Established in 2014 by Lichen Kelp and Dylan Martorell, KochiAIR is an artist residency program held in Kochi, Kerala, India. The program is held in Pepperhouse studios and supported by the Kochi Muziris Biennale.
The residency is self initiated and self funded by Lichen Kelp and Dylan Martorell. Artists are encouraged to apply for individual funding to attend.
In 2017 the residency will be curated by Simon Spain and Victoria Ryle, who are introducing a Tasmanian and Keralan artist residency reciprocal agreement.
image of Pepperhouse Studios by Lichen Kelp
more information;
https://www.facebook.com/Kochiair-750875784963607/?fref=ts
http://kochiair.blogspot.com.au/
http://www.biennialfoundation.org/biennials/kochi-muziris-biennale-india/
Everything is Waiting For You, temporal interactive floor drawing Naasicaa Larsen, House of Linden Studios, KochiAIR Group SHow, Melbourne 2016.
As well as curating the residency and event programmes in Kochi in 2014 and 2016 with partner Dylan Martorell, Lichen Kelp also curated a Melbourne group show of the 20+ artists involved in the residency over the past two years. The show was held in 2016 in a series of locations in a Brunswick street, including a warehouse- House of Linden studio building, an apartment, a yurt, neighbours front yards and outdoor sites.
Fluoro Coir, woven lighting installation, Meagan Streader, Pepperhouse Studios, KochiAIR, 2014
2016 Aspinwall site visit, one of the spaces used by Kochi Muziris Biennale where Dylan Martorell's work was exhibited in 2012/13
Dylan Martorell, touch based electronic instruments, Aspinwall, Kochi Muziris Biennale 2012/13. Dylan's involvement in Kochi and the connections made with the Biennale organisation lead directly to us initiating KochiAIR in 2014.
Bow River Kochi, sound activated interactive archery by Dylan Marotrell Pepperhouse Studios KochiAIR, 2014.
Inez Martorell originally inspired this work by Dylan Martorell and as well as exhibiting alongside her father since she was small, she has also taught children's bow and arrow making workshops at C3 Gallery in Melbourne. KochiAIR encourages artist's families and partners to attend the residency and they are also warmly encouraged to participate.
Riyas Komu, founder of the Kochi Muziris Biennale testing his skills at Bow River Kochi.
Synthetic Polleniser, Robot Flower by Michael Candy for KochiAIR Group Show, on the neighbours porch - home of architects Splinter Society, Melbourne 2016.
The streets of Kochi are full of goats, some bearing the owners identifying marks. From documentation by Naasicaa Larsen of her time in India for KochiAIR 2016.
Robert McDougall giving his artists talk in the library at Pepperhouse studios 2014.
https://robertmcdougall.bandcamp.com/album/unfinished-studies
Robert McDougall returned to KochiAIR in 2016 to present The Sokhumi Elegies, filmed in Georgia and presented on three screens, with sound design also by Robert McDOugall, exhibited at Pepperhouse Studios.
(Until now) 400+ ceramic imprints from Pepperhouse walls
by Kate Hill, KochiAIR 2016
http://kateehill.blogspot.com.au/2016/07/until-now-pepperhouse.html
Jitish Kallat, curator of 2014/15 Kochi Muziris Biennale, in attendence at the artists talk KochiAIR 2014
http://www.art-agenda.com/reviews/%E2%80%9Cwhorled-explorations%E2%80%9D/
Streets of Kochi
Music for Meditation, group action by Lichen Kelp with music by Kelp and Dylan Martorell, KochiAIR, Pepperhouse 2016, seen through Chaco Kato's textile installation in the foreground.
Detail of Chaco Kato's large scale Slow Art Collective textile installation in the courtyard at Pepperhouse studios for KochiAIR. Dylan Martorell and Chaco Kato are the principle members of Slow Art Collective which has also included Ash Keating, Tony Adams, Kate Hill, Eugene Howard, Joseph Griffiths, Pegs Marlowe, Lichen Kelp and Michael Candy.