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3 min readNew DelhiMar 25, 2026 05:30 AM IST
Artist Bose Krishnamachari. (Express photo by Partha Paul)
The resignation of artist Bose Krishnamachari from the posts of president of Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) and member of the Board of Trustees of Kochi Biennale Foundation (KBF) in January followed a complaint of sexual harassment against him, The Indian Express has learnt.
Krishnamachari is the co-founder of KMB and co-curator of its first edition in 2012. One of the country’s most prestigious art events, the Biennale’s sixth edition opened on December 12 last year and is on until March 31.
When contacted by this newspaper, Venu Vasudevan, chairperson of KBF, confirmed that they had received a complaint against Krishnamachari alleging sexual harassment. “A complaint was received with the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) under the PoSH Act… This was in December,” he said.
Asked whether this was the reason Krishnamachari stepped down from his positions at the Biennale in January, Vasudevan said it was “one of the reasons”.
The KBF had announced Krishnamachari’s resignation in a press release issued on January 14, which said, “Mr Bose has cited pressing family reasons for his resignation.”
According to sources, the complainant described Krishnamachari as her supervisor at the Biennale. She accused the artist of calling her to his apartment in Kochi where he allegedly made sexually coloured remarks and physical advances towards her, the sources said.
When contacted by The Indian Express, Krishnamachari said, “These are misleading and unsubstantiated allegations taken out of context. I am aware of the sources and the pattern of circulation. I have already instructed my lawyers to initiate legal proceedings both civil and criminal, in Mumbai and expect to lodge the same in coming days.”
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Incidentally, the Kochi Municipal Corporation appointed Krishnamachari as the Art, Design and Cultural Curator of the city earlier this month. The KBF, meanwhile, had announced that artist and curator Jitish Kallat will assume the role of KMB president to steer the selection of the curator for the Biennale’s next edition. The ongoing edition of the biennale, titled “For the Time Being”, is being curated by artist Nikhil Chopra and his art collective HH Art Spaces.
Krishnamachari co-founded the Biennale along with another artist Riyas Komu. Komu resigned from all management positions connected with the event in 2018, following separate allegations of sexual misconduct.
At the time of his resignation, Krishnamachari had said, “After 15 years of being deeply committed and involved in building the Foundation and shaping the Biennale, from its inception as an artist-led initiative to what it is today, I felt this was the right moment to step back, for personal and family reasons, and to return more fully to my own artistic practice. The Foundation is in a strong place, and future editions are already gaining momentum, which gives me confidence and peace in making this decision.”
Vandana Kalra is an art critic and Deputy Associate Editor with The Indian Express. She has spent more than two decades chronicling arts, culture and everyday life, with modern and contemporary art at the heart of her practice. With a sustained engagement in the arts and a deep understanding of India’s cultural ecosystem, she is regarded as a distinctive and authoritative voice in contemporary art journalism in India. Vandana Kalra's career has unfolded in step with the shifting contours of India’s cultural landscape, from the rise of the Indian art market to the growing prominence of global biennales and fairs. Closely tracking its ebbs and surges, she reports from studios, galleries, museums and exhibition spaces and has covered major Indian and international art fairs, museum exhibitions and biennales, including the Venice Biennale, Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Documenta, Islamic Arts Biennale. She has also been invited to cover landmark moments in modern Indian art, including SH Raza’s exhibition at the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the opening of the MF Husain Museum in Doha, reflecting her long engagement with the legacies of India’s modern masters. Alongside her writing, she applies a keen editorial sensibility, shaping and editing art and cultural coverage into informed, cohesive narratives. Through incisive features, interviews and critical reviews, she brings clarity to complex artistic conversations, foregrounding questions of process, patronage, craft, identity and cultural memory. The Global Art Circuit: She provides extensive coverage of major events like the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, Serendipity Arts Festival, and high-profile international auctions. Artist Spotlights: She writes in-depth features on modern masters (like M.F. Husain) and contemporary performance artists (like Marina Abramović). Art and Labor: A recurring theme in her writing is how art reflects the lives of the marginalized, including migrants, farmers, and labourers. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent portfolio is dominated by the coverage of the 2025 art season in India: 1. Kochi-Muziris Biennale & Serendipity Arts Festival "At Serendipity Arts Festival, a 'Shark Tank' of sorts for art and crafts startups" (Dec 20, 2025): On how a new incubator is helping artisans pitch products to investors. "Artist Birender Yadav's work gives voice to the migrant self" (Dec 17, 2025): A profile of an artist whose decade-long practice focuses on brick kiln workers. "At Kochi-Muziris Biennale, a farmer’s son from Patiala uses his art to draw attention to Delhi’s polluted air" (Dec 16, 2025). "Kochi Biennale showstopper Marina Abramović, a pioneer in performance art" (Dec 7, 2025): An interview with the world-renowned artist on the power of reinvention. 2. M.F. Husain & Modernism "Inside the new MF Husain Museum in Qatar" (Nov 29, 2025): A three-part series on the opening of Lawh Wa Qalam in Doha, exploring how a 2008 sketch became the architectural core of the museum. "Doha opens Lawh Wa Qalam: Celebrating the modernist's global legacy" (Nov 29, 2025). 3. Art Market & Records "Frida Kahlo sets record for the most expensive work by a female artist" (Nov 21, 2025): On Kahlo's canvas The Dream (The Bed) selling for $54.7 million. "All you need to know about Klimt’s canvas that is now the most expensive modern artwork" (Nov 19, 2025). "What’s special about a $12.1 million gold toilet?" (Nov 19, 2025): A quirky look at a flushable 18-karat gold artwork. 4. Art Education & History "Art as play: How process-driven activities are changing the way children learn art in India" (Nov 23, 2025). "A glimpse of Goa's layered history at Serendipity Arts Festival" (Dec 9, 2025): Exploring historical landmarks as venues for contemporary art. Signature Beats Vandana is known for her investigative approach to the art economy, having recently written about "Who funds the Kochi-Muziris Biennale?" (Dec 11, 2025), detailing the role of "Platinum Benefactors." She also explores the spiritual and geometric aspects of art, as seen in her retrospective on artist Akkitham Narayanan and the history of the Cholamandal Artists' Village (Nov 22, 2025). ... Read More
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