Art auction for Kala Pola 2011
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Artist at
work. Picture by Rukmal Gamage |
The sidewalks of Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha in Colombo 7, alongside
and opposite the National Art Gallery, will come alive on January 23 at
8 am with Sri Lanka’s popular open air art fair ‘Kala Pola’. This
colourful event, once again, promises to offer visitors a myriad of
artistic creations representing a kaleidoscope of talent and skill of
the island’s artists and sculptors.
Presented by the George Keyt Foundation, Kala Pola has continued to
enjoy the patronage of the John Keells Group for 17 consecutive years.
Launched way back in 1993, Kala Pola drew inspiration from the open air
summer art fairs in European capitals such as the legendary Montmarte in
Paris. The deep rooted rationale for its existence goes beyond the mere
search for fascinating colour, exuberance and camaraderie.
Kala Pola is a key platform for artists and sculptors to launch and
build their careers. Not only does it help them build a steady
clientele, but also promotes art as a lucrative and professional career.
Because of Kala Pola, many artists have become successful professionals:
some have even gone on to launch careers in the international arena.
The event will feature almost 300 artists and sculptors who will
showcase their creativity to a rapidly growing Sri Lankan and expatriate
clientele in an atmosphere filled with music, fun and contagious
bonhomie.
This year’s Kala Pola will also include the novel feature of an art
auction, where some of the best creations of artists who have
participated in Kala Pola over time will be on offer. This is possibly
the first such art auction to be held in the country.
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