Nazreen
Sansoni |
One has the best intentions when one starts any project. When we launched this web-site, the aim was that I would fill the Director’s page with images of events that take place here and update the text monthly. At least.
Then reality hits home and one finds that time has flown. I do not want to make excuses, but being a Director of a Gallery, running a bookshop that is part of the parent establishment, dealing with five children at home and an ever needy extended family leaves one little time to do what one would love to do. Let alone, meditate, exercise or go on holiday. These are the joys (and believe me I feel tremendously fortunate and grateful to be a part of;) of working in a family firm. The essentials get done and then tomorrow is another day.
Well, this year I swore it was all going to change. I am managing better and lo and behold it is already May 2003 and today I take a stab at updating the director’s page.
The last quarter of 2002 witnessed a special line-up of talent. We finished the year with some very successful exhibitions, not just in terms of sales but the fact that the standard of work was unbelievably high. The featured artists were Nelun Hrasagama, Anup Vega, An Art-Link Photography Exhibition (sponsored by the British Council, Alliance Francise, Geothe Institute and the Barefoot Gallery) Neville Weereratne & Sybil Keyte, Alex Stewart, Shehan Madawla and of course Laki Senanayake. Examples of all these artists works can be viewed on this site
The Grand Finale in December was an exhibition by the designers of Barefoot – Barefoot takes over the Gallery space during the festive season, and this time, a collection of terrific toys, beautifully displayed by Senaka de Silva, simply called “The Toy Fair” was on view. Whilst the Toy Fair was on, Barbara Sansoni officially launched her book of children’s stories entitled Missy Fu It was a whole day affair- featuring pantomime, face painting, individuals dressed up as characters from her book, dancing, readings from the book, games and more. A good time was had by all, both children and parents. The book is available on-line if anyone is interested in purchasing it.
The year 2003 opened with an exhibition of black and white photography by Sri-Lankan/Australian photographer, Kevin Clougstoun. Simple images, strongly composed lent this exhibition (dare I say it,) an almost Henri-Cartier Bresson feel. But in actual fact, it is Kevin’s careful, meticulous, hand printing of his negatives that elevated the exhibition to a different level. All who were fortunate enough to purchase the prints are going to be congratulating themselves, years later.
2003 also bought with it two extraordinary jazz performances at the Gallery. We sold tickets for the first time, raising funds for the Ceylon School for the Deaf and Blind in the process. Thereby, treating the audience of Colombo to some of the best jazz and blues heard in the open air, in recent history. The atmosphere was reminiscent of a really good outdoor concert -languid, sensual and cool; a vibe that saturated the audience. There is nothing in the world that compares to listening to live music under a canopy of stars.
Lot’s of beer and wine was consumed while the band played on. Who were the players?
David Sansoni: vocal and Piano
Natasha Sansoni: alto saxophone
Alston Joachim: bass
Aruna Siriwardana: drums
Glenn Terry: vocal and guitar
Robin Looche: Guitar and vocal (special guest)
In this age of uncertainty, I marvel at the music, works of art, creativity, optimism that is in the air. Hope springs eternal.
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Practice session at the gallery
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For Sri Lankan jazz lovers, few names inspire as much admiration – and delight – as that of David Sansoni. This almost unfairly talented singer, arranger and multi-instrumentalist always has the cream of Colombo’s jazz musicians lining up to play with him when he revisits his native city.
David Sansoni lives in Australia these days, and a performance in Colombo is now a rare treat.
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When that performance also features the equally talented, conservatory-trained alto saxophonist Natasha Sansoni, together with the finest jazz bassist and drummer in Colombo, you end up with something unmissable.Natasha, who fronts her own band in Australia, will play sax while her father alternates between piano, guitar and other instruments. The Sansonis will be supported by Alston Joachim on bass and – making news himself – the incomparable Aruna Siriwardhana.
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Lush life at Barefoot
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The Four Daughters
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Ashira,Natasha, Isabella and Sophia. Some of the best reasons to not work so hard and play a lot more. Papa took the photograph, as he has all the others on this page. You can view more of his work at dominicsansoni.com. But where is our son, Sebastian?
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Druvinka, a female artist
whose inspiration for the present at least, is
inextricably linked to that most male of symbols, the
Siva Lingam. If you are unfamiliar with this traditional
Indian image, it may be described delicately as the male
member. My use of the adverb is deliberate in this case
for as an icon it bears little relationship to pornography; rather it presents an admittedly graphic representation of
virility.
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Druvinka's latest
Masterpiece
The lingam
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