Arts

Stepping out in search of Art

Kaveesha Fernando and Minushi Perera take us on a tour of Colombo Art Biennale that ends on December 20

View(s):

Udani Samaraweera’s work at the ZMax Hotel. Pix by Indika Handuwala

If you love art or have an adventurous spirit, the Colombo Art Biennale is for you. Aiming to stretch traditional boundaries, this year’s Biennale is being exhibited in diverse locations around Colombo. Travelling around Colombo looking for the various exhibits is akin to a modern-day treasure hunt, with the distance, traffic and the heat making it quite an arduous undertaking.

“We’re trying to make art more accessible by exhibiting it in different locations around Colombo so that the city itself becomes a gallery,” explains Director of Architecture for the Colombo Art Biennale 2016 Gihan Karunaratne. He explains that the exhibits show beauty through the process and feels that they are as beautiful while being installed as when the finished work is exhibited. He also stressed the importance of investing in the island, with all of the artists using local material and artisans for their exhibits.

Seeing all the exhibits requires almost a complete tour around the city, and although some exhibits are worth going the distance for, others might disappoint. For a quick view, head over to the Prana Lounge and JDA Perera Gallery in Colombo 7. With exhibits from many artists on display, these two galleries which are conveniently located within metres of each other on Horton Place offer anyone short of time a quick glimpse. If you can make it to Prana Lounge on Monday or Tuesday between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. you can experience dancer Venuri Perera’s performance. Titled ‘Entry No Entry’, the five-minute performance takes place in a dark room with one member at a time and aims to question the practices of visa offices around the globe. Explains Venuri, “I was triggered by various experiences I have had when travelling,” adding that the experience was an intrusion of her personal space and one which she considers to be degrading.

For interesting art that is still ‘traditional’ compared to the other offerings, visit The Postgraduate Institute of Architecture on Bauddhaloka Mawatha which has many paintings on display.

If you are in the mood for walking – head over to Slave Island. If you brave the many alleyways of the area and find the exhibits you are looking for, you’ll undoubtedly be impressed by a map of Slave Island which has been carved on half a tree trunk, along with a few other exhibits that may please or disappoint depending on your taste in art. The Zmax Hotel near the Dutch Hospital in Fort also has some interesting exhibits on display and is much easier to find. For a more meditative experience, the woven panels at the Cathedral of Christ the Living Saviour on Bauddhaloka Mawatha inspired by the Shroud of Turin is a must-see exhibit. The Red Dot Gallery in Borella also has a few interesting exhibits for anyone looking for unusual art.

Overall, the Colombo Art Biennale has exhibits that may challenge your conception of art. Like in the proverbial treasure hunt, who know what you may find.

The Colombo Art Biennale exhibits can be viewed from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily till December 20. For more information, see their website http://colomboartbiennale.com/.