The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka (MMCA Sri Lanka) holds a series of free public programs this month. They are designed to offer deeper insights into their exhibition ’Total Landscaping’ through Curator’s Tours and other educational sessions, which will help visitors explore the unique and thought-provoking works on display.
Assistant Curator at the MMCA Sri Lanka Thinal Sajeewa will guide participants through the artworks on display, sharing his knowledge about how these pieces reflect the various ways in which land has been represented, transformed, and contested throughout the history of Sri Lanka. The tour will shed light on the different artistic techniques used in the artworks, from installations and paintings to films and photography, allowing visitors to appreciate their complexity and context.
A program themed ‘Total Landscaping’ features three artists’ commissions by contemporary artists Anomaa Rajakaruna, Hanusha Somasundaram, and Jasmine Nilani Joseph. Specially commissioned by the MMCA Sri Lanka for this exhibition, in partnership with the Supporting Effective Dispute Resolution (SEDR) project, these pieces facilitate dialogue about conflict, land ownership, and the root causes of land-based disputes within local communities. The MMCA Sri Lanka will offer spotlights on these commissioned artworks on October 23, and 30, from 11 am to 12 pm. Led by a Visitor Educator from the museum, these spotlight sessions give participants the opportunity to delve deep into the story behind the works, learning about its artistic significance and research background.
The participants of the Dialogue and Civic Engagement Fellowship at the MMCA Sri Lanka, offered in partnership with SEDR, will conduct a series of public programs responding to the three artists’ commissions of Anomaa Rajakaruna, Hanusha Somasundaram and Jasmine Nilani Joseph. Kalyani Sundaralingam will hold her workshop ‘Telling a Story in One Sentence’ on October 20 in English.
The English session of the workshop titled ‘Telling Stories from the Ground’ will be held today.
These free programs provide art enthusiasts an inclusive educational experience that encourages critical thinking and personal reflection. The ‘Total Landscaping’ exhibition, the first Rotation of which is on display until December 1, 2024, brings together 29 contemporary artists whose works move beyond traditional depictions of landscape.
These artists challenge viewers to rethink their perceptions of land, ownership, and belonging, exploring topics such as environmental change, political histories, and community disputes.
