Programme of Events
15th Wednesday February
Press Conference (by invitation only)
10:00 am – 11:00 am
Public Hours: National Art Gallery & JDA Perera Gallery: 12noon – 8pm
Park Street Mews: 12noon – 9pm
Exhibitions of international, Regional and Local artists
Fringe Events
- CoCA Project at Maradana Warehouse project: 9am – 11pm
- Knotted Threads by Nesa Gschwend at the Lionel Wendt: 10am – 6pm
- Becoming Escapee by Anup Vega at the Hempel Galleries: 10am – 6pm
Box Office:
Park Street Mews: 12noon – 9pm
VIP viewing (by invitation only)
6:00 pm – 09:00 pm
Opening Reception (by invitation only)
08.00 pm – 9:30 pm
After Party @ Kama (by invitation only)
10:30pm Onwards
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16th Thursday February
Public Hours: National Art Gallery & JDA Perera Gallery: 12noon – 8pm
Park Street Mews: 12noon – 9pm
Exhibitions of international, Regional and Local artists
Art Talks: Park Street Hotel: 11am – 12.30pm
“Why A Biennale?”
An introductory talk by Neil Butler and the festival organizers
Art Talks: Sapumal Foundation: 4.00- 6.00pm
“Harry Peiris, The ’43 Group and the Sapumal Foundation”
Keynote Speaker: Rohan de Soysa, Director – Sapumal Foundation
Fringe Events
- CoCA Project at Maradana Warehouse project: 9am – 8pm
- Knotted Threads by Nesa Gschwend at the Lionel Wendt: 10am – 6pm
- Becoming Escapee by Anup Vega at the Hempel Galleries: 10am – 7pm
Screenings at the Video Lounge, Goethe Institut
Christoph Schlingensief’s retrospective: 6.30pm onwards (Part I)
Screening schedule: Introduction by Roman Berka, Curator, Für Elise (2 mins), Christoph Schlingensief and His Films (77 mins) interview film, Discussion, Break, My wife in Five (13 mins), the German Chainsaw Massacre (60mins)
Gallery Talks: JDA Perera Gallery
‘Critique vs Criticism’by Sri Lankan Artist Leo Pasqualge
2pm – 3pm
Box Office:
Park Street Mews: 12noon – 9pm
Collector’s Dinner:
(ticketed) – 8:00pm – check website
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17th Friday February
Public Hours: National Art Gallery & JDA Perera Gallery: 12noon – 8pm
Park Street Mews: 12noon – 9pm
Exhibitions of international, Regional and Local artists
Art Talks: Nuga Gama: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
“Building Bridges – The South Asian Context”
Keynote Speaker: Suresh Jeyaram, India
CAB Outreach Programme: Nuga Gama: 3pm – 4pm
Camera Obscura – by Shahidul Alam, Bangladesh
A fun, non-conventional pin-hole camera process
Fringe Events:
- CoCA Project at Maradana Warehouse project: 9am – 11pm
- Knotted Threads by Nesa Gschwend at the Lionel Wendt: 10am – 6pm
- Becoming Escapee by Anup Vega at the Hempel Galleries: 10am – 6pm
Screenings at the Video Lounge, Goethe Institut
Christoph Schlingensief’s retrospective: 6.30pm onwards (Part II)
Screening schedule: Egomania (84 mins), Discussion, Break, Freakstars (75 mins)
Curated Walks: JDA Perera Gallery: 2pm – 3pm (Suresh Jayaram)
Box Office:
Park Street Mews: 12noon – 9pm
The Warehouse Dinner:
Hosted by his HE the German Ambassador, Maradana Warehouse Project
8:00pm
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18th Saturday February
Public Hours: National Art Gallery & JDA Perera Gallery: 12noon – 8pm
Park Street Mews: 12noon – 9pm
Exhibitions of international, Regional and Local artists
Art Talks: Barefoot Gallery: 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
“The Debate: Does Great Art Require Great Skill?”
A debate by the Biennale Artists (Not Ticketed)
Art Talks: Barefoot Gallery: 2:30 pm – 4:00 pm
“Art as a Witness”
Keynote Speaker: Shahidul Alam, Bangladesh
Art Talks: Barefoot Gallery – 6pm – 7:30 pm
“Art and Architecture”
Keynote Speaker: Cecil Balmond, UK/Sri Lanka,
Fringe Events
- CoCA Project at Maradana Warehouse project: 9am – 11pm
- Knotted Threads by Nesa Gschwend at the Lionel Wendt: 10am – 6pm
- Becoming Escapee by Anup Vega at the Hempel Galleries: 10am – 6pm
Screenings at the Video Lounge, Goethe Institut: 6.30pm onwards
Vimukthi Jayasundara’s Films (Part I)
Screening schedule: Introduction by Vimukthi Jayasundara, Land of Silence (30 mins), Forsaken Land (108 mins)
Box Office:
Park Street Mews: 12noon – 9pm
Curated Walks: Park Street Mews: 2pm – 3pm (Roman Berka)
Becoming One Party:
Warehouse Project, Maradana
(ticketed) 8pm onwards – check website
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19th Sunday February
Public Hours: National Art Gallery & JDA Perera Gallery: 12noon – 8pm
Park Street Mews: 12noon – 9pm
Exhibitions of international, Regional and Local artists
Children’s Educational Workshop: Maria McCavana at Park Street Mews:
12noon – 6pm
Art Talks: Casa Colombo – 11:00 am – 12:30 pm
“What Now – After the ’90s Trend?”
Keynote Speaker: Jagath Weerasinghe, Sri Lanka
Art Talks: Skky Bar – 4:00 pm – 5.30 pm
“Art and an Expanded Museum Concept”
Keynote Speaker: Roman Berka, Austria
Art Talks: Skky Bar – 6:00 – 7:30 pm
A Symposium on “Art as a Social Sculpture”
Featuring Neil Butler, Roman Berka, Chandraguptha Thenuwara, Jagath Weerasinghe and Suresh Jayaram
Fringe Events
- CoCA Project at Maradana Warehouse project: 9am – 11pm
- Knotted Threads by Nesa Gschwend at the Lionel Wendt: 10am – 6pm
- Becoming Escapee by Anup Vega at the Hempel Galleries: 10am – 6pm
Screenings at the Video Lounge, Goethe Institut: 6.30pm onwards
Vimukthi Jayasundara’s Films (Part II)
Screening schedule: Introduction by Vimukthi Jayasundara, Empty for Love (28 mins), Between Two Worlds (85 mins)
Street Party: Park Street Mews: 12noon onwards
Box Office: Park Street Mews: 12noon – 8pm
Curated Walks: National Art Gallery: 3pm – 4pm (Suresh Jayaram)
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Biennale Overview
Opening Night
The Opening Preview party for the 2012 Colombo Art Biennale will begin at
the National Gallery of Colombo. We will then move to JDA Perera Gallery, where there will be a performance in addition to the art exhibition. Our last venue for the evening is Park Street Mews which comprises the warehouses at which the first edition of CAB “Imagining Peace” was showcased and where there will be more fresh and exciting works.
Our chief guest for the Opening will be the Cultural & Arts Affair Minister, the Hon. T.B Ekanayaka.
Main Event
Local Program
The Colombo Art Biennale being a primarily Sri Lankan event will host 24 Sri Lankan artists from around the country. They will be curated by the two “Becoming” curators. These artists will be some of the best of the best in Sri Lanka and will have the opportunity to be showcased alongside international artists.
Regional Program
Founder of One Shanthi Road – Bangalore and curator Suresh Jayaram will bring in regional artists from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. These hand-picked artists will be of highest quality working with the same theme as international and national artist and stengthens the links between Sri Lanka and the region.
International Program
International curator, Roman Berka, Director of Museum in Progress in Vienna brings internationally famous artists from the western hemisphere. The international contingency will add prestige and an international perspective to the Biennale.
Educational Programme
“Engage”: the Education programme in Colombo hosted by Biennale participating artist Maria McCavana, brings groups of children and young people together at Park Street Mews. Children aged 5-12 are welcome to join her with their parents. This event is free.
Art Talks
This is program made up of a collection of lectures, talks, debates and discussions by authorities in the various fields of art. This program will run over four days.
Dinners
For the second edition of the Colombo Art Biennale, CAB launches Artist Dinners, offering the opportunity to mingle and interact with both local and international participating Biennale artists. Meet up and coming local talent, hear the stories of the masters and encounter experimental art by visiting artists.
Curated Walks
Curated walks will be on offer for visitors from the 15th to the 19th February 2012 free of charge. Individuals or groups of visitors will have the opportunity to experience the exhibition with a personal guided talk at the different main locations given by the Curators of the Biennale.
Screenings
Partnering with Goethe Institut, CAB presents a retrospective celebrating two influential figures in Film-making from Sri Lanka and Germany. Both Christoph Schlingensief and Vimukthi Jayasundara’s films will be screened over four days.
Fringe: CAB Around Town
The Collective of Contemporary Artists (CoCA)
Nesa Gschwent – Knotted Threads by CrossCulture, Switzerland
‘Becoming Escapee’ Exhibition by Anup Vega at Hempel Galleries
‘Mediations’ – Daily Mirror, Sunday Times and Fiancial Times
Becoming One Party
This will be the ultimate celebration of art and life as the CAB team brings together a plethora of vivacious artistic talent from around the world to create an event like never before in Colombo. The Party will be a celebration that promises a winning combination of cultural significance, artistic wealth, flowing refreshments and a thoroughly entertaining line up of amusement for its guests.
