‘Art Connect’ by Colombo Fashion Week creates unique creative expression

In its 14th year since inception, under the theme ‘Celebrate Colombo’, the premier HSBC Colombo Fashion Week includes a new initiative and a project where fashion meets art. This project is called ‘Art Connect’, which exemplifies the connection between the creative streams of fashion and art. Art Connect is presented by The Residences by One Galle Face.

Art Connect will be the first of the series of events during the week of CFW; it is the Colombo Fashion Week kick-off event. Colombo Fashion Week this year celebrates Colombo under the theme ‘Celebrate Colombo’ in association with the Sri Lanka Tourism.

For the first time five major artists will come together to create work that is inspired by fashion. Their means of expression are distinctly unique and each has picked up an element of fashion to create on. 

Colombo Fashion Week CEO Fazeena Rajabdeen, who was instrumental in putting this together says, “We really wanted to create an event or a project where there is a meaningful interaction between fashion and art. We wanted the artists to have a feel for it so that it does not remain just on the surface. I went about looking for a ‘fit’ that will define what we were looking for; I met Chamika and this journey started. This will be very interesting and the venue will perfectly represent the creative work.”

The name of the exhibition is quite apt; it’s called ‘Second Skin’, closely representing fashion. This will be a first of sorts. Each artist will create five pieces each and it will be exhibited at a unique venue in Colombo on the evening of 13 March. 

The five important artists have never worked together on an exhibition of this nature before. They are – Kingsley Gunathilaka – His journey in life reflected through abstract art on canvas with the mixing of colour insisting on an ‘uncomplicated space free of problems’. 

Mahen Perera – His work explores the innate mutability of materials that gravitate between painting and sculpture; how permutation reconstructs and provides new stimuli for visual perception.

Sanjeewa Kumara – He explores the use of lush, sensual imagery, and how the collision of Western pop culture and the South Asian Islands post colonial legacy impacts his imagination. 

Pala Pothupitiye – He confronts issues such as colonialism, nationalism, religious extremism and extends his inquiry to questions of caste, the distinction between arts and crafts, tradition and modernity. 

Sanjaya Geekiyanage – He uses copper as a medium for his work; evoking different colours from the material. His is an unusual technique of wrecking the copper and reassembling it for sculptures.

The curator of this exhibition is Chamika De Alwis, Chartered Architect by profession, but passionate about art, he has worked closely with Fazeena to create this.

This collaboration will create an exciting exhibition and an event that will add to interesting things that Colombo as a city has to offer. The week also aims to showcase Colombo as a city that comes together with different creative streams that can be experienced during Colombo Fashion Week.

HSBC Colombo Fashion Week takes deep pride in introducing its partners who have understood the vision behind CFW and take great interest in raising the standards of fashion and making a mark internationally – HSBC, Hilton Colombo, Sri Lanka Tourism Board, Jaguar Land Rover, Colombo Jewellery Stores, Unilever – Ponds BB, Etisalat, Wineworld, Olu Tropical Water, Vision Care, Ramani Fernando Salons, One Galle Face, Leo Burnett and Arc Worldwide, Quintessentially Ceylon and Emerging Media.