All roads led to Aspinwall House, Fort Kochi, on Friday, December 12, as the Kochi-Muziris Biennale flag was officially raised. Curator Nikhil Chopra stood amid the small crowd and thanked the hardworking team behind the scenes. He urged visitors, "All the information is there on the walls. Please read it carefully." He added, "Read all the signs, all the symbols, all the connections, all the dialogues that are happening between the images, films, objects… things that may not even look like art to you, but they still are." Visitors moved through the galleries, taking photos and studying the exhibits. The crowd included tourists, art students, volunteers, and local residents familiar with the months of preparation. Aspinwall House displays key works, including those by the Panjeri Artists’ Union, a group of 14 artists blending visual art, design, literature, film, photography, and music. Their pieces reflect themes of political resistance. Artist Dhiraj Rabha’s installations focus on insurgency in Assam, while Sydney-based Kirtika Kain explores Dalit history through printmaking. R.B. Shajith presents a huge realistic painting of the rural Malabar landscape. Mr. Chopra advised visitors to start with newer spaces like the SMS Art Gallery, usually a wedding hall, before moving back to Aspinwall House for a full experience. The buildings and streets, painted murals and packed food joints, all made it clear the biennale was alive and kicking in the town.