From the Papia Goshal collection |
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| Golden India |
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| Kali in her bondage of hair |
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| Naked Thinker |
Music and art lovers who enjoy variety can expect a treat when artistes from the Czech Republic visit Colombo. Their exhibition at the Goethe Institut on February 12 and concert at Bishop’s College auditorium on February 13 are being organised by the Czech Embassy in Colombo to celebrate the country’s taking over the European Union presidency from January 1, 2009.
The programme includes a painting exhibition by famous artist Papia Goshal, a photography exhibition by award-winning photographer, Jiri Turek, a musical concert by classical artiste, Jiri Stivin and by the world famous duo, Irena Havlova and Vojtech Havel.
Artist and photographer Papia Goshal was born in an orthodox Hindu Brahmin family. She has come a long way since then in terms of creative latitude and is an impassioned painter, photographer and poetess.
Jiri Turek is considered one of the Czech Republic’s most talented photographers. He started his professional career as a press photographer who accompanied the first president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Havel throughout the world and reported events from the war zones of Bosnia, Croatia, Georgia and the former USSR. He has since switched to portrait and fashion photography and is sought by many celebrities worldwide.
Czech artist Jiri Stivin has devoted his life exclusively to music. He plays several instruments but is most famous for his flute and jazz compositions.
Husband and wife duo Irena Havlova and Vojtech Havel favour alternative or experimental music. Their music is known to be soul stirring, beautifully blending the musical genres of the East and the West.
In the first half of the 1990s, they travelled to India three times and recorded hours of folk and spiritual music in the desert villages of Rajasthan which they later released in four CDs, (Agni, Maha Rudra Yagaya, Sri Mahaprabhuji Bajans and Sri Madhavananda Bhajans). They have also made two very inspiring films for Czech Television about India’s spiritual life, titled Agni and Maha Rudra Yagaya.
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