Start Off of Program in 2009 – Bagalore, India
Setusamudurum Art Project (SAP), an ambitious  undertaking by Theertha and 1 Shanthi Road started with the Sri Lankan artists arriving in Bangalore in May 2010 to initiate discussions and meeting artists as well as to hold the first good-will exhibition to keep the art connections between Sri Lanka alive and meaningful.

Jagath Weerasinghe, Anoli Perera, Anura Krishantha and Nishantha Hettiarchchi  met number of artists, some of whom have been participants  of Theertha’s international programs in the past, during their visit.  Artists such as Sureka, Suresh Jayaram,  Prabha Meppayil, Umesh Maddanahalli and others  Contributed to a fruitful and enlightening discussions on Bangalore as a transforming city and its complexities. This became a prelude to the larger discussion that Sethusamudurum Art Project hope to initiate and sustain during the next 3 years with artists in both countries. 
The discussions   went on to highlight how people relate to names of historic places  or names that has mythical and  historical references to texts such as Ramayana where Sri Lankans as well as Indians share a mythical history. The discussions elaborated on modern interpretations of mythical histories in Indian epics  and their current manifestations in soap operas that are shown in India as well as Sri Lanka.  Another topic that got attention is the Sinhalese and Tamil ethnic issue and extreme nationalism that Sri Lanka is face in the contemporary times. Contemporary society and cultural specificities of both Colombo and Bangalore were highlighted during these discussions. So many questions were raised and were left for artists to explore during the project. The project hoped that historical and mythical legacies common to Sri Lanka and India will inspire artists from both countries  to  re-look at the connections between two nations afresh  through their art. While historical connections and myths were discussed enthusiastically migrations and current changes happening in Bangalore was discussed at great length as it has impacted people’s lives, and sense of place in the recent times.   These preliminary meetings and discussions at Shanthi Road, Bangalore settled the initial tone and form to the first and second phases of  SAP where it will focus on Colombo relooking at its different aspects from a contemporary  South Indian/ Sri Lankan perspective,  delineating its contemporary narratives and juxtaposing them with its official histories. 

Theertha artists were taken on a city tour of Bangalore on a guided tour by Suresh Jayaram.

An exhibition was held at 1 Shanthi Road mounted by Theertha and the works of artists Jagath Weerasinghe, Padeep Thalawatte, Anoli Perera, Anura Krishantha, Pala Pothupitiya and Nishantha Hettiarchchi were shown.  Jagath Weerasinghe presented an overview of Sri Lankan contemporary art during the opening of the exhibition.

Artists at discussion

Theertha artists exploring Bangalore.

Theertha exhibition at 1 Shanthi Road.