LCC and as the larger Air India group. We will proudly display a specially created artwork as ‘tail-art’ on an aircraft, to symbolise this association. Air India has always had a long and glorious history of promoting Indian art and culture with our distinct tail art on each aircraft, and this collaboration with KBF is another opportunity for Air India Express to support local and international artists..”
“We are elated to have Air India and Air India Express on board with us. Their tremendous support over the years for local art and artists is commendable. The Biennale is expected to offer the state’s tourist and service industries a much-needed boost by putting Kerela on the map as a go-to location for art enthusiasts”, added Bose Krishnamachari, founder member and President of Kochi Biennale Foundation.
The association of Air India and Air India Express with this Art extravaganza is in sync with the airline’s long and rich legacy of encouraging art and artists. The pioneer of Indian Aviation and the creator of Air India, JRD Tata had set the tone for this aesthetic mission for the airline with his vision of putting “a little bit of India” in most of Air India’s international establishments and his passion for preserving and promoting Indian art and culture. One of the most impactful artworks in the booking office’s interiors were the specially-commissioned large murals placed mostly in the lounges or behind the booking counters. The liveries of Air India Express aircraft are unique with each tail portraying the beauty and diversity of India’s rich culture and heritage. These tail arts make the fleet the cultural ambassadors of India.
