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Exhibition Program
Theertha exhibition program has two purposes in mind. One is to promote experimental, innovative and critically engaging work of contemporary art within Sri Lankan and internationally and the other is to consistently work on building and expanding informed art audiences with Sri Lanka . All exhibitions held and sponsored by Theertha are formulated within an ideological framework that is informed by these two purposes.
Ideologically, Theertha, supports such as the art of the 90’ Trend. It is a trend of art that challenged the existing aesthetics, methodologies and ideology in art making. Theertha has always emphasized and encouraged innovative and experimental ideas among artists. Through group exhibitions such as Urban and the Individual, and solo exhibitions such as Celestial Underwear by Jagath Weerasinghe (Finomenal Space Gallery), Goddesses Descending by Anoli Perera (Studio @ HW Architects), Ka Ga Ja by Sujith Ratnayake (Studio @ HW Architects), The Maze by Bandu Manamperi and G. R. Constantine (Lionel Wendt Gallery), (A)critical Intimacy (Harold Peiris Gallery) and Contemporary Sri Lankan Art (GTZ Colombo Office), Arte Curioso (Red Dot Gallery) and more recently solo shows of Pradharshana Wasanthaya (Red Dot Gallery) Theertha has showcased innovative artworks of contemporary artists. Relatively new art forms to Sri Lanka such as performance art, earth works and installations got the opportunity and forums to expand and evolve at Theertha sponsored events. In additions to the above, numerous exhibition in relation to international residencies and women artists programs have tried to present experimental and new trends in art to the art community and the art audiences in Colombo.
As part of building audiences, large emphasis was given by Theertha to stimulate the school level art education during this period. A large education exhibition on 20th Century Sri Lankan Art History was compiled which travelled to number of location in 2005 and 2006. It managed to draw large crowds of students in the places they were exhibited providing them an opportunity to expand their art historical knowledge.
About Swanee Jayawardane (1930 – 2010) and the Exhibition
Swanee Jayawardane was born in 1930 in Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. She studied at Good Shepherd Convent, Kotahena. In 1949 she joined St. Bishop’s Colledge , a private girls’ school situated in Colombo 3, as an art teacher. At the age of 21, in 1951 she married Harold Jayawardane, an award winning sportsman and a sports journalist. They had two daughters, Manel Maria Jayawardane, Manik Teresa Neydorff and a son, late Rohan Jayawardane. >>>
Exhibitions Archive: 2011