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Arts

Indu’s 007 on the prowl again
"Madai Tommiya 007 Vuna", the latest "Tommiya" comedy by Indu Dharmasena, will be staged at the Lionel Wendt again by popular request, on May 7 and 8 at 7.15 p.m. This is the ninth in the hilarious Tommiya series.

Hairdresser cum dress designer, Andana Silva is co-producing a song and dance extravaganza with his rich and famous client, Bianca Lokupahana. At rehearsals the cast keep losing personal belongings and cash. As a result cast members drop out and ten days before the show, what started out as a cast of 25 is reduced to 13.

Andana also receives anonymous letters, which say that someone is trying to sabotage their show. As they can't do the show without the cast, Andana and Bianca must either catch the thief or cancel the show.

An ardent fan of James Bond, having watched all the 007 movies, Tommy volunteers to catch the thief. Even though, a private investigator, Hercules Colabagay is hired to do the job, Bianca humours Tommy by telling him that he's hired as well.

And so the fun begins. What with Tommy busy being 007 and Colabagay nosing around, Tania (Andana's assistant), Rajan and Sahara (Bianca's two cousins) somehow get the costumes and sets completed while rehearsing for the show. Who is the thief? Who is the anonymous letter writer? Who is trying to sabotage the show? Do they succeed?

Be there at the Wendt when this hilarious comedy goes on the boards to find out the answers. The show within the show includes drag items and will keep the audience enthralled. Tickets are available at the Lionel Wendt Theatre.

Indu plays Tommy while Abbasali Rozais brings to life Andana Silva. Sanjana Selvarajah plays Andana's able assistant Tania and versatile Krys Sosa plays Andana's rich client, Bianca. Her two cousins, Rajan and Sahara are played by Gehan Cooray and Michelle Herft. Colabagay is Rajitha Mendis, while Shobana is played by Sanwada Abeysirigunawardena. Teddy is played by Asela Dassanayake. Barbie is played by Mal de Silva. Yohan Caius appears as Elvis, the compere of the show. The rest of the cast consists of the dancers and stage hands of the show within the show.

A brush with dry strokes
Jayantha Silva will hold his third exhibition at the Lionel Wendt on May 7 and 8, displaying a new technique called "Dry brush painting" where the brush is dry when put in to the paint. This creates a coarse or sketchy effect. Jayantha Silva is not a landscape artist but prefers figurative and realistic art. His style is one of realism as opposed to abstract. His first exhibition " Expressions" in June 2003 was a resounding success and he was invited by the Lighthouse Hotel in Galle to have an exhibition at the hotel in a gallery created specially for him. He held " Expressions 2" in 2004.

This year he will be exhibiting over 40 paintings and will launch a book of poetry and verse titled " Expressions in Verse" together with Father Anton Weerasinghe, a Jesuit priest.

Wildlife, beaches.. this is Lanka
Sri Lanka, a haven of rich diverse culture and varied wildlife is a photographer's dream. With 14 National Parks, idyllic palm-fringed beaches and historical sites from the 3rd century B.C., photographer Sunil de Costa has ample scenes to work with, and his photographic exhibition 'Expo de Ceylon' at Alliance Francaise de Colombo will highlight a select range of its wonders.

Gaining 12 years experience photographing all over the country, de Costa indulged in his artistic hobby while serving as a judicial officer and then chairman of a govt. bank in the cities of the 'Cultural Triangle' and the Central Provinces. Now having acquired a vast portfolio he is ready to exhibit around 50 of his exclusive shots that capture the essence of Sri Lanka. He says, "I have photos of everything from waterfalls and animals to Buddhas and ancient ruins."

With over a thousand photographs of Sri Lankan waterfalls, he plans a specialised exhibition in July to expose what he feels are 'one of the most fascinating of natural phenomena'. A selection of these will be exhibited in his first exhibition among his other work. The exhibition will be on from May 12 to May 16 at the Alliance Française de Colombo.

Light behind the swirling darkness
By Tara Robinson
Swirling darkness and curious shapes. This is what Druvinka Madawela's paintings seem to depict, but it takes only a few seconds more to realise that emotive atmospheres and deeper symbolic meanings fill the space of her canvases with unerring mastery. Her latest exhibition at the Barefoot Gallery is a continuation of her unique style, exploring more essential life themes and her reactions to worldwide events while remaining biographically personal and fresh.

A Sri Lankan living in India, she has been classically trained in fine art and draws upon all her well-practised technique, varied education and talent to develop her style. Where previously she experimented with figures, her latest collection of 20 paintings show what appears on the surface to be simply varying contours and colours. Certainly, there are identifiable objects: seeds, circles, cosmos, lingams and vaginas and these collectively represent the wonder that is the spiritual union of male and female, bathing on the underlying principle of the cosmos. It praises the fundamental basics of the circle of life but shows visually the layering of the darker aspects of existence.

This layering is not only metaphorical. Physical layering of artistic matter is what makes Druvinka's work unique among contemporary styles. Beginning with brilliantly bright colours on a layer of Nepali paper, this fluorescence is then covered with oil and tempera, a technique borrowed from the Moghul painters of India. Often over 25 layers of colour are ritualistically laid on top of this to the resultant effect of rich greys and mystic murkiness. The darkness is there, but beneath it remains the suggestion of vitality and life. In each painting there is a source of light that works through the dimensions created and offers intrigue among the bleak shadows. "They are not narratives," she insists, but there are suggestions of events created in the shapes. One canvas painted shortly after the tsunami disaster displays an increase of texture in a wave-like formation. It is just an image, but the feeling of turmoil and tragedy is irrevocably there. Hand touching heart Druvinka says, "It's about getting what's inside into the painting."

With no title for either her exhibition or any of her recent paintings, she believes that everyone feels something personal when they view a painting. "I don't want to impose my own thoughts. The meaning is secondary. A painting is line, form and colour arranged on the surface and it is a visual. If you like it, you like it, and it really doesn't matter what it means." So she paints for herself. But the evident devotion and emotion that goes into it, infuses her work and gives it an appeal that allows anyone access on their own level.

With a host of exhibitions around the world, she has successfully provoked interest from galleries and art enthusiasts all over. "My painting is not commercial. It's very easy to paint for the market but I wouldn't paint such dark atmospheres if my aim was to sell them." Regardless of this her work is highly sought after, particularly by European collectors; "I think they see how the Sri Lankan and Indian influence is somehow primitive but is still open and contemporary."

Druvinka's exhibition will be held from May 4 to May 18 at the Barefoot Gallery, 704 Galle Rd, Colombo 3.

Exploring a labyrinth of colourful tradition and abstract art
By Tara Robinson and Vidushi Seneviratne
Saman Kumarasinghe is no newcomer to the Sri Lankan art scene but his gallery of vibrant paintings in traditional styles combined with abstract exploration has only recently opened to the public.

It is a labyrinth of variety, with watercolours, oils and acrylic experimentation to present scenes that range from waterfalls, peacocks, Buddhas and dancers to abstract female body parts hiding behind flamboyant splurges of colour. A vast body of work is available but with the limited space, it is not conventionally laid out and a rummage through the exotic delights is required to ensure nothing is missed. Kumarasinghe's logo name being 'feather touch', he believes that 'painting late at night is important for the calm and clear mind'. It is this that no doubt brings his vivid imagination to anything from tranquil scenes to contorted women to the tip of his paintbrush.

Having painted professionally for more than seven years now, he has work exhibited in Bangalore among other places, and has developed his own distinctive style. A pupil of the great L.T.P. Manjusri, he has been influenced by the height of Sri Lankan traditionalist art and although occasionally adopting a Tibetan style, enjoys mainly the techniques that so aptly depict Sri Lankan cultural mystique.

His family are also artistically minded. With two young sons, who are also artistically gifted, his wife Manjista Manjusri Kumarasinghe finds little time to paint herself but is the daughter of his former tutor and therefore unavoidably artistic. A teacher at an international school she emphasises the importance of allowing children to experiment with varying religious and artistic approaches although her speciality lies in Buddhist designs.

The family ties continue with her brother, Kushana Manjusri continuing the deep set historical enthusiasm for Sri Lanka and Buddhism in his work. Working for a project of the UNESCO Cultural Triangle, and invited to make copies of the Dambulla Temple Paintings, a project that took 11 years to complete 20,000 square feet of paintings, he is extremely skilled.

A man of varying interests he has been a Buddhist monk, travelled frequently and funds an archaeological fascination with the profits of his paintings. Mostly focusing on surrealist paintings, but also Tibetan and Chinese landscapes, he works on exquisite line paintings of traditional scenes similar to his brother-in-law but with differing style - working the form of the body into separate pieces creating a collage of painted limbs and features. Thoroughly dedicated to Sri Lankan traditional art he believes that the Sri Lankan people 'should appreciate their culture more than they do now. Art is a reflection of society and not enough people appreciate the classical influence. The ability to recognise traditional styles and beauty should be better taught at school.' The Kumarasinghe family's work can be viewed during the week at The Gallery at No.74 Fife Road. Colombo 5.

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