Kandyan Art Association

Coordinates: 7°17′31.6″N 80°38′32.59″E / 7.292111°N 80.6423861°E / 7.292111; 80.6423861
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Kandy Art Association
Formation1882; 142 years ago (1882)
FounderJohn Frederick Dickson
TypePublic trust
Headquarters72 Sangaraja Mawatha
Location
Coordinates7°17′31.6″N 80°38′32.59″E / 7.292111°N 80.6423861°E / 7.292111; 80.6423861
Manager
Chitra Dissanayake
Websitekandyarts.com

Kandyan Art Association is an association formed in 1882 to revitalise traditional Kandyan arts and crafts (such as weaving, wood carving, painting, jewelry making, music and dance)[1] and support the traditional craftsmen by providing them a sales outlet.

Artists and craftsmen in the Kingdom of Kandy were well organised into guilds, with knowledge and skills passed down from generation to generation. Even marriages were within the same group so that the craft was closely guarded. These guilds all operated under the patronage of the king. When the kingdom was absorbed into the British Empire as a protectorate, following the Kandyan Convention of 1815, without a royal household most of these artists and craftsmen lost their livelihood and the guilds were disbanded, with only a few families continuing their crafts.[2][3]

History

The association was established in 1882 by the

Central Province, Sir John Frederick Dickson,[4] who brought together the traditional artists and the craftsmen in the Central Province.[5] Initially it operated from a small room in the Government Agent's Office. In 1904 the Association moved to the building known as the Palle Vahala (Lower Palace), the palace where the king's spouse and children resided.[6] The building now houses the National Museum of Kandy
.

In 1919 the association was incorporated as a public trust, and is now administered by the Government Agent of Kandy District and a management committee.

In 1924 the association was relocated to its present location,[5] the former Kunam Maduwa (House of the Palanquins),[7] which housed the palanquins used by the Kandyan royal court. The Kunam Maduwa was built by King Vimaladharmasuriya in the 16th century. In 1876 the building was converted and used by the British as a military hospital.[8][9]

In 1982 the association undertook a significant expansion, in conjunction with the organisation's

National List MP and Minister of Foreign Affairs),[15] provided 7 million LKR to restore and enhance the building complex.[14]

Performances

The Association organises a daily one hour traditional Kandyan dance and music performance showcase in the building's auditorium. These dances are performed by local families and products of the country's dancing institutions. The sales centre displays and sells handicrafts obtained from traditional crafts people who are members of the association.[citation needed]

References

  1. .
  2. ^ Cave, Henry W. (1908). The Book of Ceylon. Cassell and Company Limited. p. 338.
  3. ^ "The Illustrated Naval and Military Magazine, Volume 5". W.H. Allen & Company. 1886: 136. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  4. .
  5. ^ a b Ratnayake, Ganga (20 January 2013). "Exquisite handicrafts imbued with perennial traditions". Sunday Observer. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  6. ^ Anderson, Charles (1924). "The Australian Museum Magazine, Volume 2". Australian Museum: 231. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. .
  8. ^ Karunaratna, Nihal (1986). Udavattekälē - The Forbidden Forest of the Kings of Kandy. Colombo: Department of National Archives. p. 79.
  9. ^ "History of the Teaching Hospital, Kandy". Teaching Hospital, Kandy. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  10. The Daily News
    . Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  11. .
  12. ^ "Architecture + Design, Volume 7". Media Transasia. 1990. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  13. .
  14. ^
    The Daily News
    . Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  15. ^ "Memories of Lakshman". The Sunday Times. August 2006. Retrieved 8 August 2018.

External links