Lanka Decorative Arts in collaboration with the Department of Fine Arts – Faculty of Arts, Peradeniya University will hold an international conference titled “Kitchen: Culinary Ethnology in Sri Lanka” from August 4 to 7. The four-dayinternational conference is sponsored by the American Centerandspansstudy tours, academic presentations, discussions, performances and culinary demonstrations and will take place in Colombo and Galle.
The kitchen – also known as kussiya, adupadi and kusini in Sri Lanka’s varied languages – is a site which embodies the country’s long history and illuminates its vibrant multi-ethnic heritage. The kitchen and the culinary activities surrounding it are crucial to personal, national and global narratives and will be explored in-depth across multiple academic disciplines. Presentations will revolve around kitchens around the island, rituals, colonial and indigenous influences, trade routes and global economies. Objects, materials and techniques associated with the kitchen and fast disappearing food traditions in areas of the island will also be discussed by local and international academics, to highlight the island’s colourful culinary heritage and its intertwined histories.
The two keynote addresses will be given by Prof. Elizabeth Simpson (Professor on Ancient Art, Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts, New York) and Prof.Sudharshan Seneviratne (former head of the Archaeology Department, University of Peradeniya, former Director of the Central Cultural Fund and former Ambassador to India). The event will bring together academics and students from the universities of Colombo, Peradeniya, Moratuwa, Jaffna, Batticaloa and South Eastern University, Oluvil.
Cookery demonstrations, food tours and visits to museums and heritage homes will be interspersed with scholarly explorations on culinary ethnology in order to provide an all-encompassing academic experience to the participants.
The travelling conference will begin with academic presentations in Colombo on August 4 and 5 at the Fulbright Commission Auditorium . Proceedings on August 6 are sponsored by the Mount Lavinia Hotel and will consist of a keynote address by Prof. Sudharshan Seneviratne, a cookery demonstration by renowned chef, Publis Silva – Director of Culinary Affairs at Mount Lavinia Hotel,and academic sessions. The conference culminates in Galle with a study tour of Galle with visits to the Martin Wickremesinghe Folk Museum and a two hundred year old heritage bakery, and demonstrations and lunch by the Galle Fort Muslim Ladies.
The Lanka Decorative Arts (LDA)is a non-profit association formed to promote the dissemination and advancement of knowledge on the decorative arts of Sri Lanka worldwide. It brings together various disciplines such as art and art history, history, social history, material culture, design and design history, archaeology, anthropology and architecture. Previously since 2008,LDA has organized international conferences on different themes such as Ivory and the Elephant (2013), the interconnected World of Eurasia (2011), and has covered topics of decorative arts, textiles, furniture, and archaeology. The 2016 Conference Steering Committee consists of Prof. Asoka de Zoysa, Prof. K.D.Paranavitana, Dr Malathi de Alwis, Kamini de Soysaand Dr Ayesha Abdur-Rahman. LDA Board Members consist of Deshika Van Hagt, Ninel Fernando, Mike Anthonisz and Rashid Abdur-Rahman. Research and resource persons are RamlaWahab-Salman and SrilalPerera. Together this committee is responsible for this conference on The Kitchens.
Sponsors for the 5th LDA international conference are the American Center, and the Mount Lavinia Hotel.
For more information on the conference visit http://www.srilankadecorativearts.org/ or email [email protected]
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