A rare insight into Lionel Wendt – the man, the artist
Who exactly was Lionel Wendt? We know him through his lens – those epic images of lithe, swarthy nudes against lush palm fronds, fishermen and dancers, timeless landscapes, ancient viharas and scenes of a vanishing Lanka. But the man behind the art (he was also a master at the piano and a filmmaker) remains a [...]
Taking art to NFTs
Through the ages, art has always had a way of conveying profound emotion, most often as a response to the socio-political ethos of the time. It is no surprise then that the turmoil that was the ‘Aragalaya’ gave way to works that inspired The Brilliant Resilient; a unique Non-Fungible Token (NFT) digital art exhibition which [...]
The SOSL pays tribute to Dr. Earle De Fonseka
On November 4 at the Lionel Wendt theatre, the Symphony Orchestra will present a programme of chamber music in honour of Dr. Earle De Fonseka, conductor of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka for over 40 years, from its inception in 1961 until his death in 2000. His legacy survives not only in the form [...]
Soaking in the tranquility
Travelling through the east of the island, there is still evidence of the 30-year civil war in the barbed wire fences around villagers’ homes, in particular in Batticaloa, the Eastern theatre of the civil war, just 35 kilometres east of Kalkudah, one of the island’s most idyllic spots. A place also decimated by the 2004 [...]
Of fortifications and military heritage of Sri Lanka
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS Sri Lanka) will hold a two-day conference on November 5 and 6 on the theme “Fortifications and Military Heritage of Sri Lanka” covering both the colonial and historical periods of Sri Lanka. To be held at the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, Colombo 7, it is the first [...]
Where two countries meet in spirit and culture
In 2010, the US State Department’s Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations launched a programme to overhaul the architectural designs of their diplomatic buildings around the world, attempting to focus on more thoughtful design. The Design Excellence programme moved away from heavily fortified structures that largely lacked individuality toward more welcoming yet stately designs that were [...]
Letters to the Editor
Govt. giving scant attention to reducing expenditure The President came on national television recently and explained in a matter of fact way, that the government has to reduce the tax-free allowance from the planned Rs.200,000 to Rs.100,000 as the IMF wanted it so. Otherwise the government would not be able to achieve the target of [...]
APPRECIATIONS
A pioneer of Heywood and guide, mentor and role model to me Dr W.A. Ariyasena Dr W.A. Ariyasena who passed away on August 8 at the ripe old age of 92, was a lecturer in painting at the (then) College of Fine Arts, popularly known as ‘Heywood’. He was one of the pioneers of the [...]