26 Happenings SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2016 The Opening Conversation Cinnamon Colomboscope establishes Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe addressing the gathering Colombo as an Arts and Cultural hub in South Asia he ‘Opening For many artists living and ‘Creating and supporting Conversation’ working in Sri Lanka today, events that generate significant of Cinnamon working with electronic and value and publicity to promote Colomboscope 2016 was digital media remains a widely Sri Lanka as a destination is Theld recently at the Old General unexplored field. Testing one of the main strategies for Post Office (GPO). The event Grounds, with its focus on Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts. was graced by the Prime Minister contemporary art was to Cinnamon Colomboscope is Ranil Wickremesinghe amidst create awareness on how one such signature event that a gathering which included digital technologies impact has grown is stature and is Ministers, members of the society and cultures. The becoming a permanent fixture diplomatic community, artists festival commissioned over 10 not only in the calendars of and contributors to the festival. Sri Lankan artists and artist art enthusiasts in Sri Lanka Established in 2012, Cinnamon collectives to foray into this but also in South Asia. I urge Colomboscope is a festival that field, conceptualise and produce members of the general public evolves and changes shape with artworks that reflect this year’s to visit the festival and discover a new curator each year. Testing theme. The festival also brought digital art through Cinnamon Grounds was curated by Dr. together techies and artists to Colomboscope’, said Krishan Susanne Jaschko, a renowned build on a conversation as to Balendra – President Cinnamon expert in the field of media how they can share expertise and Hotels & Resorts. arts who can look back on an take digital art to the next level Over 50 Sri Lankan and 17 impressive list of international in Sri Lanka. international artists and speakers art events and exhibitions. The This year’s Cinnamon contributed to this year’s festival was curated under three Colomboscope was the first program including an exhibition, sub-themes that offer different time that a festival of great scale film screenings, audio-visual perspectives of how society, and and quality ventured out to performances, workshops, talks contemporary art is responding unfamiliar territory in a local and thematic conversations, to the shift towards digital context and focus on digital immersive theatre performance technology in Sri Lanka, the art and communications in Sri and an online exhibition. South Asian region and Europe. Lanka. (Pix: Sulochana Gamage) Derana 4ever Miss Sri Lanka for Miss Earth 2016 Best of fusion chic The grand finale of the Derana 4ever Miss Sri Lanka for Miss Earth 2016 was held last week at Director of the Mango Citrus Waskkaduwa. Dimanthi Edirirathne (fourth from left) was crowned as the Miss Earth Sri Lanka at this pageant. She was crowned by the former title holder Visna Fernando. The reigning Tree and Jack Tree, Crish Miss Earth 2015 Angelia Ong of the Philippines graced the occasion as a member of the jury. Brit- Panchal and Upasna Satwani tany Payne of USA the second runner up of Miss Earth 2106 also graced the occasion. launched Karat, a chic ethnic and fusion wear studio which caters to the discerning fashionista, with clothes ranging from Bollywood glamour to casual everyday chic on September Miss Intercontinental 1 in Colombo. Stocked with a fabulous pageant in October range of ethnic, formal, semi-formal, Indo-western and contemporary clothing, Karat also has accessories, hand bags and an intricate collection of jewellery. It’s Kurti’s and tunics; carry unusual Indian prints and modern cuts and in this lies Karat’s appeal. The charming studio also offers incredibly reasonably priced eastern and western wear that have strong North Indian influences. The name of the studio, Karat, signifies that the collection is precious and exclusive as a Gold Karat. Its interiors are decorated with Mughal architecture and paintings. Our staff photographer Vipula Amarasinghe was there to take in the action and photograph a few Miss Intercontinental guests as well. 2015 Valentina Rasulova (Pic:Vipula Amarasinghe).