NEWS - July 2006

7 Days with Gerard: The results so far...

The money raised by sales and donations than followed my exhibition about post-tsunami Sri Lanka, 7 Days with Gerard, which took place at the Crane Kalman Gallery in Brighton in Dec 05/Jan 06 has now been put to good use in the fishing village of Totamuna, near Matara on the southern tip of Sri Lanka. The villagers of Totamuna suffered terribly as a result of the tsunami on December 26th 2004. Approximately 230 people died on that day, and 275 of the 300 houses in the village were completely destroyed.

I met some of the surviving villagers during my trip to Sri Lanka in April 2005, particularly one extended family who are now benefiting from the money raised:

Chaminda lost his fishing boat during the tsunami. With the help of the charity Help Lanka who assisted my exhibition fund raising effort, Chaminda now has a new 40-foot boat and nets, and resumed his career as a fisherman this summer. Chaminda’s wife and daughter survived the tsunami, and they now have a second daughter.
Vipula (Chaminda’s brother) tragically lost his entire family during the tsunami. Vipula now has new fishing nets, and has resumed fishing.
Chandrasiri and his wife Ranjani sat for a portrait with some of their children and their uncle Vipula back in April 2005, in front of their temporary wooden home. Now, on those foundations, their new 2 story family house is nearly complete. One of the daughters, Madushani, was approaching her O level exams when I met her. With a little financial help, she managed to pass her O levels, and is now studying for her A levels.
Madu’s father, Chandrasiri, now has a new bicycle to get to the fish market.

A friend of mine is coordinating my project in Sri Lanka called Gerard Weber, a Sri Lankan tour driver from Negombo. Gerard was my tour driver on my first trip to Sri Lanka as a tourist, and subsequently he became involved in my exhibition project, and gave up his time for free to take me down around the country after the tsunami, and to translate the stories I gathered from the people I met. Gerard is now in charge of the re-building of Madu’s family house in Totamuna, and will soon be able to provide me with photographs of the finished house. Watch this space.

Gerard is struggling to earn a living due to the lack of tourists in Sri Lanka. I would be glad to be able to put people in touch with him, if anyone is planning a trip to Sri Lanka and needs to hire a car and driver. Please get in touch.

I still have most of the original works created for the exhibition, which I intend to exhibit again, possibly in London. The village of Totamuna still needs a huge amount of help, so I have an on-going plan to try to raise more money for the village through further exhibitions, and print sales. Limited edition prints can still be ordered with profits going to this cause, please get in touch.