Kochi-Muziris Biennale Reveals Theme for Sixth Edition

The Kochi Biennale Foundation has announced the theme for the sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, “For the Time Being,” which is slated to run from December 12 to March 31, 2026, across multiple locations in Kochi, southwestern India. The exposition—India’s first and South Asia’s longest-running contemporary art biennale—will return with a revised curatorial approach that aims to shift away from the notion of a “singular, central exhibition-event” by instead presenting “a living ecosystem . . . where each element shares space, time, and resources, and grows in dialogue with each other,” according to the press release. Indian multidisciplinary artist Nikhil Chopra will curate the event alongside HH Art Spaces, an artist-run collective based in Goa that Chopra co-founded. The biennale will also feature a range of programs, including talks, performances, workshops, educational initiatives, film screenings, and more. A full artist lineup will be announced in October.

Praemium Imperiale Names 2025 Laureates

On July 15, the Japan Art Association announced the winners of its 36th Praemium Imperiale. The recipients in each of the JPY 15 million (USD 101,000) award’s five categories are: Serbian conceptual and performance artist Marina Abramović, who was selected for sculpture; Scottish painter Peter Doig for painting; Belgian dancer and choreographer Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker for theater and film; Portuguese architect Eduardo Souto de Moura for architecture; and Hungarian-born pianist András Schiff for music. Since its establishment in 1989, the Praemium Imperiale, funded by Prince Hitachi of Japan’s imperial family, annually selects five individuals who have made significant contributions to the international art scene. In a statement, Abramović said: “Receiving this tremendous recognition is empowering and reminds me that my work is never done. The real performance, the creativity, and the conversation continue with more energy than ever before.”

Art Taipei and Taipei Art Week Unveil 2025 Theme and Program Highlights

Art Taipei and Taipei Art Week (TAW) have announced “Intersect: Diversity Equals Togetherness” as the shared theme for their 2025 editions. The 32nd edition of Art Taipei, taking place at Taipei World Trade Center Hall 1 from October 24–27, will host 127 exhibitors from six countries and regions, including international galleries such as De Sarthe, Perrotin, and SCAI The Bathhouse, alongside 71 domestic participants. A new film sector titled “FOCUS | Film” will also debut this year, spotlighting digital moving-image works, while the Indigenous Art Exhibition Area continues its collaboration with the Indigenous Peoples Cultural Development Center, which is based in the Taiwanese capital. From October 18 to November 2, the second edition of TAW will take place across eight exhibition zones throughout the city, featuring various programs, including the Taipei Art Week Forum, the “Art Bus” city tours, a collectors talk, and a public art program called “Public Art Revisited: Curating Urban Memory.”

Diana Y. Chou Appointed as Director of Taiwan’s Juming Museum

The Juming Culture and Education Foundation has appointed Diana Y. Chou as the new director of the Juming Museum in New Taipei City, succeeding sculptor Po-Chun Liu, who has held the position since January 2024. Previously based in the US, Chou brings over 15 years of museum experience, having served as associate curator at the San Diego Museum of Art; consulting curator at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts; and director of the Richard M. Ross Art Museum in Delaware, Ohio. She holds a PhD in art history from the University of Kansas and has taught at UC San Diego, the Cleveland Institute of Art, and John Carroll University. In her new role, Chou plans to launch several initiatives, including a major retrospective of the late sculptor and museum founder Ju Ming.