Unveiling The Routes we Take Map and Showcasing Sri Lanka’s Circular Creatives

Launch of EUNIC The Routes We Take

Colombo, Sri Lanka, August 2024 – ‘The Routes we Take: Sri Lanka’s Creative Green Map’ is set to be unveiled to the public at an exhibition scheduled for 31 August and 1st September 2024, at Trace Expert City, Maradana, and will be open to the public for viewing. The project is a co-creation of the EUNIC Cluster in Sri Lanka and Good Life X, to collectively create a digital map of the circular and creative industries of Sri Lanka in reviving and revealing its potential to South Asia and beyond.

The exhibition will showcase ten [10] creatives from across the country, and will host interactive workshops, live performances and open studio tours of creatives within Colombo for people to visit.

Speaking with Project Manager for The Routes we Take project, Good Life X – Emma de Silva, noted, “The Routes we Take project has been an incredible exercise in identifying and collating creatives whose work centers around nature and sustainable principles. The map will represent the strength of these creatives across the country, providing more exposure and opportunities for their work to be recognised. And the exhibition will showcase a few exemplary creatives, who deeply embody and promote these principles and can inspire and enlighten the public through their work.”

The ‘Routes We Take’ project celebrates creatives and organisations embracing sustainability, circularity, and regeneration forging a unified path for Sri Lanka’s future. The exhibition weaves together connections from Jaffna, Batticaloa, Kandy, Monaragala, Galle, and Colombo – joined on the journey to form, ‘The Routes we Take.’

The exhibition showcases work from:

  1. Tharmapalan Tilaxan: Specializes in socially relevant documentaries that focus on independent storytelling, capturing human experiences and addressing key social issues.
  2. MeshGround: Dance company and community promoting socially conscious movement arts through innovative practices, fostering independent movement thinkers.
  3. Alafiya Najmudeen of ALEAF: Sustainable fashion brand in Sri Lanka, crafting ethical products using natural materials and collaborating with small artisans to preserve their skills.
  4. Sriland – Osu Vastra Herbal Clothing: Brand introducing Ayurvedic herbal dyeing, using natural extracts to create eco-friendly, toxin-free handwoven cotton fabrics.
  5. Amuthu Hathu: Explores mycelium as an alternative material, source of food, and medicine, merging biology with design.
  6. Kuweni Dias Mendis: Sri Lankan-born, Australian-based artist exploring culture and identity through regenerative practices, arts activism, and cultural facilitation.
  7. Ruchira Wickramasinghe: Architect focusing on using sustainable design options to restore and reuse existing buildings through adaptive reuse.
  8. Lala Studio Pvt Ltd: Regenerative fashion brand repurposing discarded pant materials into unique products, promoting inclusivity for the LGBTQIA+ community.
  9. KAGUL: Platform revitalizing traditional Sri Lankan textile practices, emphasizing ritual attire and its cultural and gendered significance.
  10. Siritharkumar Nilushan: Documentarian and independent filmmaker highlighting communities and innovative solutions for positive impact.

‘The Routes we Take: Sri Lanka’s Creative Green Map’ is a project by EUNIC Sri Lanka and Good Life X. EUNIC – European Union National Institutes for Culture – is Europe’s network of national cultural institutes and organisations, with 36 members from all EU Member States and associate countries. EUNIC Sri Lanka – consisting of Alliance Française and the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka and the Maldives, Goethe-Institut, British Council, Swiss Embassy, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Embassy of Italy, with the support of the EU Delegation, adopts an integrated approach to building cultural relations and creative collaborations and supporting diversity.