Sri Lanka celebrates Contemporary Art Day. To celebrate the Day, for the first time the Italian Embassy organised a series of events in Colombo with the participation of art gallery owner Susanna Orlando of the Galleria di Pietrasanta. Of the two principal events, one was organised in cooperation with one of the most prestigious local art galleries and was dedicated to Sri Lankan collectors, and the other was dedicated to the students of the Art Department of the local University.
The two events mainly focused on the evolution of Italian contemporary art after World War II but also tackled different issues to better satisfy the interests of the audience. The collectors were illustrated the main trends in Italian contemporary art, through an overview of the best-known artists at international level. Instead, the event dedicated to the students consisted of a lesson on Italian art history, a subject which is not included in the student’s curriculum, and especially focused on giving practical advice to those who intend to internationalise their artistic careers.
The hall that hosted the event dedicated to students was crowded with an audience of 400 students and the faculty, who expressed the intention to include a course on Italian art history as a teaching subject. Moreover, the collectors were given the opportunity to admire nearly twenty works by young talents, accompanied by a short catalogue, at the Residence of the Italian Ambassador.
