Making Cinnamon Colomboscope Happen... 

Colombo’s biggest multidisciplinary arts festival “Cinnamon Colomboscope 2015” is all set to commence its third edition this August. Consisting of a Talks and Literature programme around the theme “The City. Identity. Urbanity.” and “Shadow Scenes”, a group exhibition, the festival will no doubt be an aesthete's paradise.

Cinnamon Colomboscope 2015 with kick off on Friday the 21st of August with “Preview: Cinnamon Colomboscope Talks” by Kerry Young and Naresh Fernandes, an invitation only event organised by Dilmah. The event will include an introductory reading in addition to a book signing.

Daily Mirror Life caught up with the driving forces behind the festival.

Bjoern Ketels - (Director, Goethe Institut/ President, EUNIC cluster) 

Tell us about your relationship with Colomboscope.

Colomboscope has been set up by Goethe-Institut and British Council in 2013. Together with Ranmalie Mirchandani from British Council I was very much involved in developing the format of an interdisciplinary arts festival, connecting literature and talks with other art forms under one common theme. The first edition of Colomboscope under the theme of “Identities” was very successful and encouraged other partners, like the Alliance Francaise, to get involved in the second edition under the theme of “Making History”.

Colomboscope is conceptualised and implemented by EUNIC. What can we expect from the festival?

This year Cinnamon Colomboscope brings together different artistic positions on themes like urban development, lifestyle, history and identity. The strength of the festival is the diversity of perspectives. Issues, which are locally relevant, are of importance in other parts of the world as well, and it is always interesting to see the similarities and differences of how to look at these issues, and how is dealt with them. Additionally the presentation, the format of the festival, is quite unusual and inspiring. The visual arts part titled “Shadow Scenes” is a site specific exhibition concept, which relates art works from Sri Lanka, India, and Europe to the history of the abandoned former Rio Grand Hotel. The building itself, its structure and atmosphere becomes a part of the experience, which is not the case when you exhibit in a ‘white cube’ type of gallery space.

Ajit Gunewardene - President of Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts 

Why did you choose to sponsor this event?

Colombo as the capital city of the country lacks a vibrant annual event for the arts, despite being recognised internationally as one of the fastest growing tourist cities. Cinnamon is a brand that strives to redefine contemporary Sri Lankan culture, arts, entertainment and hospitality. As such we came onboard as the title sponsor for Cinnamon Colomboscope with a vision to elevate the event in the coming years. Cinnamon Colomboscope will create an ideal platform for Sri Lankan artists and international artists to collaborate, resulting in an exchange of ideas and development of talent. The theme of urbanity and its effects on culture is a very timely and relevant theme for Colombo as it is experiencing rapid development. The EUNIC cluster in Sri Lanka comprising of the Goethe Institut, British Council and Alliance Francaise will also ensure that the event is well organised and ensure its growth in the future through their international networks.

Radhika Hettiarachchi (Curator, The City. Identity. Urbanity.) 

Tell us a little bit about Cinnamon Colomboscope 2015. What can we expect from the festival?

Cinnamon Colomboscope is Colombo's only Festival of Arts and is in its third edition. The festival this is year visual arts and talks and literature and delves in the questions about Colombo and its people. You can expect a weekend of excellent talks with interesting people that can engage on topics as diverse as the economy, urban development, theatre, spirituality, gender and sexuality and urban rap. It will be panel discussions, conversations, debates, talks and interviews, city walks, curated dinners and casual evenings at a bar with poetry and music like you've never heard in one place before. It brings together a unique group of people from here and abroad to look at Colombo and our lives as we live it, to reflect on the changes we experience with the changing nature of our city.

What is the significance of this year’s theme: "The city. Identity. Urbanity"?

This year's theme focuses on Colombo as the city we live in and as a city that has experienced rapid changes in its urban spaces, accessibility, social and economic mobility, its political space and its expression of urbanity. In this sense, this year's theme looks at Colombo - the city, as a space and a physical place that is changing before our eyes. It then reflects on how as citizens we are responding to this change emotionally and psychologically, in terms of our identities and our sense of belonging or upheaval as well as how we 'become' urban to match the spirit of the time.

Tell us about the locations you have chosen for the talks & literature segment, and why?

The locations are all around Slave Island this year, because it is a part of our city that will look radically different in a few years. We all remember Slave Island and old favourites like Fountain Café that in our lifetime will look completely different. So it is apt that we talk about Colombo that is 'living' the change affecting not only the skyline but also the lives of the people that can no longer live there because of it. The Rio Hotel was once the epitome of modernity and now lies in ruin after it was razed during the 83 riots; from Cinnamon Lakeside one can see the development around Beira Lake and the now stalled Lotus Tower; The Masonic Hall has stood at this location and seen the city change around it; the Castle Hotel has been an iconic building and watering hole in Slave Island that has stood the test of time. Seems like the perfect place to spend a weekend reflecting on our city!

What were the criteria when selecting local and international panelists?

They are all experts or enthusiasts in various fields be it literature, the economy, design and development, business, gourmands, visual arts, theatre and music, historians and urban planners. The criteria were only what interesting, at times controversial, but undeniably unique perspectives we could bring to this year's Colomboscope.

Interviewed by Rihaab Mowlana