Theertha International Artists Residency  2007 was held from  18 July to 14th August 2007.  Imran Ahmed Khan (Pakistan), Mariyam Naeema Omar (Maldives), Leung Wee Ping (Hongkong) , Pradeep Chandrasiri, Vijitha Bandara and Sameera Macan Marker participated in the residency program.

While each residency program would have its own focus the overall emphasis of residencies are meant to support new ideas and experimental art making that would be different to the art practices the participating artists engage in their regular art practice.  A specific theme was not suggested and the artists were expected to find their own ideas explored within the local context.

The artists who participated had their own different approaches to art making.  Theertha’s intension was to make the artists think beyond their usual art approaches and theme and embark on experimenting with new ideas. Theertha also emphasized the need to connect and collaborate on art ideas. During the 4 weeks of stay the artists were able to come out with a very interesting and diverse array of work. It was also extremely interesting to see how artists were able to move onto a different methodology or transfer the techniques on to other surfaces and presentations.

The work “Implode” by Imran Ahamed reflected on the “Simple physical manifestation for the theotarical question; Why does society unconsciously create a gun culture? A toy gun is cast in metal to create a morbid, almost real feel. His installation investigated the correlation of the organic human eye with that of the mechanical which was a thought provoking work.

Mariyam Omar was mainly a painter working with the oil medium and canvas. A young artist from Maldives this was her first instance of participation in an international art forum. Theertha has been investing its energy on building close relations with Maldives since 2006 and has been working with the Maldivian National Art Gallery to sustain a healthy exchange of artists that would stimulate the local art scene in Maldives. Mariam Omar attempted an video work coupling it with a series of paintings was fused with objects. She also used non conventional painting mediums such as coffee and natural colours found in the environment.

‘Don’t Blame the Moon’, an Video Installation was done my Leung Wee Ping from Hongkong. She chose to interact with the school children whom she met at various places in Sri Lanka. Her video work recorded some of their responses to the question inquiring about their future ambitions.  The video captured various children with different religious background, standing and telling their personal ambition in front of various religious praying scenes was interpreted by the artist as process of “We” being “Me.

Sameera Macan Marker, a primarily a painter did a series of works in pencil and acrylic on canvas on allures of the world of global capitalism.  Her work looks at the manipulation of symbols, logos, brand names within the advertising world.

Pradeep Chandrasiri tried to deal and transfer his own sense of restlessness, confusion and the uncertainty in the current political moment of Sri Lankan context. Vijitha Bandara’s work shifted between the art and craft ideas where he did a series of work on the theme of ‘ curious objects’.

The artists presented their art portfolios at the Artists Talk held at the Red Dot Gallery. The invited audience was mostly art students from University of Visual and Performing Arts and Fine Arts Department, University of Kelaniya, Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts. Around 45 people attended the artists talk.
The exhibition was held at the Red Dot Gallery from 19th to 28th August 2007. There were around 130 people who attended the exhibition opening.