Sanjeewee’s strokes of people and spaces
Many of his contemporaries opted to follow the safer alternative of sticking to the more locally recognised neo art forms, but Sanjeewee Seneviratne pursued his passion and is now a recognised watercolour painter. At 38, he has held four solo exhibitions, while also displaying his art at many international exhibitions. He is also the Sri Lankan representative of the International Watercolour Society.
While sometimes frustrated at the plight of watercolour painting in the Sri Lankan art scene, he is guardedly optimistic. The passion with which he describes the complex skill of watercolour painting is enough to make anyone want to grab an easel and brush. There’s gravity and respect in his tone when he says, Watercolour painting leaves no margin for error. A single misplaced brush stroke or a drop of extra paint could ruin the entirety of an image. Yet undeterred, Sanjeewee has honed his skills.
He describes his work as experimental, and in his eyes, the unpredictability of this medium is where the magic lies. He personifies each drop of paint and says it “sways with the way you treat it. Each stroke has its own personality and can be given life with a practised hand.” For the artist his painting is the tool through which he captures moments and creates fantasies.
Even though watercolour painting is not excessively popular amongst contemporary Sri Lankan artists, great painters such as G.S.Fernando have utilised this medium. G.S.Fernando used traditional Sri Lankan architecture such as the Embekke temple as a reference image for his creations. With time the tradition of watercolour painting faded as not many local artists chose it as a medium. Sanjeewee recognising the major time lapse between the themes of yesteryear and the present, incorporates the traditional style of architecture coupled with the emotions and behaviour of people. Through his art he bridges the gap between the past and the present and provides a personalised feel to each of his pieces.
Sanjeewee Seneviratne and some of his recent paintings
In 2008 Sujeewee held his exhibition ‘Reflective Landmarks’ where he featured the prime colonial buildings in the city of Colombo. Even though the years that passed may be deemed as a silent phase of his career he was able to expand and evaluate his own work and revisit his love and appreciation for architecture and desire to create a subtle harmony with people and their emotions. He sees buildings as units that fill the spaces between men, both bringing them together and keeping them apart.
In this exhibition titled ‘Urban Space” he aims to capture the many rare and varying moments of humanity surrounded by the splendour of architectural masterpieces that we may have taken for granted.
Urban Space will be on at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery from August 20 to 22 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
