EXHIBITION OF KATHAKALI COSTUMES

The Kathakali costumes are exquisite, colourful and provide the visual images for the Kathakali
characters to tell their stories.

The costumes are over 100 years old and are the only full set of Kathakali costumes outside of India, they are continually used for Kathakali performances and are kept in prestige condition.

At certain times of the year they are available for hire to museums and galleries with a high rate of security - not suitable for foyers, shop windows etc.

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THE GATEWAY TO INDIA EXHIBITION

The exhibition links two different theatrical traditions from across the world through an elaborate use of colour to illustrate the “importance of the visual image in
 theatre and ritual".

FROM THE EAST - KATHAKALI -the classical dance drama of Kerala, South West India – ancient, sacred and symbolic costumes.

FROM THE WEST - CENTRE OCEAN STREAM -
a celebration of colour and the vision of a single artist - Kalamandalam Barbara Vijayakumar. The performances of Centre Ocean Stream are pure abstract ritual, movement, sound and light.

KATHAKALI

Kathakali costumes have changed little in the last 600 years; the colours, designs, materials and skills have been handed down through the generations with some of the exhibits being more than 200 years old.

The Kala Chethena Kathakali Theatre Company directors, Kalamandalam Vijayakumar and Kalamandalam Barbara Vijayakumar, purchased these costumes to save them from disintegration in 1987.

A team of skilled craftsmen restored them to give the costumes a new lease of life and are now used by the Kala Chethena Kathakali Company in performance.

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CENTRE OCEAN STREAM

Visual artist Kalamandalam Barbara Vijayakumar founded Centre Ocean Stream Performance Company in 1977 as a unique performance art company specialising in colour, shape and sound.

The idea of "living colour" led to the introduction of the "performer" in 1970 to inject movement into the static body sculptures. Lighting and choreography followed in rapid succession resulting in a stage of abstract images.

The Centre Ocean Stream performers task was to inject the images with life and resulted in exploring new methods of performing and choreography using colour, light, space, time, sound, movement and shape to create a total visual event. Workshops in abstract performance art are available to explore visual theatre.

WORKSHOPS
and
PERFORMANCES

The exhibition provides an ideal opportunity to hold workshops and performances to enable people to experience how the actors would move in the costumes plus observe, draw and appreciate the intricate craftsmanship of the exhibits.

TO BOOK AN EXHIBITION 
or further information please contact:

KATHAKALI

1 Holland Road
Woolston
Southampton
Hampshire.
SO19 9FW
UK

Tel: 00 44 [0] 23 80 420114
Fax: 00 44 [0] 23 80 444468.

e-mail: info@kathakali.net