As far as titles go, ArtWalk is meant to be taken literally. Everything in show moves – be it painting or sculpture, drama or fashion, it’s all made to walk the ramp. (This is something that produces mixed results. You do get to admire clothes from every angle, but you might be able to better appreciate a painting by standing in front of it, rather than having two models carry it past you. )
The adjective that best suits the event is probably ‘youthful’. It’s energetic and inventive and everything is bright, bold and beautiful. It also has the air of some heady school show about it – models are enthusiastically welcomed by the audience with much hooting and applause.
This year, ArtWalk was held on the CarMart rooftop near Union Place – the location only revealed two weeks ago as was traditional. It is now in its fourth year, and the organisers said their intention was to “pay homage to the concept of “Free Space” and the fluidity of being able to “transport” voyeurs to another place and the ‘vehicle’ of choice for ArtWalk, will be the artist/participant’s work.
” With that in mind, they brought together photographers, painters, dancers, actors and fashion, jewellery and graphic designers from various backgrounds, many of whom were established in their fields while others were still students. This year’s show though suffered from technical issues, with the sound abruptly being cut off twice leaving the young models strutting in silence. However, with that rectified the crowds surged back in.
The event was distinguished by the careful choreography that was brought to every showing. With inspirations that ranged from deep sea environments, to recycling car parts, Roman gladiators and Kandyan dancers each segment had its own distinct look and feel. All in all, an entertaining evening.
The work of Shehara Perera, Sulochana Pinto and Shanaz Sameer was recognized with a 2011 Most Innovative Participant Award, while the ArtWalk 2011 - Kik Cola Designer Appreciation Award went to Shalini Dasanayake for her ‘Kik It’ segment. |
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