Wear it, or hang it on wall

Living Canvas 2007, ‘The Gallery without walls’ will be seen on Sunday, September 23 at the Galle Face Hotel, Colombo. Living Canvas features paintings created by artists as a form of wear using different shapes, mediums such as wood, brass, copper, cane, bamboo, cloth etc and exhibited on people’s bodies instead of a wall. You have two options with the finished work: wear it or hang it on the wall.

The idea came from Deneth Piumakshi, a Sri Lankan artist and art curator living in Nepal. To make this concept a reality Deneth began to work with Kasthamandap Art Studio - a studio that provides workspace for artists committed to exploring and promoting the genre of contemporary art in Nepal. Artists Asha R Dangol, Bhairaj Maharjan, Binod Pradhan, Erina Tamarkar, Pradip Bajracharya, Pramila Bajracharya, and Sunila Bajracharya contributed to the exhibition.

“Wearable Art Show 2006” (the name was later changed to “Living Canvas”) was the first attempt at promoting the art culture of Nepal and was a huge success, It was presented twice in Nepal in 2006.

On this current tour around the SAARC, Deneth with the Kasthamandap Art Studio together the Ambassador for Nepal in Sri Lanka Durga Prasad Bhattarai and Deutsche Bank Sri Lanka are presenting the show in Colombo.

Seven artists from Sri Lanka will share the stage with the seven Nepali artists. Deneth Piumakshi herself from Kurunegala will be joined by Dilakshi Nisansala Wagasinghe (Tangalle), Namal Avanthi Jayasinghe (Negombo), Pala Potupitiya (down South), Ruwani Jayarathna (Gampaha) , Manori Ullala Pathirana (Matara) and W. Nayanananda Gunesekara (Kuliyapitiya)

Artworks from these two countries will represent their own cultures and history. Performers will wear these paintings and walk around the Gallery, giving viewers a feel of the paintings.

For those keen on a another look at these artists’ works, ‘Peace of Mind’, an exhibition of paintings by the artists from both countries will also be held from September 17- 22 at Gandhara Gallery, No. 28, Stratford Avenue, Colombo 6.