What better way to experience art than to be a part of it?
More than just another art exhibition of which Sri Lanka sees plenty, the Colombo Art Biennale (CAB) promises a lively experience. Under the theme ‘Imagining Peace’, the Biennale brings together leading artists and fresh new talent showcasing their paintings, sculptures, photography, installation art and performance art.
Installation art in particular is relatively new to Sri Lanka, more so since some of these mammoth works will be interactive. With other fun fringe projects planned around Colombo and food stalls and music at the Biennale hub at Park Street Mews, the organizers plan to keep the city buzzing from September 10 to 14.
The main venue in central Colombo comprising 14,000 sq ft of warehouse space will be filled with creative contemporary conceptual installation pieces. There will be other smaller destinations to visit around the city including galleries, street art, studios to name a few. The Beira Lake island will be used for special workshops and performances.
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| Life-size fibre glass case pall bearers by Chandragupta Thenuwara |
Some 50 artists are participating in the Biennale, under the direction of five curators, one of them being Britisher Annoushka Hempel now based in Colombo, who is the founder and director of the Biennale. She sees the CAB as a forum of Lankan art, a platform for the artists to present their work to both local and international audiences. There is also the emphasis on the Biennale’s theme. “This is not so much about showcasing Sri Lankan art; this is a project with a vision.
“ This to show the world that despite the fact that Sri Lanka is a seemingly politically, ethnically polarized society, artists can work together as collectives, a sign of peace in itself,” Annoushka says.
Annoushka is the curator for three individual artists who work with universal consciousness and unity – their pavilions titled Phoenix, Universal Shrine and Rise Above the Past.
The Saskia Fernando Gallery Pavilion will be divided into three sections. “Seven artists are working with me on this pavilion,” says Saskia, explaining her role as curator. "Each has significantly different work and uses significantly different materials and techniques. Their interpretation of the theme is also very individual.I only asked that they translate their understanding of Imagining Peace as a concept."
Their final work shows the diversity of artists in Sri Lanka. There are large works on material, small works on paper, massive sculptures and delicate installations. In a word, diverse, she adds, explaining that this event in itself embodies how she interprets the imagination of 'peace' - Unity, determination and expression.
Well known artist Chandragupatha Thenuwara, this time as curator will have one project with the collective work of five artists. "It's made up of five walls and each artist will be working on one part of the wall. It will be of memories and the concept that people make boundaries and how we have to change that in order to move forward."
"The project has a strong message- no one is going to make peace for us, we have to make our own peace. The concept of the project is about trying to imagine peace and it is a visual proposal."
Three foreign artists, two performance artists and one visual artist will also take part in the Biennale with Scottish artist Neil Butler as the curator for their work.
Nazreen Sansoni, another of the curators at the Biennale is known as one of the creative forces behind the Barefoot Gallery. "The Barefoot Gallery space has always encouraged free expression of the personal; regardless, of who you are or where you are from, it allows one the prerogative to be yourself."
"Now we are at another less clearly defined period in history which art and dialogue can help us understand. At this time a space within which artists can be themselves and imagine is ever more vital to the discourse of a nation which is only beginning to understand itself. While war can secure borders, art and personal connections can form identity and community," she says.
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| A creation by Prageeth |
The artists represented by the Barefoot Gallery collective depict their version of 'imagining peace' -Alex Stewart's 'Fragments on a Path', Druvinka's 'Beneath, Beyond & Above' and Nelun Harasgama's 'Samsara'.
Jagath Weerasinghe as curator believes that this is about bringing different artists together. "This Biennale is city centred. So the artists are those who live in and around Colombo. Most artists have conflicting views and here we are grouping these artists together forcing them to work collaboratively. So this in itself is a representation of peace. In an indirect way we are giving a solution to the problem- learn to respect each other."
His warehouse will have a large installation piece. "We've got 180 x 13 ft curtains adorned with jasmine flowers. Attached to the curtains will be an everyday object that can be used as a weapon. This is to say that peace has to be discussed at an everyday level. Apart from that we'll be featuring performance art, using the body as an expressive element."
Curator Chaminda Gamage says that for the Colombo Artist warehouse, the Biennale is very important considering the large number of artists working together. "We are not going to simply illustrate imagining peace as a team. All our artists are currently working on their themes individually. They each have their own way of doing art, so what we'll be doing is bring all of them together at CAB. But at the same time our artists talk about issues that are the same such as peace, political issues, war, personal crisis or any related matter.”
More information could be had from the Biennale website : www.colomboartbiennale.com or email info@colomboartbiennale.com.
Highlights from the fringe events
(All at 50/1 Park Street, Colombo 2 unless otherwise specified). The Biennale is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day, except Friday, Sept. 11 when it will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday Sept. 10
- 5.30 p.m. 30 Years of Performance & Art across Europe, North America and South Asia, Mr Smith spills the Beans.
- 6 p.m. Scottish curator Neil Butler’s entertaining performance lecture explores the nature & meaning of art.
- 7.30 p.m. Slide show and talk by Dominic Sansoni presenting photos of his most recent work at Barefoot, 704 Galle Road, Colombo 3. Contact- 0112 55307
- 7.30 – 9.30 p.m. Camera shy photographic exhibition at Anilana Park Street Hotel, 20 Park Street, Colombo 2.
Friday Sept. 11
- 9.30 p.m. onwards: Biennale After Party at Anilana Park Street Hotel, 20 Park Street, Colombo 2
Saturday Sept. 12
- 5 p.m. Poetry, Prose & A Little Night Music by the English Writers’ Co-operative at the Goethe Institute –entrance by programme- Rs 100. Contact- 011 2694562
- 7– 9.30 p.m. Photographic exhibition by TLB Photography at Lionel Wendt Gallery
- 7.00 – 9.30 p.m. The Chamber Music Society of Colombo’s open rehearsals at Barefoot.
Sunday Sept. 13
- 5 p.m. Discussion on art and politics in Sri Lanka (a conversation between Jagath Weerasinghe and Sanjana Hattotuwa )at Paradise Road Gallery, 2 Alfred House Road, Colombo 3.
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