On view: Wendt’s artistic world
‘Bringing in the net’
Theatre-goers and art lovers in Sri Lanka are familiar with the Lionel Wendt Art Centre, but few of the younger generation would have an inkling of the artistic genius it was named after. A versatile personality- Lionel Wendt was a photographer, musician and art collector who made a great contribution to the arts in Sri Lanka. This week, a curated selection of his photographs is on exhibition at the Harold Peiris Gallery of the Lionel Wendt offering the public a glimpse of his phenomenal talent.
The 30 selected photographs on display show his prowess as a photographer, as well as the various techniques he employed while taking and processing his photographs. A lecture was held yesterday (November 11) with veteran photographer Lal Hegoda giving his insights on the methodology behind Wendt’s work.
Born in 1900, Lionel’s father, Henry Lorensz was a Supreme Court judge, while his mother, Amelia de Saram was daughter of judge John Henricus de Saram. First educated at the Government Training College English School and later at S. Thomas’ College, Mutwal, when the latter was shifted to Mount Lavinia, he was one of the first students there.
Wendt’s interest in photography was most likely influenced by his father and maternal grandfather, both of whom were members of the Amateur Photographic Society (possibly the first society of photography in Ceylon). When his father took him to a photography studio where meetings of photographers and painters were often held, young Lionel could be found watching with interest the large cameras with wheels being used, which prompted the owner of the studio, A. W. Andree (Junior) to gift him a small box camera.
‘Perahera’
Wendt qualified as a barrister in London – where he also studied at the Royal Academy of Music. Following his return to Ceylon in 1924, he practised law for a short stint, his reputation as a musician and brilliant pianist meanwhile growing in Colombo. The poet Pablo Neruda, who was the Chilean Consul in Ceylon in 1929, would later write in his memoirs: ‘A pianist, photographer, critic and cinematographer Lionel Wendt was the central figure of cultural life torn between the death rattles of the Empire and human appraisal of the untapped values of Ceylon.’
By 1930, Lionel owned a ‘Rolleiflex’ camera and later a 35 millimeter Leica camera, one of the first Ceylonese to own the latter. He started a studio at his home where negatives could be printed in 1933.
‘The Song of Ceylon’, a documentary he voiced in 1934, is celebrated by the British Film Institute as ‘award winning’, and is still available for purchase as part of a documentary series.
Lionel Wendt: Photographer with phenomenal talent
In 1935, he launched the Photographic Society of Ceylon and held his first exhibition alongside 12 other photographers in the society. He held many exhibitions in Colombo, Jaffna, Galle, Panadura and also abroad, in several cities in Europe, Asia, the United States and South Africa. In 1938, he became the first Ceylonese to have a one-man photographic exhibition in England on the invitation and full sponsorship of Messrs Leitz (producers of the Leitz camera).
Following that exhibition, founder of the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon D.R. Wijewardene invited Wendt to open a photography studio at the Lake House complex, which was named ‘Chitrafoto’. The photo he took of D.R. Wijewardene still hangs at several places in the building. Wendt compiled the Sunday Observer Pictorial at this time, and the 1938 Observer Pictorial was the first time natural colour photographs were featured.
‘Sponsor and candidate’
Wendt was also a key figure in the formation of the ’43 Group, the pre-eminent group of local artists – the first meeting held in his home.
Lionel Wendt passed away in December 1944 in his sleep at the age of 44. His will stated that his house should be dedicated for the arts and following the death of his brother Harry within a year of Wendt’s death, the task was taken over by his friend Harold Peiris. Wendt’s house at No. 18, Guildford Crescent (the present premises of the Lionel Wendt Art Centre), named ‘Alborada’ (the dawning of the day) was demolished in 1950 to build the theatre, which was opened in 1953. The Lionel Wendt Art Gallery was opened in 1959.
Recent years have seen a resurgence of interest in Wendt’s photographs in the West. Here in Sri Lanka a new book ‘Lionel Wendt- Art and Life’ by Sampath Bandara was released recently.
Administrative Secretary of the Lionel Wendt Memorial Fund, Dilrukshi Rambukwelle hopes that the exhibition and lecture will help people understand and appreciate Lionel Wendt and his work. Most people do not know who Lionel Wendt is, especially the younger generation – which is why they organize such events to keep his memory alive. They are also working towards digitally archiving his work, which she feels will be of great interest to many, as they will then be able to view his work throughout the year.
The exhibition which opened yesterday will continue till November 18, at the Harold Peiris Gallery of the Lionel Wendt from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.