Organised by The George Keyt Foundation and the John Keells Group, Kala Pola 2016 took place, recently. Over 300 registered artists and over 22,000 visitors flocked into Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colombo 7 which was adorned with a variety of art ranging from breath-taking paintings and life-like portraits to abstract art and intricate sculptures.
The Chief Guest was German Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Dr. Jürgen Morhard, the Chairman and Trustees of The George Keyt Foundation and the Chairman of John Keells Holdings PLC Susantha Ratnayake.
Ambassador Morhard said: “It’s always impressive for us to witness that Sri Lanka is not only rich in nature and its wonderful people, but is also rich in creativity. Sri Lanka at the moment is a fast growing country…… But there is something beyond economic controls. What a city which wants to attract international tourism needs is a `soul’. The `soul of a city’ comes from its creative side, it comes from artists… All those who are here, the sponsors [and the artists], thank you! You are changing the city with this activity and you are making a difference in Sri Lanka.”
Cedric De Silva, Chairman of The George Keyt Foundation said: “This year too Kala Pola caught the attention of many artists and art-loving public, enabling a platform to appreciate and exchange works of art. We estimate that this event has generated over Rs. 13 million in sales, excluding what might have been commissioned by potential buyers. Our sincere thanks to John Keells Holdings and the John Keells Foundation for their commitment towards making this event a continued success for the artists and the art-loving public of Sri Lanka over the past two decades.”
