Sarath looks back on half a century
One of Sarath’s recent sketches done in the US. Pix by Akila Jayawardena
Soon the walls within 18A, Sarasavi Gardens, Nugegoda will be lined with the art of one of our best known living artists, S. H. Sarath. This year he looks back on half a century since his first solo exhibition held at the Lionel Wendt, where Colombo woke up to a shy youth with robust, bold strokes that spoke of Kandyan temple art fired by the modern style.
S. H. Sarath is also one of the few alive to have exhibited alongside the ’43 Group and also other famous names as Ranil Deraniyagala, Mudaliyar A.C.G.S. Amerasekere and a young Senaka Senanayake.
Sarath ushers us into the high-ceilinged dark living room where this boy from Weligama has stacked pellmell his life’s work. There are the famous ‘cubist copulations’, his well-known social commentaries with their impish humour as well as spartan Madonnas or Lord Ganesha.
While recently in America, Sarath kept up as always with the ritual morning doodling, and he shares the private sketches he made – his ‘matins’ on paper. There is one where a yakkini (she-devil) goes to a ‘beauty salon’ to get a makeover (but remains diabolical ‘at heart’) and also the fate of three-wheeler drivers and baasunnehes – those social outcasts.
His depictions of the narakadi (Buddhist hell) has womanisers whose genitalia trail as fiery serpents and an
outspoken series shows Buddhist monks obsessed with worldly goods.
Sometimes his visions are of epic proportions (there is an Icarus-like figure with birds for limbs, flying over American cityscapes) while there are symbolical divine figures aplenty.
Among recent accolades for the veteran artist was a solo show at the Siam Nivasa and when the Thai Premier was here for the Independence Day this year, it was one of Sarath’s cubist works that was gifted to him.
Sarath – genial with the radiant smile he offers to all, society lady or dustman – is captured in this comment by Prof. Ashley Halpe:
“The ranging from the expression of intensely inventive creative imagery to the incorporation of traditional motifs as well as the juxtaposition of works of humane concern with the images of a richly creative plastic and chromatic imagination, entitle Sarath to a place of honour in any account of the art of Sri Lanka.”
Sarath’s latest exhibition happens at the artist’s house at 18A Sarasavi Gardens, Nawala Road, Nugegoda, from March 22 till 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
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