An art exhibition by seven artists that highlights an intimate process of art making.

‘(A)critical Intimacy’  is an exhibition featuring art by seven artists.  Organized by the Theertha International Artists Collective as part of their Women’s Art Program, the exhibition gives a brief insight into the art practice of seven women. Through diverse art-making practices such as weaving, photography, painting, wood cut printing, etching and mixed media, they venture into investigating spirituality, love, family, world of cosmetics, children, personal histories, memories and identity with a sense of deep personal involvement and care marked by a sense of intimacy.  The artists exhibiting in ‘(A)critical Intimacy’ are Dhanushka Amarasekara, Marie Gnanaraj, Neranjala Gunasinghe, Anoli Perera,  Menika van der Poorten, R. Vaidehi and Anoma Wijewardene. The exhibition is curated by two artists, Anoli Perera and Jagath Weerasinghe who have curated many key exhibitions in the past. Through the show the curators try to capture the intimate sense of art making that is shared by all participating artists irrespective of the diversity of their methods.  Therefore, what is emphasized in ‘(A)critical Intimacy’  is the proximity to the subject, the deep personal involvement, the engagement not as an anthropological investigation but as investigation of curiosity, both critical/ non critical, which represents human emotions and attachments.

The exhibition was held at the Harold Peiris Gallery, Lionel Wendt Art Centre from 23th to 26th  2006. 

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Theerttha International Women Artists' Residency and Exhibition 2009

Residency : 14 dec 2009 - 9 jan 2010
exhibition : 9 jan 2010 - 19 jan 2010

The International Women Artists' Residencies are part of the international art exchange program of Theertha. The primary objectives of the International Women Artists' Residencies are to support and sustain diverse art activities among women artist in Sri Lanka and to give opportunity to connect with the women artist working in other geographical cultural backgrounds. The residency provides an environment for artists' to experiment, engage in dialogue and exchange artistic knowledge and experiences as part of the art making process. The residency focuses on possibilities of collaboration as well as solo art projects where artists work in response to the local environment and context using locally available material.
The International Women Artists' Residency 2009 started on 14th December 2009 and ended on 9th January 2010 with the participation of Sonia Jose (India), Saurganga Darshandhari (Nepal), Louise Low Seok Loo (Malaysia), Manori Jayasinghe (Sri Lanka), Sajeewani Hewawitharana (Sri Lanka), and Therica Miyanadeniya (Sri Lanka). Durin the residency, the artists were invited to an 'Artists' Talk' where they presented their art portfolios to an audience of art students and artists. It allowed an opportunity for artists and art students to interact with the participating artists and critically engaged in discussion. The  Artists t Talk was organized at the Theertha Red Dot Gallery on 18th December 2009. The artworks Produced during the residency were included in the exhibition held from 9th to 19th January 2010 at the Theertha Red Dot Gallery.
The International Women Artists Residency 2009 is supported by Arts Collaboratory, Hivos, Doen Foundation, Mondriaan Foundation and Ford Foundation.

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Comfort Zones: Exhibition by Anoli Perera

An exhibition by Anoli Perera titled ‘Comfort Zones’ was held at the Red Dot Galler from 2nd to 28th December 2007 as part of the ‘Pradharshana Wasanthaya’ in collaboration of the Women’s Art Program. This exhibition is an attempt to highlight the art practices by contemporary women artists which are informed by feminist critical thought.  As one of the main artists in the 90s trend who consistently and critically engaged in women’s predicament in the society her work has influenced many younger artists. 

“Comfort zone exhibition is all about looking back at the home maker of my mothers and my grandmother’s generation through my nostalgia and in a process of memorizing and remembering. I am trying to reconstruct my memory of their presence, how they related to things, how they organized home, their anxieties and the comfort they provided.

The 'Comfort Zones' unveils my familiarity and proximity to this home maker’s world and the anxieties and expectations that manifest in different stages of her life. They are the wives, mothers, grandmothers, aunts. They are the comfort providers for the family and sometimes…  they are the silent grievers bearing the aches of life.  I remember with nostalgia and guilt the comfort of this home maker’s world.”  - Anoli Perera 

 

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 Priyanthi Anusha

What is embedded in the social perspectives that I perceive, bout the male and masculinity are, personality, maleness, sexual strength and power. I feel these are only illusions and fabrications of the mind. Through my work, again and again, I talk about the meaninglessness and emptiness of these social perspectives.

Priyanthi Anusha

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