Art and hospitality in latest city hotel
View(s):Michael Ondaatje in his book ‘In the Skin of a Lion’ said, “Everyone has to scratch on walls somewhere or they go crazy!” For Cinnamon Red, the newest city hotel, scratching, or rather painting on surfaces was surely the way to empower young artists to express themselves, to produce colourful expressive art on each floor of their five-storey car park.
Face and Graffiti by Hamza Ahamed
Just a glimpse of the longest wall in the car park is mesmerising. One of the four groups, P413 consisting of 15 members led by Niruban Satchithanandakumar has used multiple techniques to depict happiness through smiling joyful Flowerbots. Niruban, an accountant by profession is the creative mind behind the group. Assisted by his friends Sanjayan Ariadurai, Chrishan de Mel and 12 others, they have together created a wall art which is surely the harbinger of delightful thoughts for those driving in.
On the 5th storey, P413 has created an eclectic mosaic background to one of Sri Lanka’s most beloved modes of transport – the three-wheeler.
Speaking of this unique concept of showcasing wall art – an art form that has its roots in the catacombs of Rome and in Pompeii – Deputy Chairman of JKH Ajit Gunewardene, said: “One of our strongest social platforms within the entire group has been to empower young artists – whether contemporary or traditional – giving power to their art form. Our work with the George Keyt Foundation epitomises this. The Cinnamon Red wall art is special to us; special because it allows an indigenous city hotel to showcase our country’s very own creativity, giving emerging young artists the space to express themselves and expose their works to the guests who visit us.”
Graphic design graduate from the University of Northumbria (in collaboration with AOD in Colombo) Ruwangi Amarasinghe’s Bird Ride has a large blue bird symbolic of an airplane carrying the varied clientele to Cinnamon Red. The astuteness of the business traveller is depicted by a fox in a business suit, whose excitement at staying at this lean luxury hotel has him spilling his coffee, while the cat on the cloud is symbolic of comfort. Assisted by Indula Amarasinghe, Shanika Perera and Sunara Jayamanne, Ruwangi also has a lady chick chilling by the rooftop pool imbibing the panoramic view, while the gadget bearing bear displays the technologically driven product and service offerings at Cinnamon Red.
Using aerosol colours for his art wall is Hamza Ahamed, the only Sri Lankan who has been at MOLOTOW, a festival that features some of the best and finest international graffiti artists. Just 18, Hamza aka Mad H has already won numerous awards and counted his 42nd graffiti work when he completed his Face and Graffiti at Cinnamon Red.
A simple depiction of an Ambalangoda mask, yet one that has an intense complexity surrounding it is found in Hash Bandara and Umanga Samarasinghe’s wall art at the fourth level.
As General Manager Cinnamon Red Terrence Fernando says, “We have such an abundance of talent in various creative form and wall art is certainly one of them.”