Cultural DIARY

Children's art exhibition

A Children's Art Exhibition titled 'Coloured Memories' will be held at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery on January 29 and 30 from 10.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. A group of 15 young talented artists have come together to display their spirited work through the sale and auction of their art works.

The 15 budding artists hail from the art classes of the ever smiling, and positively encouraging Mrs. Lathifa Ismail.

They hope to raise funds for the 'Jeevaka Fund', which was set-up in 1999, at the request of the then director of the National Institute of Cancer, Maharagama, the late Dr. Bernard Randeniya.

Since then the fund has worked closely with the National Institute of Cancer, Maharagama, and has been able to donate them with medical equipment and drugs to the value of Rs. 10 million to date.

The equipment and drugs are donated in consultation with the Director and a team of doctors from the National Institute of Cancer, Maharagama.

The proceeds from this exhibition will go towards the purchase of medical equipment to the Paediatric Intensive care unit of the National Institute of Cancer, Maharagama.

The Paediatric Intensive Care Unit serves all the cancer children with severe medical complications as a result of disease or due to their medication.

The following were the responses given by the young artists, when posed with the question as to 'why they love to paint'.

Sonakshi says 'mostly I paint my dreams, when I paint it comes out well.'

Chenukh says 'I can draw marvelous things, like trees, elephants and trains.' Janani, Shivendra, and Aanya all echo painting or drawing makes them happy, they like to paint flowers, and animals. Thevinu says he mostly likes to paint scenes of a beach.

Praneeth says drawing is his favourite thing to do, enjoy painting camels. He has also done a series of paintings of Buddhist monks and nature.

Savini enjoys drawing temples, forests and trees.

Devanga takes pleasure in adoring her canvas with fruit baskets, butterflies, flower gardens, vegetables and houses.

Aamir confidently says he loves painting abstract and scenes, such as sunrise, sunset and water fronts.

Piyangie, Shehara, Anouk, Senithi, and Kiara all say painting is a fun activity.

Although the young artists are aware of the charity aspect of the exhibition, they are also looking forward to showcasing their talents to family, relatives, and friends, and to see their work on a wall.

Nostalgie - an exhibition of black and white photographs

The Alliance Francaise de Kotte launches its cultural season for 2011, today, with the exhibition of photographs by Kumar de Silva. The Chief Guests at the opening will be the Director General of the Ministry of Defence Laksman Hulugalle and Mrs. Dilrukshi Hulugalle. The photographs of Kumar de Silva takes visitors to different scenes through France's multi-faceted diversity from daily scenes of cosmopolitan Paris to landscapes in sea-fringed Britanny and Montpellier, from sleeping champagne bottles in the cellars of the House of Don Perigon to snails cooked in white wine, from sunbathing in Strasbourg to itinerant musicians and wayside artists and lots more cameo portraits of French life and living.

"This year is a significant one in the French part of my life. Twenty five years ago, I joined the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka. Twenty five years since I began hosting Bonsoir on ITN and twenty five years since I first set foot in Paris. It is indeed a triple celebration of the Francophone and Francophile in me and this is all encapsulated by this exhibition, says Kumar de Silva.

Monsieur Bertrand Dufienx, Director of the Alliance Francaise de Kotte said he was delightful to open their cultural season for 2011 with this exhibition of photographs on France. I understand why he chose to name this exhibition Nostalgie.

It is a feeling rooted in the longing of the soul for what it considers its second country.

Nostalgie is open to the public from today January 23, to Sunday February 6.

The times of the exhibition will be from 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. Monday to Friday and on Saturday and Sunday from 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. After its run in Colombo, Nostalgie will travel to the Alliance Francaise in Kandy.

Breaking News

Breaking News, a comody by Nalaka Vithanage will go on the boards at Johen de Silva theatre on Januaray 30 at 6.30 p.m. The play will be preceded by a felicitation of veteran drama personality Bandula Vithanage to mark 45 years on stage.