Bose Krishnamachari, a key figure behind India’s largest contemporary art festival, has stepped down as president of the Kochi Biennale Foundation following a sexual harassment complaint. The development comes months after Krishnamachari resigned in January, initially citing “personal and family reasons”. The Foundation has since confirmed that a sexual harassment complaint was among the factors behind his exit.
Kochi Biennale Foundation chairperson Venu Vasudevan said that the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) received a complaint against Krishnamachari in early January, with the alleged incident said to have taken place in the last week of December.
On whether the ICC has completed its investigation in the case, Venu told news agency PTI that it is "not in his purview to divulge information on that". "I cannot divulge what's happening with the committee, that's not in my purview. That's a statutory committee, it has to go through this. It is one of the reasons why he resigned," he said.
Krishnamachari has stepped down both as president of the Foundation and as a member of its board of trustees.
Who is Bose Krishnamachari?
Bose Krishnamachari is best known as the co-founder of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, India’s largest contemporary art festival. Along with artist Riyas Komu, he helped conceptualise and build the Biennale from scratch, introducing an artist-led model that brought global attention to India’s contemporary art scene.
{{/usCountry}}Bose Krishnamachari is best known as the co-founder of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, India’s largest contemporary art festival. Along with artist Riyas Komu, he helped conceptualise and build the Biennale from scratch, introducing an artist-led model that brought global attention to India’s contemporary art scene.
{{/usCountry}}Born in Magattukara village in Kerala, Krishnamachari rose to prominence in the 1990s. According to Delhi Art Gallery, he studied at the Sir J. J. School of Art in Mumbai and later at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Over the years, he has exhibited widely in India and internationally and has received several honours, including the Lifetime Fellowship Award from Kerala Lalit Kala Akademi.
Krishnamachari denies allegations
Responding to the allegations, Krishnamachari said there are “no pending complaints or legal proceedings” against him before any competent authority.
He described the claims as “misleading, unverified, and taken out of context”, and alleged that fabricated or altered emails and messages are being circulated online to damage his reputation.
“It has also come to my attention that fabricated or altered emails and messages, purportedly carrying my name, are being circulated with the intention to mislead stakeholders and harm my reputation. Such actions are malicious and legally actionable,” he said, adding that he has initiated legal proceedings against those responsible.
Krishnamachari also maintained that his resignation was independent of the allegations.
“At the outset, I wish to reiterate that my decision to step down from my position as President of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale and from the Board of Trustees was taken independently and for personal reasons, as formally stated at the time of my resignation. I categorically deny any insinuations linking my resignation to such unsubstantiated allegations," he said in the statement.
Notably, at the time of his resignation in January, Krishnamachari had said he wanted to return to his artistic practice after over a decade of building the Biennale. “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," he had said.