The bilingual site devoted to the cultural life in Sri Lanka and in France                                                        
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Le site bilingue consacré à la vie culturelle au Sri Lanka et en France



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TRESORS DES ARTS ASIATIQUES (TREASURES OF ASIAN ARTS)

In the Cernuschi Museum, Paris, from the 11th February to the 14th May 2000, was hold the exhibition :

"Trésors des Arts Asiatiques" (Treasures of Asian Arts).
Anthology of the collection of Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller III, Asia Society, New York.

Seen in the Catalogue (realized by scientific experts of the Asia Society).

The dating of ancient Sri Lankan statues remains problematic. There are only two main stylistic categories. The most ancient sculptures belong to the Anuradhapura style, from the name of the first capital (till the 10th Century).
Later works are classified under the Polonnaruva style, using the name of the second capital (993-1235) which has been established following the attacks from the powerful Cola Empire of South India.

The Bodhisattva with four arms is unidentified. It presents some iconography and stylistic characteristics in comparison with the Anuradhapura style, and recalls the crossed stylistic influences that take place at this time in the Buddhist art of South and Southeast Asia. It belongs to a whole of statues which are generally attributed to the 7th and 8th Century...


Bodhisattva - Sri Lanka
VI-VIIIth Century, H: 0,222

REFERENCE : Catalogue of the exhibition, Ed. Findakly.

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Daily News, Colombo
Wednesday November 15th 2000
Peter Cassie-Chitty

French to use Sri Lanka as hub for trade with Asian markets

Mr. François Turcas, President of the "Confédération des Petites et Moyennes Entreprises" and the head of the "French Investment Delegation" said the favourable business climate in Sri Lanka has prompted the French industrialists to utilize Sri Lanka as a hub for their trade with India, Pakistan, Malaysia and other Eastern countries. It will make Sri Lanka as the main base for French market in the East and South Asia.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding, signed between the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce and the CGPME, an annual Trade Delegation Visit will be arranged from the Rhône-Alpes region and a Sri Lankan Trade Delegation will visit France every year. A French desk will be opened at the Chamber of Commerce to facilitate the trade dialogues.

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"ART LINK 2000 WORKSHOP"
From the September 25th to the October 4th 2000.
Culture Club, Kandalama, Sri Lanka
.

The Alliance Française, the British Council, the Goethe Institute and the Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts have organized this annual artistic event. Artlink welcomes national and international artists: this year, 12 Sri-Lankan artists and 7 participants from UK, Germany, France, India, Australia and Thailand. Following the workshop, their realizations were exhibited at the Gallery 706, Colombo.

This event was co-sponsored by "Connaissance de Ceylan Ltd." and "Sri Lankan Airlines Ltd.".


    George Keyt, 1990.  

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EDOUARD MANET (1832-1883) HONOURED...

PARIS, Musée d'Orsay
1, rue de la Légion d'Honneur.
Tel : (00) (33) 1 40 49 48 14

11th October 2000 - 7th January 2001
74 paintings drawings et engravings

    MANET,
    Still lives.

A painter can express what he wants with fruits or flowers or even clouds.
You know, I would like to be the Saint Francisco of still life

Flowers in a crystal vase, 1882.
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Collection


Manet was tired with the academic and history paintings, all these "grandes machines" that overcrowd the painting of his time; he devoted a great importance to still life and considered it as the "touchstone of the painter".

Discover more

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THE PRASANNA VITHANAGE CONTROVERSY

"Pura Handa Kaluwara", by Prasanna Vithanage, was to be screened on the 28th of July in the main film halls in Sri Lanka. Following a governmental decision, this launching has been postponed. Authorities express concern about the possible consequences on the military morale of this showing. Many personalities belonging to the film community have formed a Committee, which intend to look at this matter.

"Pura Handa Kaluwara" (Death on a Full Moon Day) has been screened at the Alliance Française de Colombo the 14th of February at the occasion of a "Festival of recent Sri Lankan Films". Previously, the jury of Amiens International Film Festival (France) which was held from the 5th of November to the 14th of November 1999 honored this film by giving it the top prize. In a very sober manner, this film denounces the absurdity of war through the story of a blind old man who denies the death of his son.

Prasanna Vithanage, born in 1962, entered to the field of arts getting involved in theater. Particularly, he translated and directed some works of Bernard Shaw (1986) and Dario Fo (1991). He directed his first film Sisila Gini Gani (Ice on fire) in 1992 and from then won many national and international awards. Pura Handa Kaluwara is his fourth realization.

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Maestro Khemadasa celebrates his 64th birthday.

  

Maestro Kalakeerthi Premasiri Khemadasa, one of the most talented Sri Lankan musicians with a vast knowledge of theory and practice in both the Eastern and Western musical domains, celebrated his 64th birthday on January 25.

Three films, "Nidhanaya" and "Golu Hadawatha" directed by Lester James Peiris, and "Bambaru Avith" directed by Dharmasena Pathiraja, for which music was composed by Premasiri Khemadasa and acclaimed as landmarks in the history of local film music, were screened at the Elphinstone Theatre, Maradana on January 25 under the patronage of Dr. Lester James Peiris, Mrs. Sumithra Peiris and Dharmasena Pathiraja to mark this event.

"Khemadasa in Concert" organized by the "Khemadasa Foundation" depicting the famous music interludes from the landmark films and also the new opera named "Sama", and cello music items were also staged in the same venue on January 26 at 6.30 p.m.

At this colorful evening, the Sri Lankan music lovers had the rare opportunity to be comforted by a handful of water from the ocean of Premasiri Khemadasa's unique musique, so did we, Suriyakantha.

At 6.30 p.m. the entrance of the Elphinston Theatre was full of people who were waiting for the concert. As soon as the doors were opened, the whole theatre was fully packed and there were many more who were standing without getting a seat. But even they had prepared themselves not to lose this golden opportunity and they stayed untill the show ended without feeling any uncomfort. The students who had been lucky enough to study music in the Foundation under the guidance of Premasiri Khemadasa, showed their colours at their best throughout the show.

After the last item of the show, the well wishers rushed to the stage to wish a happy birthday to their beloved musician, maestro Khemadasa.

"Suriyakantha" also wishes maestro Khemadasa a very happy birthday and long life.

Suriyakantha

Born on January 25, 1937 at Talpitiya, Wadduwa, Khemadasa was educated at Sri Sumangala Vidyalaya and St. John's College, Panadura.

Having a habit of playing the flute, later he joined the Radio Ceylon Orchestra as a flutist.

His first film to compose music was "Rodi Kella" directed by Sirisena Wimalaweera. But the turning point of his career was when he composed music for the film "Sanasuma Kothanada" directed by K.A.W. Perera.

Khemadasa says that even he himself cannot remember the number of the films for which he has composed music, but it may be 150.

"I can still remember what Karangia, a famous woman critic in India, wrote in her column in the Times of India after seeing the film "Golu Hadawatha" had said Khemadasa to the Sunday Observer, 21st January 2001.

"This will be a guideline to our music directors in India" she had stated in her article in 1968.

"The public will also get the opportunity of viewing my new opera "Sama" (Peace) in April this year. I am always trying to do something new and my new creations will be released shortly" he quips.

"But, now I have dedicated myself to groom the talented music students for the country. For the past seven years, I have done this on a voluntary basis. Most of these students are from the low income group families in remote areas and my prime objective is to see them reach the international standard", he concluded.

Spanning over 40 years as a music composer and conductor in applied music, film music, theatre music, tele-drama music, classical music, symphony and cantata, the "Master" has proved his prowess in the respective fields .

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