Würth Lanka supports local artists at Colombo Art Biennale 2014

Saturday, 22 February 2014 11:31 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Würth Lanka Ltd. – the German based multinational supplying the motor vehicle after market – was the proud sponsor of Mahen Perera and Koralagedera Pushpakumara, two versatile and talented local artists at the prestigious third Colombo Art Biennale (CAB) 2014. This sponsorship was arrived at subsequent to the Sri Lanka visit of Professor Reinhold Würth – Chairman of Würth AG Germany and his commitment to the German Ambassador to support local arts and culture – who represented the CAB 2014 organising committee. Professor Würth is a strong believer and supporter of arts and culture and its inter-relationship with management

practices and good governance. As part of the sponsorship arrangement, both Mahen and Pushpakumara will each present a single work of art to the Würth Art Gallery in Germany. “We are very pleased to be associated with the third Colombo Art Biennale 2014 as part of our commitment to support talented Sri Lankan artists while acknowledging the global commitment of the Würth Group in supporting the arts and culture,” said Rohan Amirthiah, Managing Director of Würth Lanka. Mahen has been trained in multi-disciplinary design at the National Design Center in Colombo prior to moving Singapore to pursue his BA in Fine Arts at the Lasalle College of Fine Arts which is affiliated to the Open University, UK. He was awarded a first class honors degree and was the recipient of the prestigious Winston Oh Travel Award in 2007 which allowed him to undergo a month long residency at the Prague. Mahen has exhibited his works in many countries including in Sri Lanka, Singapore and Vietnam and works mainly with found objects and material detritus that are often ignored, and seeks to analyse and challenge the conventional language used to talk about issues of identity and representation. Pushpakumara works in many genres, including painting, sculpture, poster design and set and costume design, and has exhibited extensively in Sri Lanka. In addition, he has taken part in many international workshops and group exhibitions in India, Sweden, Pakistan and the Netherlands. He has received many local awards including First Place for Painting in 1995 at the Youth Services Council Award Festival, as well as in the State Awards Festival 1999. Wurth Lanka plans to support and patronise culture and art in the future as well.