Background of Theertha:

Theertha International Artists Workshop is a venture started by the Theertha International Artists Collective in Sri Lanka . Theertha is an autonomous, artists led non-profit initiative based in Colombo . It was established in 2000 to facilitate artistic community in innovation, experimentation, exchange and dialogue within Sri Lanka and to build partnerships with the international art community. Theertha International Artists Workshop 2001 held in September 2001 was the first project undertaken by Theertha. The second workshop was held in September 2003. Read more>>

Workshop Description:

The participating artists will be living and working in the workshop site for fourteen days. The immediate aim of the workshop is to function as an experimental art-laboratory. To create a atmosphere where artists from different geographical parts of the world as well as from different parts within Sri Lanka , setting up a non hierarchical work situation where exchange and transfer of knowledge, energy and skills could take place as an intensely lived experience.

First and foremost the workshop will be led by the aspirations of those involved. Consideration has therefore been taken to select artists who will stimulate and contribute to the course of the workshop.

The artists are allowed to explore many possibilities keeping the collaborative and interface idea in mind. Artists are also encouraged to use locally available material and to respond to the context of the workshop site itself.

All artists will be encouraged to give simple, informal presentations about their practice, where they are from and the work of their contemporaries. Given the variety of backgrounds of many of the participants, this process will concentrate on the profile of the individual or group as a way of allowing the dynamics of the workshop as a whole to find common ground from which they might build and identify areas of exchange and areas for exploration. Artists will be provided a forum for discussion and dialogue.

Emphasis of the workshop will not be placed on achievement but on experimentation, discussion and the realizing of modest collaborative projects.

Proposed Dates :

19 March 2 April 2006

Location:

Hantana, an area situated in the hills country of Colombo . Hantana is one of the mountain ranges and is also a better known mountainous eco systems in Sri Lanka . Kandy is a historically significant town as it was the last kingdom of Sri Lanka before the British captured Sri Lanka in 1815.

Participating Artists:

Number of participants:

16-18 artists (International and Sri Lankan artists). .

Eligibility:

Artists who have completed their academic training (who are not enrolled as students in any art institution) and who are young to mid career artists doing experimental work.

Accommodation and Meals:

A Shared accommodation will be provided. Since there is limited space available there will be sharing of one room by two or three people.

Modest meals consisting mainly of Sri Lankan dishes will be served for Breakfast, lunch and dinner. There will be an arrangement where artists are free to make their own tea and coffee.

Allowances:

The participating artists would be paid an allowance during the workshop.

For international artists, pre and post workshop accommodation arrangement and a allowance for meals etc. will be given up to two days before workshop and two days after workshop only if the reasons of stay is due to unavailability of international flights.

Art material:

We will provide a very modest allowance for artists to attend to the material needed for their artwork. However, since we have very limited funding for material we hope that artists would not aspire for very expensive art material. We hope that artists would use the locally available material. A wide range of materials are found in the local market for experimentation. The paint material that would be provided if needed would be acrylic based paint (water based industrial paint) and lacquers (glossy oil based industrial paint) which are freely available in the market. If needed, locally produced canvases and cloth material can be made available for painters. If there are any special paints, instruments and materials that artists need we advice them to bring it with them or make arrangements to buy it at the artist's own expense. However, artists are very strongly encouraged to make use of local resources.

Providing very specialized services will not be possible and hi-tech equipment like computers, video recorders and specialized photo processing facilities will not be available at the workshop.

Artwork:

Transportation of the art works produced in the workshop to Colombo will be done by Theertha if required. Thereafter, the storing or transporting the artwork back to their own studios and home countries would be the responsibility of the artists themselves.

Cost of International Travel:

International artists are encouraged to find their own funding for the air travel as workshop runs with a very limited budget. However, Theertha will try to help the artists raise funding by providing necessary documentation. At the same time Theertha would try their best to fundraise for international travel.

Documentation

The video documentation and a catalogue will be published on the workshop, which will be circulated locally and internationally.

Address and Contact for Theertha Working Committee :

Theertha International Artists Collective.

36 A, Baddegana Road South , Pita Kotte. Sri Lanka .

Coordinator: Anoli Perera

Asst. Coordinator: Thisath Thoradeniya

Email:

anoli@slt.lk 

theerthaiace@yahoo.com

Tele: 00 94 11 5522392/ 4406019

Fax : 00 94 11 5527402