29th June 1997

Arts

• Quest for true beauty
• Forty years behind the lens
• Going back to tradition
• There’s colour and subtlety
• Capturing the exotic reef

Quest for true beauty

Nadine David has been lucky to be trained by that legendary maestro of art David Paynter who worked and taught at the Government College of Fine Arts.

Nadine had the good luck and the staying power to learn under him for fifteen years. I am very grateful for this experience," she says. For three long years we were never allowed to use a paint brush in class. It was all learning to draw and sketch. We respected David Paynter although he was very strict and one could not play around in class or relax gossiping."

Nadine says as an artist she wants to capture afresh the intrinsic nature and true beauty of natural forms be they landscapes, portraits or compositions. This is Nadine’s second exhibition of her paintings after thirty years. It will be held from today Sunday 29th to Sunday 6th July from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Sapumal Foundation, 32/4, Barnes Place, Colombo 7. - (RP)

Below: Ehala Tree and Ripple

Forty years behind the lens

Sena Kothalawala’s solo photographic exhibition will be open to the public on July 4 and 5 at the Lionel Wendt. Titled ‘Seya Ridma’ the exhibition will feature 150 photographs taken by the artist over some 40 years. The exhibition will be opened by Minister of Tourism Dharmasiri Senanayake.

Sena Kothalawala recently published a Sinhalese book on photography titled ‘Chayarupa Shilpiya’ (The Photographer).

Going back to tradition

By Kshalini Nonis

"Sunnidhi" an exhibition of paintings by the Plate Art Group is now on at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery.

"Sunnidhi’- is a rather unusual name for an exhibition." Says Dora Tomulic Aluvihare, "It is a Sanskrit name and basically means the continuity of traditions. It is this that I want to teach my students- to study art from primitive to modern times."

" In earlier days, this country had such unique craftsamanship....it is unbelievable. However, there is no continuation of this."

Dora and 28 of her pupils will exhibit 164 paintings at the exhibition. There is variety in the work that will be exhibited_ abstracts, scenes from nature, figuratives and non-figuratives.These have been done using practically all the mediums such as oils, acrylics, and water colours. 14 of her own paintings too will be on display.

Dora explains there are two main reasons for such an exhibition. "One is for motivation, and to build up more confidence among my students. The other is to give the students an opportunity to actually view their work being hung in a gallery and analyse it from a different perspective- it either depresses you or gives you pleasure. You also get an opportunity to hear criticism about your work- constructive criticism preferably," she said.

According to Dora, one of the most important factors in taking up art is the ‘will to work’ or a genuine desire from within one to devote time and effort towards it. Hence there is no age limit although most of my students are in their 20’s. I also have some students who are in their 60’s" she added.

‘Sunnidhi’ will continue till July 3.

There’s colour and subtlety

Shehan Madawela’s latest work is on an altogether larger scale. Two of his bigger paintings measure 60" x 35". These pictures also feature many more colours, with subtle gradations and variations. The paintings are also very much more complex and require careful scrutiny, interpretation and appraisal.

"February 1990" I feel, has references to Picasso’s "Guernica" and even the Odessa Steps sequence from Einstein’s "Battleship Potemkin". The central figure in this painting is a man in a mask, being stabbed in the back by what appears to be a worker and a politician. Staring eyes surmounted by "Pottus", Sacred Bo Leaves, pages of script, guns, holsters and bandoliers all come together to make this a very political statement on contemporary Sri Lanka.

"Mango Dreaming" transports us to a Sri Lankan Garden of Eden with mangoes as the forbidden fruit. Carnal desire appears as a result of mango consumption, yet whether this feeling is shared by the woman in the painting remains untold.

Shehan has not shared the interpretations of his latest output with this writer. One therefore has no way of knowing whether one’s readings of the works are in agreement with the artist’s. As long as he remains silent it will be difficult to ascertain. Whatever the meaning, they share and enhance the value of his earlier work. Shehan is obviously totally committed to the role of artist and we in Sri Lanka can only look forward to seeing him grow intellectually as one.

The Exhibition is now on at the Heritage Art Gallery, 61, Dharmapala Mawatha, Colombo 7 till July 6

Capturing the exotic reef

The British Council presents an exhibition of photographs of Sri Lanka’s undersea world by photographer Saman Liyanage from Thursday 3rd to Saturday 5th July from 9.30 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. at the British Council Hall. The exhibition is open to all.

Saman Liyanage, a Graphic Artist attached to the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation, has over 25 years of experience as a wildlife photographer.

He took to underwater photography just two years ago. In this exhibition entitled ‘Reef’ he displays 39 photographs taken off the coast in Rumassala and Hikkaduwa.

Through his photographs he aims to educate the public of the value of Sri Lanka’s coral reefs under threat due to coral mining and excessive fishing.

He is an active member of the Young Zoologists Association, Field Ornithology Group of Sri Lanka and March for Conservation.

‘Reef’ will be declared open on Wednesday 2nd July by the Acting British High Commissioner Mr. Peter Gregory-Hood.

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