I am very happy and honoured to be appointed – together with Suresh Jayaram – as curator of the second Colombo Art Biennale in 2012. I have a long standing connection with Sri Lanka, being project coordinator of One World Foundation, Vienna office, which runs a free school for one thousand students in Ahungalla in the southwest of Sri Lanka. The school was founded in 1995 by Kathrin Messner and the late Joseph Ortner. They also founded Museum in Progress in Vienna, to which I am now the Director. There has always been for me, only a small gap between the art world and projects adressing social issues.

I take interest in becoming aware of the changes going on in Sri Lanka, especially after the end of the civil war two years ago.  I also realize that Sri Lanka has many very talented and socially minded artists, who care about the future and prosperity of their country and its people. Following the German artist Joseph Beuys, society can be seen as a ‘‘social sculpture“. And in this sense many of the Sri Lankan artists combine their artistic practises with social issues, whether they are painters, sculptors, performance artists, photographers or filmmakers. Sri Lanka should be proud of having such a wide range of established and emerging artists.

My task as international curator of the Colombo Art Biennle 2012 is to come here from outside with fresh views and select interesting positions of local artists, dealing with the Biennale’s official theme of “Becoming“, which describes a state of flux, a space of transition not only being currently experienced in Sri Lanka but also on a global level. It is my task to also bring international artists to Sri Lanka. For me it is a big challenge to establish a cultural dialogue and exchange, and I will do my best to draw the attention of the international art world to Sri Lanka and its emerging art scene.

As we look beyond the veneer of the picture post card view Sri Lanka projects. The post war situation in Lanka has many unanswered questions, reconciliation, rebuilding and establishing faith in the process that is inclusive. The tasks are challenging and will need a comprehensive strategy that is democratic. The artists of the country are addressing these issues through their representations, and share the anxiety of a nation in transition. They are confronting the insecurities and their identity in a period of a long civil war, by the separatist politics that rocked the island nation. The memory of violence has scarred minds and bodies, making the body a receptacle of tensions, anger, hopelessness and pain.

The issues of Tamils and their fight for a Tamil Eelam was evidently a force that questioned Sinhalese identity, and made violence a part of everyday reality. The Southern spate of violence that erupted was another concern; this obliviously had a decisive impact on the minds of people, who were caught in the crossfire of these tragic circumstances.

After the war, the moment is poised and poignant as the world watches in anticipation the efforts of the government. The situation in Colombo seems to be “normal” as we see barricades removed and the building activity that suggests a buoyant economy. The people of Sri Lanka are looking ahead with hope and aspiration.

We imaged peace during our inaugural event two year ago, and now The Colombo Art Biennale 2012 addresses these issues with a concept of ‘‘Becoming”.

This is a challenge for artists to reflect on issues that have confronted them, a time for contemplation to ask questions about the role art can play. What meaning it holds for people? Can artists be the catalyst for change?

This event will bring local and international artist under one roof for a period of five days with exhibitions, public art projects and art outreach programmes. The multiple venues of public and private galleries and venues will play host to a multi-media works by some of the best talented artists.

We look forward to your active support and participation for this event.

http://www.lankians.lk/full_story.php?news_id=327

If you would like to become a patron of the arts please follow this link for full details and a downloadable form:

http://www.hempelgalleries.com/images/links/1318693853Become%20a%20Patron%20form-1.pdf

http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/10/05/art03.asp

http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2011/10/02/saarc-meeting-point/

http://www.ft.lk/2011/10/01/colombo-art-biennale-presents-‘becoming’/

http://www.spirit.lk/?t=fs&nid=20111005143223135

http://print.dailymirror.lk/component/content/article/132-life/57939.html