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Kala Korner - by Dee Cee

Recognising artists of repute
There was yet another addition to the host of State Awards recently. Without much fanfare, six artists were recognized for their distinguished services towards the development of Sri Lankan art with the conferment of 'Chitrakala Abhimani'. Among the six was one woman, Saraswathi Rockwood. The other were S. P. Charles, Somabandhu Vidyapati, Thilake Abesinghe, Q. V. Saldin and W. A. Ariyasena.

Described as "a great Sri Lankan well known for his lifelong devotion to the cause of traditional art", S. P. Charles is a veteran of the J. D. A. Perera era. (Leading exponent of visual art, J. D. A. Perera was head of the Art Section of the Technical College and later started the College of Fine Arts, the popular 'Heywood' at Horton Place). Hailing from Weligama, Charles, after his student days, joined the teaching staff and rose to be head of the Art Section in the Sinhala stream at Heywood.

He designed the National Flag and the sceptre, considered as two of his outstanding creations. As a measure to preserve for posterity the ancient temple paintings faced with destruction, he copied on paper with meticulous care the murals of a large number of ancient viharas, some of which are exhibited in the Oriental Section of the British Museum.

Somabandu is another distinguished product of the Technical College, who occupies a unique place as a painter and pioneer of contemporary art. A student of two great Indian artists Nandalal Bose and Ram Kinkar at Shantiniketan, Somabandu developed a style of his own, the special features of which were the rhythm and grace he had captured in depth and his beautiful colour scheme. His murals at the Bellanvila Raja Maha Vihara are a fine example of his individual style.

Saraswathi Rockwood, a Heywood student who also learnt art under Mudaliyar A. C. G. S. Amaraekera, displayed her skills in sculpture, portrait painting, jewellery designing and marble cutting. She has also mastered the use of pastels in her own style. She has exhibited her creations at many international exhibitions and has earned a name for herself not only as a painter and sculptor but as a designer as well.

The internationally reputed painter and sculptor Thilake Abesinghe is a graduate of the Academia di Bella Arte de Brera in Milan where he came under the influence of the world renowned sculptor Mario Marini.
Among the many accolades he has received are the Gold Award at the Japan Sri Lanka Exhibition (1993), Kalapathi Award of the Sri Lanka Society of Arts (1993), Lione International gold award for the most outstanding personality for aesthetic art (1984), the Visva Prasadini award and the Ruhunu Putra award. In 1984 he was invested with the singular title 'Chevalier of the Order of Merit' by the Italian Government for his services to art.

Vernon Saldin who also belongs to the Technical College days later taught at Heywood. He won an Italian Government scholarship to study at the Academy of Fine Arts, Florence and was also selected to understudy Professor M Kanamaru, a Colombo Plan expert in light metal work.

He has won several awards at exhibitions and his work has been exhibited at several international exhibitions. He was commissioned to do two paintings at President's House in connection with the visit of Queen Elizabeth II. The gallery of portraits of Muslim leaders at the Moors Islamic Cultural Centre is also his work.

Also belonging to the J. D. A. Perera era is W. A. Ariyasena hailing from Gampaha. A lecturer, regular exhibitor and award winner, he has been a stamp designer too. Among his treasured creations is the mace of the Senate, the upper chamber in the early days of Sri Lanka's Parliament.
He has also copied the newly discovered mural paintings at the relic chamber of the Mahiyangana vihara. He has drawn portraits of Colombo municipal councilors (exhibited at the Town Hall) and musician and artistes hung at the Elphinstone Theatre.

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