Kochi Biennale Foundation Hosts 'Let's Talk' with TATA Trusts Students' Biennale National Awardees

The Kochi Biennale Foundation will host the Let's Talk programme featuring Reppandee Lepcha and Durgesh Prajapati, recipients of the TATA Trusts Students' Biennale National Award 2025–26, on 8 July 2026 at 5:00 PM at SMS Hall, Mattancherry. The event is presented with the support of Kirloskar.

Event Details
- Date & Time: 8 July 2026, 5:00 PM
- Venue: SMS Hall, Mattancherry
- Presented by: Kochi Biennale Foundation, supported by Kirloskar
- Focus: Conversation with recipients of the TATA Trusts Students’ Biennale National Award 2025–26

Featured Artists
Reppandee Lepcha (Sikkim)
- Explores intersections of language, ecology, and community narratives.
- Research centers on the endangered Lepcha language, cultural identity, and ecological memory.
- Project: Shifting Landscapes (curated by Anga Art Collective), exhibited at VKL Warehouse, Mattancherry.

Durgesh Prajapati (Uttar Pradesh)
- MFA Sculpture student at Kala Bhavana, Visva-Bharati University.
- Works with terracotta and Kumhar community pottery traditions.
- Research reimagines functional earthenware in contemporary art, sustaining artisan livelihoods.
- Project: Expression of Fragility (curated by GABAA), exhibited at Arthshila Kochi, Fort Kochi.

Significance
- The TATA Trusts Students’ Biennale National Award recognizes outstanding emerging artistic practices across India.
- Awardees receive residency support to deepen their research and practice.
- This session offers audiences a chance to engage directly with the artists’ ideas, processes, and experiences.

This event is a great example of how the Biennale nurtures young voices in contemporary art, connecting local traditions with global conversations.