Sunday Times 2
Sharing a canvas of colour across the border
At the art camp: Lankan artist Chathuranga Sanjaya Biyagama and (right) Priti Ali from Bangladesh
The sunlit garden of the Light of Asia Foundation in Pelawatte filled with towering trees and birdsong, flanked by buildings heavily influenced by tradition and culture provided the perfect atmosphere for a collaborative convergence of distinguished Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi artists.
The High Commission of Bangladesh to Sri Lanka in association with the Society for Promotion of Bangladesh Art and the George Keyt Foundation held the first Bangladesh- Sri Lanka Art Camp on March 18 and 19.
From Sri Lanka, S.H. Sarath and W. Nayanananda were the most senior in the group of artists having participated in exhibitions worldwide. Nayanananda having been a political prisoner says that art is like a ‘chithra kathawa’ – a picture story – he uses his symbolic paintings to express his political stance. S.H. Sarath having been an artist for 50 years comments that “art is a shared culture”. His painting was a comment on the instability of the future for children. Sarath has also had his ‘Life’ paintings exhibited in the United Nations Office in Geneva.
Theja Achalagunawardena owes her gratititude to the George Keyt Foundation for not only providing her an opportunity to meet with international artists but also giving her a platform to sell her art with their annual Kala Pola event. Theja would like to see more international artists here because she believes “by bringing together artists from, be it Asia or Europe, we can all go on a great journey together.”
Chathuranga Sanjaya Biyagama with a Bachelor of Business Management and an LLB, realized art was his true calling only later on in life. Now having his paintings in exhibitions in countries such as the United Kingdom, Japan and the Netherlands he believes the art camp paved a platform for Sri Lankan artists to get exposure internationally.
Chammika Jayawardena, Chathurika Jayani, J.C. Rathnayake, Chathuranga Sanjaya Biyagama, Gayan Prageeth, Raja Segar, Channa Ekanayake and Sudath Abeysekera also represented Sri Lanka at the camp.
“Artists can create something new, something beyond our imaginations,” said Bangladeshi artist Hashem Khan. By meeting artists from other countries, Khan shares that new concepts, styles and techniques are brought out. Khan primarily focuses on watercolour paintings depicting nature and rural Bangladesh.
One of the youngest participating, the up and coming Bangladeshi artist Priti Ali was very grateful for being chosen for the Art camp and hopes to hold her first solo exhibition in Sri Lanka very soon. Having visited Sri Lanka earlier, Ali feels that Sri Lanka is her second home. ‘We have the same roots, from our language to our colour. Everything is so simple and natural, it’s very authentic. There is so much culture here.’ The experience here is something that she will always keep close to her soul and mind.
Rafi Haque was very grateful to Bangladesh High Commissioner to Sri Lanka M. Riaz Hamidullah for having pushed to ensure that the event took place. An internationally acclaimed visual artist, he experiments with printmaking and painting to create stunning pieces. Haque’s works are part of many permanent and private collections apart from his public exhibitions’.
“Everyone has a different style, and I was able to add my concepts into their paintings as well,” said Jahangir Hossain. They were able to experiment and try new techniques, he added. The art camp provided the opportunity to create memories as well share fresh perceptions.
Other Bangladeshi artists include Shamsuddoha, Kanak Chanpa, Maksuda Iqbal Nipa and Mojour Rashid.
The idea that art was a universal language that could be shared by everyone was reiterated by all the artists.
The Bangladeshi artists exhibited their work at the first Bangladesh Art Exhibition held at the J.D.A. Perera Gallery from March 17 to 21.
 The work of the Bangladeshi artists were on display at the J.D. A. Perera gallery. Pix by Priyantha Wickramaarachchi and Ishanka Sunimal |  |