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Celebrating
Sri Lankan splendour Four artists, with considerable experience have come together for this exhibition. Paintings done in watercolours, mainly depicting rural life are what they have in common. Their individual work will be exhibited along with some paintings, which are a combined effort. Anura Bandara, Basil Cooray, Edwin Batawala and Jagath K. G. Punchihewa are currently working together on three paintings, the themes being - Faces, Beach and a Street Scene. As each of them contribute to these joint pictures that blend to make a whole, their unique and individualistic styles can be identified. "They have a very down to earth, everyday approach as they create rural scenes that have had wide appeal to art lovers, both local and international," says Yasmin Asgerally. "We selected them as their styles co-ordinate well," adds Safiya Hussain who together with Yasmin runs the Gallery. Anura's paintings
show scenes of people at work, in contemplative mood. This self-taught
artist is a winner of over 10 awards presented by the National Society
of Arts. Having developed a love for art from his father, Anura
was also fortunate to learn the fundamentals of temple paintings
under the very creative Sri Lankan artist, Somabanda Basil who has had wide experience in advertising agencies also turns to rural Sri Lanka for his inspiration. In 1978 he won first prize in the International Year of the Child competition and today participates in several group exhibitions. His paintings of village life are a mixture of still life and other scenes. This contemporary artist's latest experiment is his own new technique that he calls the 'wet into wet' with the use of water. These show his expert use of colours that tend to merge with each other. Edwin's passion for rural life is reflected in all his paintings, done in warm and vibrant colours where the harsher edges of reality are camouflaged with soothing touches. Different characters sport a variety of expressions and emotions. He has captured vividly vanishing ideas or occupations- the ancient knife sharpeners, the betel sellers, the manual pounding of grain, paintings that form a montage of past life. Perhaps he also wishes to show the difficulties in each of these occupations, that people accepted as routine, and the peace that reigned in a rural atmosphere. Edwin today is employed as an artist, designer and Art Director at several advertising agencies. Jagath, the cartoonist has had extensive training in aesthetic studies. Through his caricatures done in watercolours, colour pencil and ballpoint pen, he reveals his intimate knowledge of rural Sri Lankan life that he gained by travelling extensively throughout the land. His work shows humour in common everyday incidents that may have a message for viewers. "The situations I depict are something that people in modern society can relate to," he says. In all his compositions, he tries to capture movements or characters in motion. Jagath has also produced sculptures and handicrafts. |
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splendour
of Sri Lanka. Presented by the Hermitage Art Gallery from May 3
to the 9, the exhibition could not have a more apt title with peace
hovering on the horizon. Nevertheless, the name also represents
rural art where man and nature are at peace. 
Vidyapathi.
The characters in his paintings go about their livelihood, engaged
in age-old occupations such as carpentry, pottery or fishing. 
