Bose Krishnamachari quit KMB following sexual harassment complaint: Biennale chairperson

New Delhi: A sexual harassment complaint against artist Bose Krishnamachari was “one of the reasons” for his resignation from the post of president of Kochi-Muziris Biennale (KMB) in January, Kochi Biennale Foundation chairperson Venu Vasudevan said.

However, the co-founder of KMB and co-curator of its first edition in 2012, Krishnamachari said that the allegations are "misleading, unverified, and taken out of context".

Krishnamachari had stepped down as the president of the biennale and as a member of the board of trustees of the Kochi Biennale Foundation, citing “personal and family reasons”.

“The Foundation’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) received a complaint of sexual harassment against Krishnamachari. Although I am not sure about the date, the incident was alleged to have happened in the last week of December,” Venu told PTI.

He added that the complaint was received in the first week of January.

On whether the ICC has completed its investigation in the case, Venu said 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 added.

Responding to the allegations, Krishnamachari issued a statement saying "there are no pending complaints or legal proceedings against me before any competent authority in this regard". "Over the past few days, certain media reports and communications have surfaced in connection with my resignation from the Kochi Biennale Foundation, alongside references to allegations that are misleading, unverified, and taken out of context," he told PTI.

Krishnamachari added that there are "fabricated or altered emails and messages" being circulated online that are "malicious and legally actionable".

"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.

"I have initiated appropriate legal proceedings against those responsible for creating and disseminating such false and defamatory material," he said.

Krishnamachari also added that the decision of stepping down was "taken independently and for personal reasons".

"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.

In January, Krishnamachari had issued a statement announcing his resignation and said that he will be returning to his own artistic practice.

“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.

Earlier this month, the Kochi Municipal Corporation had appointed Krishnamachari as the art, design and cultural curator of Kochi city.

The sixth edition of the Biennale, which opened on December 12 last year, is currently underway and scheduled to conclude on March 31.