The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka (MMCA Sri Lanka) invites you to participate in a series of free public programmes throughout October 2024. They are designed to offer deeper insights into their current exhibition ’Total Landscaping’ through Curator’s Tours and other educational sessions, which will help visitors explore the unique and thought-provoking works on display.
join Thinal Sajeewa, Assistant Curator at the MMCA Sri Lanka on 12 and 26 October for a Curator’s Tour of ‘Total Landscaping’ from 11 am to 12 pm. 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.
‘Total Landscaping’ also features three artist 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. In October, the MMCA Sri Lanka will offer Spotlights on these commissioned artworks, on 16, 23, and 30 October, 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.
What’s more, the participants of the Dialogue and Civic Engagement Fellowship at the MMCA Sri Lanka, offered in partnership with SEDR, will be conducting a series of public programmes responding to the three artists commissions of Anomaa Rajakaruna, Hanusha Somasundaram, and Jasmine Nilani Joseph. Bavaneedha Loganathan will lead her workshop ‘Roots and Routes’ in Tamil on 11 and 16 October, in Sinhala on 18 October, and in English on 19 October Saturday. You can join Kalyani Sundaralingam for her workshop ‘Telling a Story in One Sentence’ on 12 and 13 October in Tamil, on 18 October in Sinhala, and on 20 October in English. The Tamil sessions of Thamilini Siththiravadivel’s workshop titled ‘Telling Stories from the Ground’ will happen on 12 and 13 October, while the Sinhala session will happen on 19 October followed by the English session on 20 October.
Whether you are a seasoned art enthusiast or new to contemporary art, these free programmes provide an inclusive and educational experience that encourages critical thinking and personal reflection. The ‘Total Landscaping’ exhibition, the first Rotation of which is on display until 1 December 2024, brings together 29 contemporary artists whose works move beyond traditional depictions of landscape. Instead, these artists challenge viewers to rethink their perceptions of land, ownership, and belonging, exploring topics such as environmental change, political histories, and community disputes.
All public programmes at the MMCA Sri Lanka are free; prior registration on the Museum’s Eventbrite page is required. So come and soak up the art vibes! For more information and updates, please visit the MMCA Sri Lanka website at www.mmca-srilanka.org or follow them on Facebook (facebook.com/mmcasrilanka) and Instagram (instagram.com/mmcasrilanka).