‘Sea Change’ brings the ocean closer to home

By Ruqyyaha Deane

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New sights at the Rio

With over 30 local and international artists, musicians, filmmakers and historians, Colomboscope shows that art is not just to be seen but felt, heard,touched and tasted. From Norwegian smell theorist Sissel Tolaas’ focus on detecting diverse communities with the use of different scents, to Lankan artist Layla Gonaduwa’s conceptual art mirroring the different gradient patterns found in the ocean floor through the use of glass enamels, there is much to discover.

An inter-disciplinary arts festival, Colomboscope is back for its sixth edition drawing attention to eroding coastlines, oceanic ecology and the urgency to create a difference on maritime issues under the theme ‘Sea Change’. It opened on January 25 and continues until January 31 with exhibitions, interactive events, talks, tours and much more at the main venues- the Rio Complex, Barefoot Gallery and B52 at the Grand Oriental Hotel.

Curator Natasha Ginwala

Curator Natasha Ginwala explains the choice of theme with the simple reasoning, ‘We are close to the coastline and are bound by duty to protect it. With the dialogue that the artists create, we can grapple the change that has to come.’

A curatorial tour around the Rio Complex which holds the majority of the artists work showed us how they have been inspired to create awareness on threatened marine resources.

For the complete programme please see www.colomboscope.lk/programme