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Kala Korner by Dee Cee
'Ekath Ehemeda' - asks Shantha Herrath
It was a late afternoon sometime last week. The lanky youngster was busy explaining his art to a few people who had walked into the National Library Services Board auditorium to view the 'Sakku Cartoon Ekathuwa' (Collection of pocket cartoons). Artist Shantha K. Herrath had picked some of his work over the past two decades for the exhibition - possibly a 'first' where pocket cartoons are concerned. We are used to enjoying Shantha's work on topical issues every morning on page one of the Divaina. But to see most of it in a single collection along with a lot of caricatures of leading political figures and his other efforts was a refreshing experience.

Only a few may have known that it was Shantha who gave the innovative treatment to the weekly supplement on arts in the daily Divaina sometime back. (He is presently the Art Editor). The few pages that were exhibited showed a totally new approach to page layouts. There was a freshness in them. One could see the genuine effort made by a creative artiste to do something new. The pages were bold layouts with one or two impressive black and white pictures - sometimes with a lot of white space. The impact was eye catching. One had a feature on the renowned sculptor Surendra. A dominating picture of one of Surendra's creations, a portrait of the sculptor and the write-up about his creations had been presented effectively.

Describing how he tried to be different to other cartoonists who had made a name for themselves, Shantha says he tried to give a mobile effect to the drawing to make a sharp statement and scribbled the words without using the typed letters. The result was a series of pocket cartoons titled 'Ekath Ehemeda' (Is that so) adorning the front page of the Divaina for three years. "The objective of my pocket cartoon was to use a headline appearing in the newspaper to kindle subtle humour while bringing to the attention of the reader a weakness prevalent in society," he explains.

Referring to the different classification of art (pure, commercial and applied), he believes that under whatever category, a creative artist is able to produce quality work based on his understanding of the medium, his mastery of skill and his perception of the society he lives in.

Shantha's exhibtion marked the release of a collection of his pocket cartoons in book form - a 'must' for anyone's library because it reflects the social, political and economic environment that existed in the country in the eighties. As renowned cartoonist Wijesoma says, Shantha's book of cartoons "makes you look at the most serious situations in a lighter vein."

Wijesoma sees Shantha as a cartoonist who introduced a new style, breaking away from the traditional, to the pocket cartoon, not seen in Sinhala newspapers before.

In the book, Shantha has presented the cartoons in an interesting way. In the first few pages he reproduces the newspaper pages with his cartoons in the exact format they appeared in. Thereafter he has devoted a page for each cartoon with a news headline indicating the topic which prompted him to draw the cartoon and the cartoon with his wording. There is an English translation given to each so that even a non-Sinhala reader is able to enjoy it. A good thought.

It's well worth having Shantha's book of cartoons in anyone's collection.

The journalist's touch
This column recently referred to 'Wevu Bendi Rajje' - a highly successful narration of a stint in the Raja Rata by a senior administrative officer. Author Edmund Jayasuriya's success is obviously because he has been a free-lance journalist for many years. His reminiscences thus take a much more readable form. His is an easy style. He has also had experience as a broadcaster.

Among other literary efforts by Jayasuriya are the 'Voyage', the English translation of popular writer Jayasena Jayakody's novel, 'Pichcamala', and the English versions of 'Thera Theri Gatha' and 'Selalihini Sandesa'. Being his first try, 'Wevu Bendi Rajje' is a highly successful effort.

Jayasuriya joins the band of civil servants who made it a point to put down on paper their experiences while serving in the remote parts of our beautiful and unspoilt island.

More music, Peradeniya Singers
On a Sunday morning, through the tropical haze of the small Kandyan valley where I live, waft sounds that are distinctly untropical and which immediately stir in me memories of another small island kingdom far away. The Church of Sancta Maria, Halloluwa, is the source of this musical nostalgia, and in our house we sing along to the rousing hymns that are so familiar a part of childhood.

On December 19 evening, I had occasion to cross the valley to this sanctuary of Christianity for a splendid recital of Christmas music compiled and conducted by that irrepressible doyenne of music here, Bridget Halpe. From Palestrina to Barber Shop, from the Basques to the Tamils, we had a truly imaginatively selected programme which was as varied as it was well performed; and of course we all had our chance to massacre two thumping hymns: 'Hark the Herald' and 'Come all ye faithful' being rescued in the final verses by the extremely competent and well rehearsed Peradeniya Singers.

It would be hard to single out individual items for special praise, though I suppose it must be said that by far the most ambitious piece was the Vaughan Williams 'Fantasia on Christmas Carols', in which the baritone solo was ably taken by the young English baritone Christopher Lawson.

I personally much enjoyed the Sinhalese Carol with which I was unfamiliar, though the Tamil item to my ears sounded too much like an Israeli folk song! All in all, it was a thoroughly enjoyable evening of music.

May we hear much more music from Bridget and her Peradeniya Singers, and Kandy resound to her efforts.
- Prof. Timothy Scott

A companion for pleasure, thought and reflection
Poetry by Jeanne Suriyakumari Sittampalam. Reviewed by Manel Abeysekera
I am a privileged recipient of Jeanne Suriyakumari Sittampalam's slim volume of poetry. I had always known that my friend Kumari was a professional, but little did I know that she paints and writes poetry with the same verve and natural ability that she brings to her profession till she invited me among other friends to a very informal and enjoyable morning to introduce her poetry to us.

I am no writer nor a literary critic, but a mere lover of literature - be it poetry or prose. As an ordinary reader I felt I should place on record my joy and amazement at the talent Kumari displays in her writing, not merely in the variety of style and topic, but also in the imagery of her word pictures and the power of thought, conveyed sometimes in the whole poem, sometimes in a verse and sometimes in a couplet, throbbing with rhythm and meaning. She speaks of Friendship thus:

"Earth's friendships fragile chain
Loyalty like China, rich and rare
Is of "heaven made" in hearts that are true
Strength of sincerity
For seasons stormy or serene
Speaks and spells of sublime kindred
Whom heaven alone would bless"
In sharp contrast is "Ships that Sail":
"On Sea On the Sea
I am where I would ever be
....................................................................................................
Harbour lights! Stories of romance
To relate of meetings and partings"
Kumari takes quotes from the bards and uses them to express her own thoughts as in"Satire - to be not to be":

"To be or not to be
The Bard to the fore
To be each, however be
Not his own to be
To be yes! Master yourself to be.
The delight in all
That is of grace endued
To delight the master craftsman
Your own delight be re-doubled
Is to live, to love life
With Tolstoy to Pronounce
"Even whilst Suffering The joy"

Kumari can focus on something with precision or produce an aura of intangibility; for example in "Climb every mountain", in which she virtually takes us on a world tour from Switzerland to Canada, from South America to Russia, from Sri Lanka to Italy, and finally coming to rest on the highest peak - Everest; and in "Falling Waters" she goes from Dunhinda, Diyaluma and St. Clares to Victoria and Niagara. In "Song of the Flowers" she again dwells briefly on some 20 different blooms and ends with the beautiful thought:

"If flowers would govern our lives' day,
As they scatter joy
On their little way”
Her verse is often rhythmic and musical as in "Where the Rivers Run":
Rivers yon waters
Skipping and Scampering
Merrily over stout stones and cobbles
In buoyant beauty dancing
Making surfy splashes in laughing waters”

Kumari's poetry displays not merely beauty of composition, it evokes deep thought that reveals her spirituality and belief in and love of God. This is not merely in the poems on God "Of Silence", or on "Lent", but in the sudden shift from the material to the spiritual as in "Sound of Waves":

"Gentle tide that meets the shore
So shall we our maker meet”

At the same time, she sees the humour in the Bible stories, which ends with a hilarious poem of Jesus, Moses and an old bearded man playing golf!

Kumari's poems are a good companion - for pleasure, for thought and quiet reflection.

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