Welcome to the Goethe Institute in Sri Lanka

Boldly challenging traditional views of art, its forms and what becomes art, CoCA have chosen to provoke and challenge the public by moving into a wider array of alternative spaces, where their pieces can be freely encountered. They hope, in turn, that their audience will question art itself, relate to it, familiarise themselves and embrace it as they would embrace life. By bringing new works of art into the public realm CoCA provides a unique forum and support structure for artists to realize their artistic vision, while simultaneously expanding the audience for contemporary art. At CoCA, a piece of art is a dynamic thing, defined not just by the artist but by interactions with the audience, so that the viewer becomes an indispensable part of the whole process. The art is constantly evolving, and with each varying dimension come fresh ideas and innovative components. Many of the pieces are intended to be portable, designed to travel the country and to be adapted to the limitations of each unique space. The success of CoCA’s inaugural exhibition kindled a great deal of interest.

CoCA Goethe Gate Party, June 2011

A display of collaborative art installations and performances by the Collective of Contemporary Artists (CoCA) was held at Goethe Institut on the 16th of June 2011. Serving as the launch show for CoCA, the Goethe Gate party had two sections; a closed gate party and an open gate party. While the open gate party was open to the public from 8:00 pm onwards, the closed gate party held from 6:00pm to 8:00pm primarily targeted audiences who can assist and facilitate.



CoCA’s membership consists of a multi-talented and diverse group of people from many walks of life who are at different stages in their career. They have defined an open, democratic approach that guides their activities. Many artists have since expressed interest in this vision and have chosen to join forces with this dynamic group, thereby swelling the ranks of CoCA’s membership. Nurturing innovation and collaboration across different artistic mediums, CoCA’s steady growth has allowed its members to prosper along with it, making it equally beneficial for the artist, the group and the public as a whole.

Of late, the group has been besieged by requests from hotels and other public and private organizations to create unique displays for their public areas. It is clear that those who are interested in art can make significant contributions simply by providing the space for the group to exhibit.

“Collaborative projects with the German artist NOMAD: ((REJUVENATION and THE GIFT”))



2012 will be a busy year for CoCA - the group starts off with a platform at the Colombo Art Biennale 2012 in February and plans to hold its annual festival in April, which will feature a range of artists working across multiple mediums.