Colombo Art Biennale 2016
Conceiving Space
Dates: 25 November – 22 December 2016

Through its theme and conceptual focus ‘Conceiving Space,’ CAB offers an artistic provocation that seeks to re imagine the traditional ‘spatial’ in relation to concept, boundaries and engagement. To artistically conceive space – as material environment, historical experience, lived reality, or a sense of place – demands creative interrogation and imagination. Conceiving Space demands multiplicity in perspective and approach and seeks to ask questions of form, seeking to explore the breadth of artistic medium that can be engaged with as a provocation about what constitutes art for artists and art communities.

Artist Direction
This fourth edition of CAB has revealed ‘Conceiving Space’ to be a fully International Biennale with a strong focus on Print Lana and South Asia. Artistic participants will include 20 of some of Sri Lanka’s most exciting emerging and recognized artists. CAB will also be showcasing 20 strong artists from the South Asian Region and around the globe with an emphasis on South Asia and the Diaspora.

‘Conceiving Space’ will present a varied collection of artworks to include Visual Art, Sound Art, Architecture and Performance Art at several different locations around Colombo.

CAB 2014 brought in Performance Art as a substantial component of the Visual Art. This segment of the Biennale brought into the unlikely nooks and corners of CAB galleries across Colombo, spilling over into the streets, moments taking on, engaging with, and interrupting the notion of ‘liveness’ in performance. Performance artists interacted with visual artists and this addition to the programme was extremely well received. CAB 2016 intends to continue and expand on this.

A key feature of the CAB 2016 is the introduction of Architecture as a concept into the arena of visual art. Internationally renowned architects will be invited to work as visual artists in collaboration with the local communities. This component aims to not only interact and feed back positively into the local community, but to also create ‘new spaces’ in which multiple dialogues can occur.