IBA Stage: Kochi-Muziris Biennale 6 – Mario D’Souza

KMB Director of Programs, Mario D’Souza. Courtesy Kochi-Muziris Biennale Foundation

IBA Stage: Kochi-Muziris Biennale 6 – Mario D’Souza Director of Programs KMB

March 19, 2026 (Thursday)
4:00 PM (Kochi / GMT+5:30)

We are pleased to welcome Mario D’Souza, Director of Programmes at the Kochi Biennale Foundation, as one of the invited speakers for the upcoming IBA Stage dedicated to the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

A curator and writer based between Goa and Kochi, India, D’Souza has been closely involved in shaping the programme of the Biennale, serving on the curatorial teams for both the 2022 and 2025 editions. In his current role, he leads the Kochi Biennale Foundation’s discursive and public programming, contributing to the development of a dynamic cultural ecosystem that extends beyond the exhibition itself.

Alongside his work with the Kochi Biennale Foundation, D’Souza is a core team member and curator at HH Art Spaces, the artist-led initiative based in Goa that supports experimental and collaborative artistic practices.

Earlier in his career, he worked as curator at Khoj International Artists’ Association in New Delhi, where he contributed to several projects including This Must Be True (co-curator) and Evidence Room (2017).

His recent curatorial projects include Haze at Fondazione Elpis in Milan, as well as collaborative initiatives such as Antibodies, organised with HH Art Spaces and The Tetley Museum, and How to Live Together?, realised with partners including Britto Arts Trust, Theertha International Artists Collective, and Galerie 3000, with support from Pro Helvetia.

D’Souza’s work also engages with research and discourse around performance and contemporary artistic practice. In 2022, he co-convened Fugitive Forms: Performance Art in South Asia at the Tate Hyundai Research Centre, together with Sook-Kyung Lee, Devika Singh, and Nikhil Chopra. He has also served as a contributing curator for TBA21–Academy’s st_age programme (2022–23) and was awarded the Jane Farver Memorial Residency at ISCP New York in 2024.

Within the framework of Kochi-Muziris Biennale 6: For The Time Being, D’Souza has played a key role in developing the Biennale’s extensive programme of performances, conversations, lectures, and public events, contributing to the exhibition’s emphasis on dialogue, collective learning, and cultural exchange.

We hope to see many of you on March 19 at 4 PM Kochi time as Mario D’Souza shares insights into the programme and curatorial processes behind this edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

As with all IBA Stage events, the conversation will conclude with a Q&A session, offering participants the opportunity to join the discussion.

In order to register for this event follow this link.