Beyond Words: The Arts and Accountability in Sri Lanka
), Directed by Srinath Samarasinghe, courtesy Dubai International Film Festival As any species, we have longevity. The human race is at its peak. In two centuries, we have evolved so far, for…
Arts and Theatre
Can art still take up a social function?: Two examples from Sri Lanka in the context of post-conflict reconciliation
Decorated Kitchen Knifes, Sculpture and Canvas Installation, Jagath Weerasinghe, courtesy Mediated by Saskia Fernando Gallery Speaking about the capacity that art may have to contribute to a social achievement like building sustainable…
Video on Mediated: Hard data on Sri Lanka, through art
Mediated is an art project that essentially seeks to create greater awareness around and engagement with aspects of post-war Sri Lanka’s ideational, constitutional, economic, social and religious challenges. Four individuals – a…
In Memoriam: Tilak Jayaratne
Tilak’s journey in search of people’s media, from the Tilak Jayaratne, veteran broadcaster and media advocate, passed away on September 6, after a long illness bravely borne. All those who knew Tilak,…
In conversation with Chandraguptha Thenuwara: Art, politics and education in Sri Lanka
Chandragupta Thenuwara is one of Sri Lanka’s best known artists. As noted online, he is the director of the Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts in Colombo, a not-for-profit art school which he…
Mediated: Portraying hard data on Sri Lanka through art
runs till the 15th of September at the Saskia Fernando Art Gallery. As noted on the exhibition’s website, four individuals – a researcher, an economist, a constitutional theorist and an award winning…
Cast as Mother – A Reading: Audience Reviews
‘Cast as Mother’ – a dramatic reading of an upcoming play by Stages Theatre Group was held at the Lionel Wendt on May 24. Directed by Ruwanthie de Chickera, ‘ featured the…
Interview with Anoma Wijewardene on ‘Deliverance’
interviewed the renowned Sri Lankan artist Anoma Wijewardene on her up-coming exhibition ‘Deliverance’, which opens in Colombo tomorrow at the Saskia Fernando Gallery and Paradise Road Galleries. The exhibition will run till…
Cast as mother: A review of a work in progress
[Editors’ note: All photos courtesy of Ruvin de Silva] produced by Stages Theatre Company is a work in progress and therefore poses a unique challenge to the reviewer. How does one review…
What Samhara Means: A review of Samhara and an unraveling of what it really means for Sri Lankan Dance
[Editors note: See interview with members of Nrityagram and the Chitrasena Dance Company here.] is a new dance work created by the Odissi dance ensemble, Nrityagram, together with their long-term friends and collaborators…
Samhara: An interweaving of the Nrityagram Dance Ensemble and the Chitrasena Dance Company
Photo provided by Nrityagram Dance Ensemble. All copyrights reserved. Audiences in Colombo were over the weekend treated to caught up with Nrityagram’s lead dancer Bijayini Satpathy, the artistic director and choreographer of…
Between The Artist and Hugo: Nostalgia for what cinema is really about
Two of last years’ biggest films are film; so as cinema as we know it is undergoing a radical and rapid transition – film to digital to 3D to CGI – are…
changeABLE cohesion: Dance and disability
caught up with Gustavo Fijalkow, one of two (the other being Gerda König) responsible for the concept behind ‘changeABLE cohesion‘, a contemporary dance performance that will kick off the Colombo International Theater…
Sri Lankan Post-War Cinema and Reconciliation
In any conflict environment, the audio-visual medium, in particular cinema, is utilized as a dominant tool of propaganda. In the Sri Lankan context, both the State and the LTTE have used the…
Some Comments of Udayasiri Wickramaratne’s ‘Suddek Oba Amathai’
Photo courtesy Facebook page It is Lakshman Piyasena, introduced to me by my friend Jayantha Dhanapala, who first told me of Udayasiri Wickramaratne’s play. Piyasena urged Dhanapala and me to see a performance…
