Madi to Colombo Art Biennale

Colombo Art Biennale (CAB) aims to strengthen the platform and enhance awareness of the strength and talent of Sri Lankan contemporary art and culture both within Sri Lanka and abroad.

This years Biennale is themed 'conceiving space' and focuses on Unity and Reconcilation through Conceived Space as well as Community Engagement.

As a Spatial Design student I am volunteering to assist at the biennale, working along side the projects of architects and designers.

My involvement/assistance in CAB:

• Building the 1:50 model of the Community Centre

- Helping to construct a model of the proposed community centre designed by Juhani Palasma so that the people of Columbo have an idea of what it to come.

• Working in the collaboration with Assemble/OMA and local people

- Assisting on a collaborative project that in based in the centre of Slave Island based on the traditional techniques of craft and materials of Sri Lanka. Madelon and Assemble are hosting small, improvised workshops which I have the opportunity to join. In these workshops Madelon and Assemble will work with residents, mixing local contemporary oral histories and folklore to create a series of small, animate sculptures, which will populate the rooftops and streets of Slave Islands.

• Working on an installation with Prof Alex Lehnerer

-Alex with assistance will be constructing an installation on the rooftop of a local residence in Slave Island. Visitors will be able to visit the installation and experience a birds’ eye view of the local area and the Colombo Art Biennale festivities.

• Participating in a symposium on taking architectural education into the community.

-A group discussion will be lead by Associate Professor Tony van Raat from Auckland University of Technology .

• Working with Cecil Balmond

-Balmond Studio will design and construct an Art/Architecture Installation in Slave Island.