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HEAD: 24_Koc_SP_Student_Biennale Byline: Sreerag PS Queer Narratives and Constitutional Questions Mark Shakibul Islam’s Biennale Showcase Kochi: Personal memory and public law intersect in *Seeking Intimacies*, a series of 5 paintings by queer artist Shakibul Islam at the Students’ Biennale, held as part of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. One envisions family structures comprising 2 fathers or 2 mothers with children, underscoring the continuing legal restrictions faced by queer couples in matters such as adoption. The curators frame the presentation within constitutional values, referencing the vision of B R Ambedkar and the Supreme Court’s 2018 ruling in *Navtej Singh Johar v. MSID:: 128755609 413 | You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Kochi | Silver Rate in Kochi | Bank Holidays in Kochi | Public Holidays in Kochi Stay updated with the latest Kochi news.
It also includes emotional bonds, mental connections and a sense of shared soul,” says Islam. The works foreground intimacy not merely as physical expression, but as an emotional, mental and spiritual condition shaped by social realities. Originally from Kolkata and now based in Mumbai, Islam is pursuing his Master’s degree at the Sir JJ School of Art, Architecture and Design. His inclusion in the student section of the Biennale signals an important step in his emerging practice, which centres on queer experience in contemporary India. “Intimacy does not always mean something physical. Two of the paintings, displayed at BMS Warehouse in Mattanchery, engage directly with constitutional and legal concerns. Another addresses the unresolved status of same-sex marriage. In that canvas, a Bengali Hindu groom and a Muslim groom await a union that remains without legal sanction. Union of India*, which decriminalised same-sex relationships. They underline their responsibility to exhibit such work without censorship while ensuring a safe environment for viewers. Other paintings reflect the vulnerabilities of queer life, portraying intimate moments marked by anxiety and social surveillance. Islam also turns to contemporary meeting spaces — from railway lines and public washrooms to digital platforms such as Grindr — using motifs like lavender flowers and fragmented architectural forms to explore anonymity, desire and emotional distance. Download the TOI App.