A permanent art house to come up at Mattancherry

KOCHI: When artist Riyaz Komu was gifted a replica of an Uru, a traditional sailing vessel made in Beypore years ago, little did he think that years later it would inspire him to begin an art house in Mattancherry. The 4,000 sq ft cashew warehouse at Kochangady in Mattancherry, overlooking the Willingdon Island, has been converted into a permanent performing art centre for artists, writers and filmmakers to live and work in residential programmes, conduct workshops for children, organize art exhibitions and music performances.
“The idea was to set up a permanent cultural platform for Kochi and the Uru art harbour will be opened on Saturday. It will be a self-sustained centre. Film festivals will be organized here in the future,’’ he said.
“Uru will work as a platform that facilitates and engages the public, and broadens its access to art, culture, and its discourses,’’ Komu said.
He said Uru would be anchored in Kochi, and would be rooted to the cosmopolitan and multi-cultural values that the city celebrates and been a living embodiment of over several centuries.
“We have converted this old warehouse into an art house that will also publish art books, conduct cultural debates and make Uru a platform for youth to express their artistic abilities. Unlike in the west we still have not brought art education to our children and here lies a great opportunity to make a paradigm shift in linking our traditional art to modernism,’’ he said.