Alliance Francaise de Kotte presents ‘Nostalgie’

An exhibition of black and white photographs by Kumar de Silva

The Alliance Francaise de Kotte launches its cultural season for 2011 with ‘Nostalgie,’ a delightful exhibition of black and white photographs by Kumar de Silva celebrating France and her rich splendour.

The exhibit takes visitors to different scenes through France’s multi- faceted diversity from daily scenes of cosmopolitan Paris to landscapes in sea-fringed Brittany and Montpellier, from sleeping champagne bottles in the cellars of the House of Dom Perignon to snails cooked in white wine, from sunbathing in Strasbourg to itinerant musicians and wayside artists as well as lots more cameo portraits of French life and living.

The Chief Guests at the opening at the Alliance Francaise de Kotte located at 139 Jawatte Road, Colombo 5 on 22 January will be Director General of the Ministry of Defence Lakshman Hulugalle and Dilrukshi Hulugalle.

“This year is a significant one in the French part of my life. It is exactly 25 years since I joined the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka, 25 years since I began hosting Bonsoir on ITN and 25 years since I first set foot in Paris. It is indeed a triple celebration of the Francophone and Francophile in me and this is all encapsulated by this exhibition,” said de Silva.

The Delegation General of the Fondation Alliance Francaise de Paris and Director of the Alliance Francaise de Kotte, Monsieur Bertrand Dufieux expressed his sentiments over the exhibition.

“We are delighted to open our cultural season for 2011 with this exhibition of photographs on France. Kumar de Silva has had very long and very close ties with France. Talking with him and seeing his photographs, I understand why he chose to name this exhibition nostalgie – it is a feeling that is rooted in the longing of the soul for what it considers its second country. Kumar’s nostalgia for France is so well reflected and with a lot of sensitivity in these beautiful images – of a land that has adopted him,” he said.

‘Nostalgie’ is open to the public from 23 January to 6 February – Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

AF de Kotte in Colombo 5 is Sri Lanka’s newest French language and cultural centre serving the Colombo and Greater Colombo areas. Affiliated to the Fondation Alliance Francaise de Paris, it enjoys the full patronage of the Government of France and the Embassy of France in Sri Lanka.

After its run in Colombo, ‘Nostalgie’ travels to the Alliance Francaise in Kandy bringing France in black and white splendour to the central hill capital.