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| Sunday, 17 July 2005 |
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Arts Kala Pola today Sri Lanka's diverse canvas of talented artists and sculptors will be on display when the Kala Pola comes alive today. The creativity and variety of talented artists and sculptors will be the focus of attention amidst a day of fun and fraternity at the new and exciting venue: The Slave Island Railway Station. The brain child of, and organised by The George Keyt Foundation, Kala Pola has been supported by the John Keells Group for 12 consecutive years. The highlight of this years Kala Pola will be its change of venue - from the sidewalks of Green Path to the platforms of the Slave Island Railway Station. The purpose of Kala Pola is twofold: firstly, it is a platform to sell one's works of art. Secondly, it provides an open-air gallery, a kind of trade fair, where hundreds of talented persons from around the island get to display their work, an opportunity they would ordinarily not be able to afford with their own resources. Most importantly, this is an opportunity for budding artists to display their talent and launch their careers. This year's Kala Pola will feature over 300 stalls along the railway platform and its environs. The event will include musical entertainment for visitors, including sitar, jazz band, trumpet, flute, sarapina, traditional drums, and street singers. Visitors could also treat themselves with Keells sausages, Elephant soft drinks and ice creams, traditional sweet meats, and fruits. Peanut and manioc sellers will hawk their offerings, while astrologers, palm readers, stilt walkers, and a live elephant entertain the visitors. Mr. Cedric de Silva, Chairman, George Keyt Foundation (JKH), commented that, Creating opportunities for art is the core objective of the Foundation. In this respect, the Kala Pola is a unique event that will enable us to support and enhance this objective. Consequently, this is an event that our Foundation is truly proud of. We are grateful to JKH for partnering us for more than a decade, ensuring that the event keeps growing and more successful every year. Mr. Sumithra Gunesekera, Director of JKH, said that, being a nation that has displayed inherent genius in the arts for centuries and are steeped in a culture and traditions that revert to the beginnings of civilisation, JKH is ardently committed to preserve and develop the intrinsic talents of our people". This is the reason why we have supported this notable arts event for 12 consecutive years. Akin to the pavement artists of Paris, for just one Sunday from dawn till dusk, artists from all over the country will showcase exemplary art in a variety of styles, forms and modes. From the illustrious to the lesser well-known, artists now have a platform to showcase their talents for the art loving public to appreciate and purchase. This event not only provides an opportunity for artists even from the remotest areas of the country to display their talents, but also encourages and empowers them to continue honing these talents and derive an economic benefit as well. RK |
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