The National Art Gallery of Maldives was established by the Government of Maldives in 1999 to showcase regular displays of Maldivian and international art works. From photography to paintings and conceptual works, the gallery has regular exhibitions, along with other promotional events like presentations and workshops. The National Art Gallery showcases Maldivian art of both past and present with a view to forming a permanent collection, organize displays and exhibitions of both Maldivian and international art on a regular basis, and provide opportunities for Maldivian artists to develop and excel in their professions, through facilitating educational opportunities and networking. The Kurumba Maldives is located close by to the National art gallery, and is one of the best Maldives resorts. The Kurumba Maldives is a piece of heaven, tucked away on a private island amidst turquoise, sparkling waters and lush gardens to provide the perfect idyllic setting. The rooms and the suites at the Kurumba is simply beautiful and luxurious, with all the modern comforts and the latest amenities. The hotel also offers a wide variety of culinary delights and a range of leisure activities for their guests.
The Gallery is presently collecting work from both Maldivian and international artists and assisting in the professional development of visual artists through holding educational and promotional events such as presentations and workshops. In the week from 7th of March 2015 “WB Production” is invited with a team to the Maldives to be part of the Installation Art Project by Ismail Asif in the Maldives National Art Gallery. It’s his 4th annual exhibition about “Abuse of woman and children” in his country. This time his focus is on the media and NGO’s that he criticizes. Many NGO’s and woman activist groups in the end use the story of abused women in order to get funding for their administration. Help is very often not delivered to the victims. Even though some organizations work well, the majority especially in developing countries such as the Maldives do only work for themselves in order to pay their salaries. It’s also the first time he incorporated Bodypainting into his art. The design of the Body painting was taken from the Dhivehi Libaas, the traditional Maldivian dress, elaborately adorned with a gold and silver neckline called Kasabu Bovalhu.
Uditha Dharmawardhane is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Roland Lefevre. He specializes in creating features on leisure as well as business travel destinations across the globe.
