Uniting design and music Sharmini Pereira at SLDF 2021

Press Play is billed as one of the most interesting aspects of The Sri Lanka Design Festival which runs from 15th-17th January. Hosted by the Chief Curator, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka Sharmini Pereira, Press Play is a series of playlists conceived by the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka in collaboration with artists, designers, curators, art historians, and arts organisations in Sri Lanka. The full playlist wil

Changing the fortunes of Sri Lankan crafts Victoria Walker at SLDF 2021

Shining a spotlight on the need to preserve the cultural heritage of local artisans while empowering them through design Sri Lanka Design Forum 2021 will witness a unique discourse by Victoria Walker. AODs Design For Sustainable Development Foundation Honorary Chair Victoria Walker, a passionate flagbearer for the craft movement elucidates a unique narration of Sri Lankan Crafts & the new world.

2021 Year of the “Xin Chou” Yin Metal OX

The Year 2021 is year known as The Year of the Yin Metal OX – Xin Chou Ox is the 2nd animal in the 12 Chinese zodiac signs and is part of the Earth Cycle in the cycle of the season of five elements in Feng

Podi Jothi launches new studio and band

Popular singer T. M. Joldersma popularly known as Podi Jothi has now launched his fully equipped production studio titled J’Tunes Entertainment. He also formed a new music band called ‘Amazing Gang’ comprising eight talented musicians and this outfit will be tunefully launched soon. J’Tunes at Divul

Kavindya Thennakoon Flying the flag for Change Makers at SLDF 2021

Kavindya Thennakoon is a positive change-maker that looks at solving problems in a practical way, especially when it comes to education. Billed as a change maker Kavindya will chair discussions at SLDF 2021. Driven by passion tempered with fearlessness Kavindya is an active campaigner for social justice. In 2014 she won both the Harvard Global Trailblazer Award and the inaugural Queen’s Young Leader Award for a community service project that s

Making a living

The past two years have not been favourable to many people, having lost jobs, taken salary cuts and other losses and reductions that affected their income. There was no choice in the matter. Whilst a number went into great depression and

The Craft of Architecture RUCHI Jeyanathan at SLDF 2021

Drawing parallels between traditional crafts and architecture and exploring the challenges both face in this age of extreme consumerism, as well as speed and scale of development, Ruchi Jeyanathan talks about the practice of keeping detail oriented conversations alive through the semantics of construction, an open ear to available elements, bringing the right craftsmen on board

Grammy Awards postponed to March 14, Recording Academy says

The Grammy Awards ceremony due to take place on Jan. 31 has been rescheduled to March 14 because of the coronavirus surge in Los Angeles, organizers said on Tuesday. The Recording Academy and broadcaster CBS said in a joint statement that the ceremony to present the highest honors in the music industry had been delayed after talks with health experts and musicians

Artist Spotlight of SLDF 2021 Anoma Wijewardene

SLDF 2021, billed as Sri Lanka’s first ever virtual design festival to showcase and highlight ‘Designed and Made in Sri Lanka’ will take place from 15th -17th January 2021. This event will see the participation of respected genre leaders such as artist Anoma Wijewardene who has been selected as the Artist Spotlight of SLDF 2021. An alumna of Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts, in London, Anoma has exhibited in many international cit

military aviators Pavithra Gunaratne and Rangana Weerawardana

Last November, Pilot Officers Pavithra Gunarathne and Rangana Weerawardana attached to the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) made history as the first Lady Officers to be awarded the prestigious Flying Brevet thereby becoming the pioneering female military aviators of Sri Lanka. With that, they also proved that women could still achieve their dreams even in a largely male-dominated environment. This month Women at Work speaks to two vibrant ladies who w

Jaffna Int’l Film Fest opens Lifetime Achievement Award to K. S. Sivakumaran

The sixth edition of the Jaffna International Cinema Festival opened recently with the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to senior journalist and film critic K. S. Sivakumaran. The 6th edition of the festival will continue during the next 3 months upto March 25, 2021, in keeping with the current health and safety guidelines. The festival spearheaded by Agenda 14 led by glob

2021 The new normal in travel

The year that concluded was catastrophic for the travel and tourism industry. The pandemic saw many planes grounded, fleets reduced and some airlines collapse and drift into oblivion. Industry personnel too suffered tremendously wit

IN CONVERSATION with SANDUN SENEVIRATNE ON ‘VIKAARI’ SCREAMFEST 2020 AND FEATURING ON DUST

It’s truly been a year for the arts as Sandun Seneviratne’s short-film ‘Vikaari’ wins ‘Best Short Film’ at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival 2020. Screamfest is the longest running and largest horror film festival in the US and has premier

An open suggestion to Prime Minister from veteran dramatist Namel Weeramuni Create a fund for theatre sans burden to govt.

Of all the arts in Sri Lanka, theatre is the most uncared, neglected, considered not necessary for the development of societal values, and most importantly the sense of reflection of the embedding of humanity or compassion amongst the populace which seem to be fast disappearing from the minds of the present-day society. It’s very saddening, reg

DVD, Blue Ray of 100 Plus Landmark show released

The much awaited live recording of the landmark concert ‘100 Plus’ organized by Damayantha Kuruppu is now available on DVD and Blue ray.

This is Christmas

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” This extremely popular Christmas song was written by Edward Pola and George Wyle in 1963. The song is a celebration and description of activities associated with the Christmas season, focus

Christmas in the Pandemic

Round yon virgin mother and child, Sleep in heavenly sleep… This Christmas carol captures the essence of the festival which is held to celebrate the Nativity of Baby Jesus who Christians beli

Quarantine Home Bakers

In this series, we talk to people who turned their passion for food and baking into a business idea amidst lockdown and COVID-19 fears. Some have been in the market for years and others saw the new opportunity and took it! These home b

Hot Smoked Salmon & Thai Green Mango Salad

Ingredients for six as part of shared meal

’Tis the Season for iving

Christmas is the season for giving, sharing and spreading love. Almost all communities are engaged in some sort of giving during Christmas. Giving back to your community or society is as good for you as it is for those you are helping becaus

All I want for Christmas

We are just days away from Christmas, one of the most joyous festivals of the year which brings hope and happiness to many. Christmas for Christians is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ while non Christians use the occasion to get together with family and friends and celebrate the message of love and hope. 2020 has been a year that can be described as “ann

Rev. Fr. Benedict Joseph 50 years as a shepherd of God

On December 19, Rev. Fr. Benedict Joseph, the writer, TV, radio and print media personality, celebrates the Golden jubilee of his priesthood. On December 19, 1970 the late Thomas Cardinal Cooray ordained Fr. Benedict as a Priest of the Catholic Church at St. Lucia’s Cathedral, Kotahena. Since then he has served as a TV, radio, cinema and print media personality in Sri Lanka. At present he is working as a lecturer and consultant at the Aquinas Uni

Remembering Dharmadasa Walpola

Yester-year singing hero Dharmadasa Walpola’s 37th death anniversary falls on December 25. Despite his absence in the singing scene for such a long period, he is yet a favourite among tens of thousands of Sri Lankan music fans.

Mental Health Allies Are we helping create a safe, judgement-free space?

“I told my parents I was struggling. That I felt like I was drowning. I tried and tried to explain to them that I was depressed. They laughed and told me I was being dramatic like everyone in my generation” Namali* shared. “Then one day, I self-harmed.”

Miracle Cures

As we approach the end of the calendar year it appears that those with crazy ideas in Sri Lanka are coming out of the woodwork faster than wood lice after a dry rot treatment. With the world in sea

Festive dishes for vegetarians…

CARROT GINGER SOUP

Vegetarian Pate en Croute

In a large pot, over medium heat, sauté the onion in the margarine for a few minutes. Add

How to raise a good parent

I have been writing this column for many a year and as my four children have grown over the years, so has my input into th

Powerful symbols

The energy in our bodies, the energy of our minds and the energy of our surroundings have a deep and profound impact on our lives. Accumulating clutter and waste, ignoring your bed orientation and directions, unknowingly introducing artifacts, plants and décor which are negative Feng Shui, disturbing the energy of the premises by repairing and renov

Spotlight on SPOTLIGHT

With the recent rise in child abuse in Sri Lanka, I believe it is as good a time as any to put in my two cents regarding the matter. Here’s a side to abuse most of us don’t talk of and some of us don’t know of. John Joseph Geoghan was born to an Irish Catholic family in 1935 in Boston where he later attended local parochial schools. After graduating from Holy Cross College, he joined Cardinal O’Connell Seminary and was ordained in 1962. In an ass