On View
Encounters
11 February 2022–19 March 2023
Does a chance encounter between one thing and another alter how something familiar or commonplace is otherwise seen? Can two artworks placed side by side reveal something new about each of them?
This exhibition is structured as a sequence of changing displays which bring together six encounters between artworks from the 1950s to the present.
Each display revolves around and responds to a specially chosen painting drawn from the John Keells Holdings or the George Keyt Foundation art collections. The six encounters propose playful and at times contentious comparisons between the familiar and unexpected.
Visitors are invited to return to Encounters over the course of three rotations:
Rotation 1
11 February–22 May 2022
Abdul Halik Azeez
Afro-Asian Writers’ Bureau
Aubrey Collette
Martin Wickramasinghe
Permanent Bureau of Afro-Asian Writers
Senaka Senanayake
George Keyt
Pradeep Thalawatta
Asai Rasiah
George Keyt
Richard Gabriel
Susiman Nirmalavasan
Rotation 2
22 June–13 November 2022
Abdul Halik Azeez
Afro-Asian Writers’ Bureau
Aubrey Collette
Martin Wickramasinghe
Permanent Bureau of Afro-Asian Writers
Senaka Senanayake
Firi Rahman
Gamini Ratnavira
Ismeth Raheem
Laki Senanayake
Rotation 3
8 December 2022–19 March 2023
Abdul Halik Azeez
Afro-Asian Writers’ Bureau
Aubrey Collette
Martin Wickramasinghe
Permanent Bureau of Afro-Asian Writers
Senaka Senanayake
A. Mark
George Keyt
Nelun Harasgama
George Keyt
Janani Cooray
Encounters is curated by Sharmini Pereira, Chief Curator and Sandev Handy, Assistant Curator.
Exhibition and Graphic Design by Studio M: Emile Molin with Jonathan Edward assisted by Ruth Perera and Keshini Wewegama.
Translations by Kaumadi Jayaweera, Kirubalini Stephen, Miriam Naveendran, Phusathi Liyanaarachchi, Saambavi Sivaji, and Shiyalni Janarthanan.
We would like to thank all the artists, funders, and lenders for their generous support in making this exhibition possible.
Additional thanks to:
Afzal Farook
Anoja De J Seneviratne
Aravinda Dharmathilaka
C. Anjalendran
David Janszé Jr.
Dilko Samaranayake
Emile Molin
Jennifer Senanayake
Jithain Hathiramani
Jonathan Edward
Murfad Shariff
Niroshi Jayasekera
Padma Bandaranayake
Pathmanesan Prasanth
Prof. Hala Halim
Prof. Tariq Mehmood Ali
Prof. T. Sanathanan
Prof. Virinder S. Kalra
Rasika Silva
Ruvini Ekanayake and team at Crescat Boulevard
Shawnerine Abraham
Shayari de Silva
Stefan Winkler
Thisath Thoradeniya
Udaya Hewawasam
‘Encounters’ is generously supported by
Nations Trust Bank
Additional support provided by
Asian Hotels and Properties PLC
European Union
Fairfirst Insurance
Foundation for Arts Initiatives
Goethe Institut Sri Lanka
John Keells Foundation
MICD Associates
Studio M – CMB (Pvt) Ltd
Calendar
February 2023
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About
The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka is a new education-led initiative that aims to establish a public museum dedicated to the display, research, collection and conservation of Sri Lankan modern and contemporary art.
Our priority is to create a museum that is compelling, inclusive and relevant to the art histories that are unique to the contexts of Sri Lanka.
In the coming years, the museum will be defined through a process of exploration into what a museum of the future can be, who it will serve and how it will function. Through a process of reflecting aloud and in collaboration with different audiences, we hope this initiative will provide the opportunity to think about the space of a museum in different ways.
How can we approach language, class and socio-economic barriers to ensure that we are more inclusive and reflective of the contexts in which we are located? What can we learn and adapt from museums around the world? How will we contribute to the changing role of museums today? We will continue to pose these questions and those like them, in the belief that the museum it gives rise to will be better because of it.
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