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Reaching beyond geographical and cultural boarders…
In 2006 Theertha successfully
completed its 3rd international artists' workshop program.
Continuing its mission of sustaining art activities that supported and
encouraged innovation in the art community and disseminated art
knowledge across cultural, ethnic, religious and geographical boarders,
Theertha’s international program has shaped and defined its purpose
over the past years.
First started with the primary idea to facilitate art exchange between international and local artists with the holding of the international artists workshop in 2001 Theertha’s international program actively searched for avenues, strategies and connections to increase the opportunities for local artists to absorb art knowledge and stimulate their art making practices.
International and regional connections, partnerships and collaborations were sought for this purpose. In a sense Theertha has also functioned as a quasi-cultural department through which it has provided financial support, created opportunities and connections for artists to take part in international workshops, residencies, exhibitions and skills development programs.
The international program of Theertha presently is 5 folded. One of its prime activities, the facilitation of artists’ mobility is done through international art workshops and residencies. An important aspect of the international program is to providing exposure to Sri Lankan art, and Theertha has been successful in achieving this purpose through international art exhibitions and art events. Theetha has also taken the task of establishing educational opportunities for artists to further their art training through connecting with international educational programs. Theetha has taken on the role of a global player to promote networking with other art organizations and artists' groups within the Asia region and the world and participation in international art forums. In addition, Theertha also acts as a support base for artists and art groups in other countries to develop their own art scene.
The success of the 2001 workshop convinced Theertha team to continue with the program. The difficulty in securing funding and the logistics involved made us realize that international workshops can only be held once in 2 or 3 years. As such international workshops were held in 2003 and 2006. The primary funding for the international workshops were secured from international funding sources. The Prince Claus Fund (Netherlands) financially supported 2001 workshop while Hivos (Netherlands) and Arts Network Asia (Singapore) supported the 2003 workshop. For both workshops Lunuganga Trust became a major source of support as a generous host providing its mesmerizing Lunuganga estate as the venue for workshops to be held. 2001 and 2003 workshops were held at Lunuganga which provided ample inspiration for the participating artists. An estate of Geoffry Bawa, the late eminent architect was basically a sketch book of his work where he experimented with his architectural ideas. The artists responded to its surrounding bringing out innovative art works.
The participation requests from artists expanded considerably for the 2006 workshop. Therefore a need arose to include a larger component of international and local artists’ participation in 2006. While earlier workshops had a maximum of 12 artists’ participation, in 2006 it increased to 18, which demanded a larger accommodation facility. As such, 2006 workshop was shifted from Launuaga to Hantana hills where the workshop was held amidst the tea plantation in the Ratnasiri Wickramanayake Training Centre. The financial backing for the 2006 workshop came from Hivos and Ford Foundation (through Triangle Trust for network development).
Theertha added art residencies to its international program in 2004 holding the Swedish-Sri Lankan Artists Residency collaborated with the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Sweden and Swedish Institute where 3 artists from Sweden, and 3 artists from Sri Lanka participated. The Swedish – Sri Lankan Artists’ Residency further resulted in a Sri Lankan exhibition in Millesgarden, a museum set up in memory of Swedish artist Carl Milles. Since then Theertha has held 6 residencies with 2 international residencies scheduled in each year.
Theertha recognizing a local need for stimulating the women artists to do innovative work and to open up opportunities for them to connect with women artists in South Asia specifically focused on international women artists’ residencies in 2005 and 2006. The primary objective of the international women artists residencies were to support and sustain the diverse art activities among women artists in Sri Lanka and to provide an environment for them to engage in a dialog with artists working in different cultural and geographical backgrounds. The Residency provided a longer length of time for such a exchange to happen than workshop situations where very interesting and innovative ideas were explored and exhibited by the local as well as international women artists who participated in these residencies. Fathimath Suhura, an artist from Maldives who was primarily a painter did her first installation work with hand painted dresses recounting the political and cultural dilemma underneath the exotic notions of Maldives. Niranjala Gunasinghe, an artist whose art practiced has suffered stagnation resumed her wood cut printing again with new energy since her residency participation in 2005. Since then she has produced number of works and have taken part in many exhibitions.
During this time the performance art became known as a possible art method, workings on installation art expanded, ideas on working outdoors with found material / objects and earthwork became popular.
Theertha Internaitonal Artists Workshops and International Artists’ Residencies have been one of the main sources of artists’ mobility across geographical boarders. A total of 30 International and 38 Sri Lankan artists have taken part in these programs covering a geographical area that includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, UK, Sweden, USA, Nigeria, Iran and Argentina.
In order to open up avenues for local artists and maintain connections internationally, Theertha invests a considerable amount of its energy, resources and expertise in building up close relations with international art managers, artists, art institutions and funding agencies. As a founding partner of the ‘Network’, a South Asia based network of artists from Pakistan (Vasl), India (Khoj International), Nepal (Sutra) and Bangladesh (Britto Arts Trust) Theertha has been able to actively promote and sustain the local artists mobility within the Asia region. Internationally Theertha has been working closely with Goethe Institute, Swedish Institute, Millegarden Museum (Stockholm), Museum of World Cultures- Frankfurt, and Museum for Far Eastern Antiquities (Stockholm) and Fukuoka Asian Art Museum. Number of Exhibitions, Residency programs and possibilities for local artists to continue their art training in abroad have opened up with these partnerships.
More recently, Theertha has started providing supportive role to artists and artists groups in other Asian countries whose is attempting to intervene in their contemporary art scenes to create innovative changes. Theertha has linked with the Maldives National Art Gallery and independent artists to initiate art exchange between Sri Lanka and Maldives.
During the period 2003 to 2006, local programs that Theertha undertook expanded considerably. The activities such as art / cultural publications in local languages, art teacher training, local artists workshops, artists skill development, providing support documentation/ information to school art curriculum, craft artists’ skill development, art exhibitions became a major part of Theertha’s yearly work plan. This expansion also had a simple logic. That is, in order to sustain a successful international art exchange program one needs to have an innovative, evolving and stimulating art community locally.
With it’s many functions in the local art community and focus on building up networks internationally, at present Theertha has become an international facilitator and art educator for local artists.
The uniqueness of Theertha is that it has been able to understand the anxieties and needs of the artists’ community identify certain lacks, formulate programs to address these and get the support of individuals and organizations to implement without being hindered by heavy bureaucracy and undue delays. This has been possible because of the network of individuals they have nurtured through the year and the relationship that Theertha has built with certain organizations. Theertha’s reputation as an independent art/ cultural group doing consistent programs in art within the larger art (theater/ dance/ music) Community has also helped in many ways. Theerth is also blessed with a very unique collection of artists as their core group and staff who have been willing to put incredible amount of energy with minimum remuneration purely for the pleasure of contributing to the program and seeing it realized. Core group has also been extremely fortunate to absorb new members consistently who are dedicated and believe in the Theertha’s vision. This has kept the energy of the Theertha going over the year since 2001 without any indication of its depletion.
(Essay compiled by Anoli Perera -Coordinator- International Art Program)
First started with the primary idea to facilitate art exchange between international and local artists with the holding of the international artists workshop in 2001 Theertha’s international program actively searched for avenues, strategies and connections to increase the opportunities for local artists to absorb art knowledge and stimulate their art making practices.
International and regional connections, partnerships and collaborations were sought for this purpose. In a sense Theertha has also functioned as a quasi-cultural department through which it has provided financial support, created opportunities and connections for artists to take part in international workshops, residencies, exhibitions and skills development programs.
The international program of Theertha presently is 5 folded. One of its prime activities, the facilitation of artists’ mobility is done through international art workshops and residencies. An important aspect of the international program is to providing exposure to Sri Lankan art, and Theertha has been successful in achieving this purpose through international art exhibitions and art events. Theetha has also taken the task of establishing educational opportunities for artists to further their art training through connecting with international educational programs. Theetha has taken on the role of a global player to promote networking with other art organizations and artists' groups within the Asia region and the world and participation in international art forums. In addition, Theertha also acts as a support base for artists and art groups in other countries to develop their own art scene.
The success of the 2001 workshop convinced Theertha team to continue with the program. The difficulty in securing funding and the logistics involved made us realize that international workshops can only be held once in 2 or 3 years. As such international workshops were held in 2003 and 2006. The primary funding for the international workshops were secured from international funding sources. The Prince Claus Fund (Netherlands) financially supported 2001 workshop while Hivos (Netherlands) and Arts Network Asia (Singapore) supported the 2003 workshop. For both workshops Lunuganga Trust became a major source of support as a generous host providing its mesmerizing Lunuganga estate as the venue for workshops to be held. 2001 and 2003 workshops were held at Lunuganga which provided ample inspiration for the participating artists. An estate of Geoffry Bawa, the late eminent architect was basically a sketch book of his work where he experimented with his architectural ideas. The artists responded to its surrounding bringing out innovative art works.
The participation requests from artists expanded considerably for the 2006 workshop. Therefore a need arose to include a larger component of international and local artists’ participation in 2006. While earlier workshops had a maximum of 12 artists’ participation, in 2006 it increased to 18, which demanded a larger accommodation facility. As such, 2006 workshop was shifted from Launuaga to Hantana hills where the workshop was held amidst the tea plantation in the Ratnasiri Wickramanayake Training Centre. The financial backing for the 2006 workshop came from Hivos and Ford Foundation (through Triangle Trust for network development).
Theertha added art residencies to its international program in 2004 holding the Swedish-Sri Lankan Artists Residency collaborated with the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Sweden and Swedish Institute where 3 artists from Sweden, and 3 artists from Sri Lanka participated. The Swedish – Sri Lankan Artists’ Residency further resulted in a Sri Lankan exhibition in Millesgarden, a museum set up in memory of Swedish artist Carl Milles. Since then Theertha has held 6 residencies with 2 international residencies scheduled in each year.
Theertha recognizing a local need for stimulating the women artists to do innovative work and to open up opportunities for them to connect with women artists in South Asia specifically focused on international women artists’ residencies in 2005 and 2006. The primary objective of the international women artists residencies were to support and sustain the diverse art activities among women artists in Sri Lanka and to provide an environment for them to engage in a dialog with artists working in different cultural and geographical backgrounds. The Residency provided a longer length of time for such a exchange to happen than workshop situations where very interesting and innovative ideas were explored and exhibited by the local as well as international women artists who participated in these residencies. Fathimath Suhura, an artist from Maldives who was primarily a painter did her first installation work with hand painted dresses recounting the political and cultural dilemma underneath the exotic notions of Maldives. Niranjala Gunasinghe, an artist whose art practiced has suffered stagnation resumed her wood cut printing again with new energy since her residency participation in 2005. Since then she has produced number of works and have taken part in many exhibitions.
During this time the performance art became known as a possible art method, workings on installation art expanded, ideas on working outdoors with found material / objects and earthwork became popular.
Theertha Internaitonal Artists Workshops and International Artists’ Residencies have been one of the main sources of artists’ mobility across geographical boarders. A total of 30 International and 38 Sri Lankan artists have taken part in these programs covering a geographical area that includes India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Maldives, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Australia, UK, Sweden, USA, Nigeria, Iran and Argentina.
In order to open up avenues for local artists and maintain connections internationally, Theertha invests a considerable amount of its energy, resources and expertise in building up close relations with international art managers, artists, art institutions and funding agencies. As a founding partner of the ‘Network’, a South Asia based network of artists from Pakistan (Vasl), India (Khoj International), Nepal (Sutra) and Bangladesh (Britto Arts Trust) Theertha has been able to actively promote and sustain the local artists mobility within the Asia region. Internationally Theertha has been working closely with Goethe Institute, Swedish Institute, Millegarden Museum (Stockholm), Museum of World Cultures- Frankfurt, and Museum for Far Eastern Antiquities (Stockholm) and Fukuoka Asian Art Museum. Number of Exhibitions, Residency programs and possibilities for local artists to continue their art training in abroad have opened up with these partnerships.
More recently, Theertha has started providing supportive role to artists and artists groups in other Asian countries whose is attempting to intervene in their contemporary art scenes to create innovative changes. Theertha has linked with the Maldives National Art Gallery and independent artists to initiate art exchange between Sri Lanka and Maldives.
During the period 2003 to 2006, local programs that Theertha undertook expanded considerably. The activities such as art / cultural publications in local languages, art teacher training, local artists workshops, artists skill development, providing support documentation/ information to school art curriculum, craft artists’ skill development, art exhibitions became a major part of Theertha’s yearly work plan. This expansion also had a simple logic. That is, in order to sustain a successful international art exchange program one needs to have an innovative, evolving and stimulating art community locally.
With it’s many functions in the local art community and focus on building up networks internationally, at present Theertha has become an international facilitator and art educator for local artists.
The uniqueness of Theertha is that it has been able to understand the anxieties and needs of the artists’ community identify certain lacks, formulate programs to address these and get the support of individuals and organizations to implement without being hindered by heavy bureaucracy and undue delays. This has been possible because of the network of individuals they have nurtured through the year and the relationship that Theertha has built with certain organizations. Theertha’s reputation as an independent art/ cultural group doing consistent programs in art within the larger art (theater/ dance/ music) Community has also helped in many ways. Theerth is also blessed with a very unique collection of artists as their core group and staff who have been willing to put incredible amount of energy with minimum remuneration purely for the pleasure of contributing to the program and seeing it realized. Core group has also been extremely fortunate to absorb new members consistently who are dedicated and believe in the Theertha’s vision. This has kept the energy of the Theertha going over the year since 2001 without any indication of its depletion.
(Essay compiled by Anoli Perera -Coordinator- International Art Program)