Kala Pola 2010
Art lovers' paradise on February 21:
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Artists at work |
The sidewalks of Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha in Colombo 7 opposite
the National Art Gallery, will come alive on Sunday February 21 as Sri
Lanka's popular open-air art Gallery cum art fair 'Kala Pola' will take
place. The event will be held for the 16th consecutive time presented by
the George Keyt Foundation. Launched way back in1993, Kala Pola drew
inspiration from the open-air art summer art fairs in European Capitals
like legendary Montmartre in Paris.
Kala Pola is a key platform for artists and sculptors to launch and
boost their creations. It also promotes art as a lucrative and
professional career. Many Kala Pola aritists have been featured in the
international arena.
This year's Kala Pola will feature over 250 artists and sculptors in
an atmosphere filled with music, song and fun. George Keyt Foundation
President Cedric de Silva said, "We are proud to note that Kala Pola
which had a humble beginning more than one and half decades ago, has now
grown into a major national event".
Drawing from the inspiration and contribution of George Keyt whose
life spanned almost the whole of the 20 Century and as a painter, poet
and writer was a legend in his lifetime, Keyt was a most distinguished
and renowned modern painter. He had made an unparalleled contribution to
the art and culture of our times. It was therefore necessary to preserve
his work as part of Sri Lanka's national heritage. And so it was on June
18, 1988 a group of ardent admirers and friends established the George
Keyt Foundation and it was later incorporated on June 13, 1990.
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From Left; Artist Chaminda Gamage, Secretary George Keyt
Foundation Sita de Silva, Deputy Chairman George Keyt
Foundation Nihal Rodrigo, Trustee George Keyt Foundation
Prof. Albert Dharmasiri, Chairman George Keyt Foundation
Cedric de Silva, Executive Vice President John Keells
Holdings PLC, Head of CSR Lalith Ramanayake, Trustee George
Keyt Foundation Tissa Devendra, Trustee George Keyt
Foundation Arun Dias Bandaranayake. Pictures by Sudath
Nishantha |
The George Keyt Foundation has in these nearly 20 years made a major
contribution to provide opportunities for artists, promote the Visual
Arts and in a way revive it from the end of the nineteen eighties.
Head of CSR John Keells Holdings Lalith Ramanayake said,"The John
Keells Social Responsibility Foundation is dedicated to supporting the
arts and culture of this country. This event is all about creating
opportunities for budding artists, islandwide, to help them display
their work and launch their careers".
Kala Pola 2010 will open at 10 a.m. on Sunday, February 21 and will
unfold itself until dusk finally settles over the city skyline.
- Anjalie |
