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Animals, flowers, letters flutter in the horizon
By Smriti Daniel
Over the centuries men have hoisted flags for many reasons; to represent nations, victories, territories and truces. This week on Galle Face Green, flags were raised in celebration of music and brotherhood.

The result of a collaboration between WOMAD and artlink, these thirty odd flags are the creation of nine local artists and their foreign counterparts. Angus Watt, the man at the helm of this little boat was joined by Béatrice Dacher from France and Cora de Lang from Germany. The home front was well represented by Marie Gnanaraj and Preethi Hapuwatte from Barefoot, Hiranthi Karunasekera, Dushyanthi Gamage and Baduri Adikari from the Department of Architecture, University of Moratuwa, Sachith Graham de Silva and Sameeta Macan Markar from Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts (VAFA) and Champi Shanika Munidasa from the University of Visual and Performing Arts (formerly IAS).

These artists came together with the aim of learning from each other. It is perhaps Béatrice Dacher, who put it most eloquently: “For me, painting makes it possible to connect with people and places through the inspiration and creativity of the arts exchanges, and every new situation offers new possibilities. The strength which lies at the heart of different cultures and civilisations produces a personal and collective creativity”.

After several days of hard work in the idyllic setting of the Barefot Café, Marie Gnanaraj and Preethi Hapuwatte both made strong, if somewhat diverse statements with their flags. Marie who has a great love and understanding of colours - thanks to her skill at the loom - was determined that her flags should be all “geometrical designs” – consisting largely of stripes and checks. Preethi, also a fabric designer, has tried her hand at fabric paints for the flags and has some lovely, glowing animal prints to show for her efforts. Sameeta Macan Markar’s flag depicts a typical scene at Galle Face Green – a couple seated close together, looking out to sea.

Each of the others have brought something meaningful to themselves to their works of art, be it images of the tsunami or araliya flowers. On some occasions attempts to establish a strong Sri Lankan identity are visible while in others personal expression is given full rein. Dushyanthi Gamage’s flag was a collage of cheerfully coloured Sinhala letters, while Cora de Lang’s flag, on the other hand featured a light-hearted and somewhat fanciful creature dancing. See the flags at the WOMAD festival today at Galle Face Green. These displays will only be the first in a long line of such appearances planned for the flags, which are set to follow WOMAD as it travels the world; the next destination being Las Palmas.

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