They are not your usual ‘women’
View(s):She’s the perfect modern woman, says the photographer Aamina Nizar of her subject, Padmini. “Padmini is a thinker, animal rights activist, and campaigner for the voiceless and abused. She is confident, intelligent, beautiful and glamorous. Well versed in contemporary issues and politics she stands for truth and justice despite being castout by her family. In her eyes, animal or man, everyone is equal. God is her best friend and her pets are her children.
amina Nizar-- Padmini
“Armed with an A/level education, she still cleans my house for a living. For her, there is dignity in every occupation.She is caring, smart and comfortable in her own skin.”
Aamina Nizar says that painting was her first passion but she soon learned that life could be expressed in more ways than a paintbrush. “I then picked up a pen, along the way the camera caught my eye and together they travelled from Colombo to Jaffna, Mumbai to Kashmir.
Aamina’s insightful work and that of many other thoughtful artists will feature in the “Women – Out of The Frame Photographic Exhibition” which will be held from July 5- 10 at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery. Undertaken by Sri Lankan photographer Menika van der Poorten in conjunction with the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka this landmark photography project and exhibition on women showcases the talent of 45 photographers (men and women) from across the island, and beyond, both professionals and enthusiasts.
These photographers’ perspectives aim to change the way we see women. The photographs capture a moment or moments revealing the complexity of women’s lives – whether it is women from different walks of life in the same frame, women living in a war and conflict affected environments or elders going about their daily routine.
The project’s aim is to provide photographers in Sri Lanka a platform to present images that ‘go beyond the traditional, objectified and stereotypical portrayal of women common in mainstream media’. Submissions came from Battaramulla, Batticaloa, Bemmulla, Trincomalee, Hikkaduwa, Jaffna, Kandy, Kurunegala, Matara, Hambantota, Vavuniya, Warakapola and beyond, achieving one of the project’s main objectives which was to reach out to photographers countrywide, particularly those who, due to war, had limited access to this type of cultural exchange.
During the days of the exhibition a series of presentations and workshops that support the education, and development of conceptual and technical photographic skills, will be conducted. The workshop programme will encompass digital workflow, telling a story through photography and will encourage discussion and debate on context, ethics and the importance of visual media in making meaning.
“To say that photographs lie implies that they might tell the truth; but the beauty of their nature is exactly to say nothing, neither to lie nor not to.”
—Stanley Cavell (1985)
An exhibition catalogue will be available and the exhibition website (www.outoftheframe.lk) will be launched to coincide with the opening of the exhibition. The exhibition and workshops are supported by the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the National Peace Council, and the Goethe Institute. The Sunday Times is the print media sponsor of the exhibition.
For more information email outoftheframe.sl@gmail.com or visit Face Book: http://www. facebook.com/outoftheframesrilanka
 During the Cricket World Cup, all of the nation joined in the spirit of the game including those in the village of Wewalgoda |
 Asanka Dharshana-Untitled | All my life I have just wanted be a good photographer, says Asanka Dharshana, from Galle who after A/Ls went to Japan to study fashion designing and on completion of his degree, came back to Sri Lanka in 2005. He took photography lessons under professional photographers and now works at Brandix (SINTESI) as a merchandiser. |
 Kanchana Sumali-- Draped Femininty | A final year undergraduate of the Department of Modern Languages, University of Kelaniya, Kanchana is specialising in French. “I would call myself an amateur photographer as I do not own a good camera, but enjoy capturing wonderful moments in nature, and different aspects of human life. Photography and poetry, my main interests, both teach me to look at everything from another angle. Every photograph is a new perspective, a new thought.” |
 Sachini Perera-- Afetrmath, Chettikulam Hospital | ‘I like to think that my photographs of women reflect my feminist outlook. Whether it is at a demonstration in Colombo or inside a camp for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) or at a conceptual photo shoot, my photography is bound together by this,” says law graduate Sachini Perera who deals with her inherent restlessness by juggling several careers which include freelancing as a writer and photographer, working for a women’s organization and developing new media projects. She also occasionally moonlights as a musician, playing the clarinet and singing. She recently held a solo exhibition of music photography at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery entitled ‘The Show Must Go On”. |
 Sahan Peiris-- Will the next generation Continue this tradition | A freelance photographer, Sahan Peiris who specialises in street photography and portrait photography is by profession a Banker currently employed at Citibank Sri Lanka. Photography, Latin dancing and camping are his passions. |
 R. H. Samarakone-- Home Away from Home | R. H. Samarakone who describes himself as an amateur photographer has chosen to focus on an elders’ home. ‘Home away from home’ he calls it... Today, she (the elderly woman) is away from her family, dependent on charity for shelter, clothing, caring, health and wellbeing ... |
 Pradeep Kirindage-- ‘A gift that wrapped in a red cover’ | “I don’t call myself a photographer. Because, photography is only one media that I use to convey my feelings. When there’s or when there’s not a discussion about various topics in the society, I’d like to use the frame that I see through the camera lens to bring out my idea about it. So, here I am, with my concept about the women of our society, “ says Pradeep Kirindage. |
The photograph on our Magazine cover from the ‘Women- Out of the Frame’ exhibition is by Siripala Abeynayake, a retired teacher from Galle who took to photography when he was 64. He learnt under well known photographer Lal Hegoda and says his main interest is photographing people.
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