Photography exhibition to memorialise vibrancy of Sri Lanka’s street life

From left: Moderator Dimitri Crusz, Streets of Colombo founders Johaan Latiff, David Blacker, member of panel of judges Dominic Sansoni, Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts Content and Brand Vice President Brandon Ingram, and Area Vice President Kamal Munasinghe - Pic by Sameera Wijesinghe

By Divya Thotawatte 

In an effort to memorialise the vibrant colours of the cities of Sri Lanka, Streets of Colombo (SOC) has partnered with Cinnamon Colombo Hotels in organising ‘Discovery’, a candid photography exhibition showcasing evocative daily life captures by selected participants.

The exhibition will be held from 17 to 21 December this year. Leading up to the event, the organisers are also to host more events such as curated street walks and mini exhibitions while involving more photographers and photography clubs. The exhibition was named ‘Discovery’ because through it, not only would unique and daily life incidents and parts of Colombo be portrayed and memorialised, but the works would also reveal the talents of different photographers in the country, said the organisers. 

Narrating how the exhibition came to be, SOC Founder, Creative Director and Visual Entrepreneur Johann Latiff explained, “SOC started casually, a few photographers got together to capture the streets of Fort and Pettah which are the favourite venues for Sri Lankan street photographers. As time went on, the number of our members increased and we realised this year we should do something to showcase the work that we have shot.” 

Latiff added that the exhibition was a way to give back to where the work and pictures showcased were originated from– the people of the city and its streets. He explained that while working as a street photographer would make one feel as if they were taking things away from the street, the exhibition was an opportunity to give back to society since the larger percentage of gains from the event are meant for charity.

Cinnamon Hotels and Resorts Colombo Area Vice President Kamal Munasinghe said: “Our motto at Cinnamon Hotels is to bring the best of Sri Lanka to the world with a touch of elegance. So we always try to live this purpose and seek new opportunities and partnerships through which we can promote Sri Lanka as a destination.”

The partnership with SOC allowed them to achieve their purpose since street photography is a popular attraction around the world which would also portray what the destination offered. The exhibition would highlight places of interest and unique things that travellers could experience in Sri Lanka.

New travellers always looked for opportunities to experience the country as locals do, and street photography could allow people to view the country through multiple different aspects, angles and perspectives of people, which would attract more attention to Sri Lanka and the country as well, Munasinghe elaborated. 

Cinnamon Hotels Marketing and Brand Vice President Brandon Ingram said that most hospitality brands attempted to create an image that is not entirely authentic and is sometimes untouchable and over-touched and which was not always the most appealing aspect of the country. 

“With social media in our lives and the access to information we have right now, what people are looking for is to go to destinations and experience the raw and true nature of what those destinations have to offer. A project like SOC allows us to see the country in a whole new light. Not only for those who come from overseas, but even for those who live in Colombo, there are so many mysteries that are untouched or unexplored,” he said. 

People from around the country were able to take part in a competition to showcase their works in Discovery; the exhibition. Therefore, even though the focus is on streets of Colombo, photography capturing street life from around the country would be considered where a panel of judges including the renowned photographer Dominic Sansoni would select works to be displayed at the exhibition.  Latiff further added that it was important to “have a long lead-up” to the exhibition because of their focus to involve as many brands and sponsors as possible. He said that there was still an opportunity for potential sponsors to participate in the event.