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Paintings matched with poetry

by Ilika Karunaratne

I have always found that it is only an artist with the magic of mastery of sleight of hand who can turn life into a beguiling fantasia. But it is all this and more when the artist is a poet too. Then, the rhythm of phraseology adds to the mystery and fascination.

Farida Ul Haque, who holds her first exhibition in Colombo at the Lionel Wendt on June 18 is no stranger to the world of art. She has painted all her life, and exhibited previously in Lahore and Mexico. Listening to her mellifluous voice, flowing smoothly, the images in her words became vibrantly alive.

"The art of Mexico, like that of Sri Lanka, in its infinite variety of colour and form is very much a reflection of the life and its people." The difference about Farida's exhibition is that her paintings are matched with her poetry which will be on a scroll beside it "explaining the mood of the painting", "I also taught myself French silk painting, while in Washington, so these on silk, chiffon or charmeuse will hang from the ceiling giving the effect of floating panels. I want my exhibition to be a fun occasion.

Creativity is a part of all our lives in one way or another, it should be a way of life but we often turn our backs on creativity. We should try to find our hidden resources. When I first came to Sri Lanka, its beauty took me by storm or seemed to send me into a state of shock. I couldn't paint for a while, but was like a sponge, absorbing everything. Every grand old tree one sees is an object for worship. All that I see here is food for my soul".

The difference in Farida's paintings to my eye is that there is variety of style. She paints the scenic beauty of our country, abstracts and flowers. The colours she uses are as vibrant and vivid as her words. Various shades of green of our lush foliage, the deep indigo of black grapes, vivid pinks and flamboyant reds. Her visit to Singharaja inspired "Singharaja" and "I dream of Singharaja" "The sounds, the shadowy changes of light and the rainforest itself standing like a giant to be worshipped fascinated me".

Another painting, an abstract caught my eye in deep browns, deep greys and a flash of red. This was entitled "Evening pain". "I often feel intense pain as daylight gives way to evening shadows and had to paint it - a very dark feeling with a livid edge to it". Another, faces of two women who seemed to be in deep thought, reflected the kind of suffering with so many women go through silently, often impenetrable, woes and preoccupations hidden deep within. "Radiant Croton" was from her garden.

"A profusion of life, a sacred part of the universe radiating light. I dream in pictures too". Wordspictures, picturewords to this artist are intertwined and a reflection of each other. There were "Vesak in Kandy" "Dawn" and "Pre dusk in Kandy" showing the shadows deepening. Farida has painted flowers too which she says are like a woman's unique persona full of mystery. Anthuriums, her favourites, and Araliya, in each of its colours. An interesting abstract was of scrolls of paper, entitled "Who will write my story?" Many experiences are gathered through the years for Life is like a voyage of discovery and momentum. We all have broken fragments, some brilliant, some mundane, "we are afraid of revealing ourselves and carry these within us".

It was a new and exhilarating experience for me to have abstracts explained to me. I often wander round abstracts not quite understanding the artist's message, but too afraid to ask! "You must as art lovers, talk to the artists and demand explanations. An artist is not a super natural being. They feel gratified at your interest".

Some special memories of childhood are in her poetry.

"I remembered an older sea

The same one really.

But a different shore -

Blue jellyfish smudged here and there

And my father calling....

I tremble to green froth and curling seaweed

Fingers of fear.

Driving past fishermen's beach huts, with religious statues in close proximity, inspired a poem entitled: Miracle of the sleeping boy of Moratuwa Then I see them both - Jesus, Lord Jesus

Gilded guardian of poor man's

Laundry and consecrated trash

Saint Michael, of the rest

And the boy sleeps, floating in

A ghost mother's copper milk

O Blessed, blessed shadow of dreams

Farida who has travelled to many remote areas of our country, is full of admiration for our youth. "They are full of fire, creativity and enthusiasm. We must see that they can access this to a vehicle in which they are exposed to more opportunity.

Our legacy to them must be our faith in them. I am glad that the George Keyt Foundation is giving young artists exposure with the Kala Pola. Each year has shown more maturity in ideas and media".

Farida says this exhibition would not have been possible without her husband's support and the "Wadiya Writers group" to which she belongs. "They pushed me, encouraged me and helped me in innumerable ways especially Fatima, Nafisa, Neil and Anthea".

I'm sure art lovers will appreciate the wayward charm and effervescence of Farida's work. She has portrayed her feelings; giving them a nostalgic and surreal quality far beyond the here and now. Life, through her eyes, becomes a brilliant harlequinade. The exhibition runs through June 19 and 20, at the Lionel Wendt, 10.00 a.m. to 8 p.m.

An enchanted evening

by Sharm de Alwis

The presentation of choral music by the Colombo Branch of the Trinity College OBA which harnessed the multiple talents of the Lylie Godridge Singers and the choirs of Ladies, Bishops and Trinity was a night of moonbeam delight.

The LG singers were in their impeccable voice singing acappella with five of the founder members of forty years ago yet in the group. Theirs was a performance of virtuoso finesse. "Some enchanted evening," sang Eshantha de Andrado and it surely was - for us.

The LG Singers are professionals and the aura touched to responding chord in the musically inclined audience who enjoyed every breath they sang. When it came to the colts and the fillies, Ladies College was supreme. To begin with, their statuesque and endowed Choir teacher Sureka Amerasinghe must be the best flutist in the country next to Anil Mihiripenna.

Sureka played the piano with gusto and panache, urging her charges to the ultimate in singing and they responded in the true measure of the artistrophic breed. The Ladies College choir was a treat to listen to. Not only did they sing with happiness in voice and face, they enjoyed their singing just as much as we did theirs. They were dynamic and very positive and yet the singers had contrasting styles. Giranga Goonetilleka sang such a high soprano I was not unhappy I didn't have a glass in my hand or it would have splintered.

The Bishops College choir came on next and performed blithely. The choir was admirably conducted by one of the choristers, Savindri Perera. The pianist, Niroshini Goonetilleka was a bundle of great promise, merrily strutting her fingers on the keys. The first soprano, Angeline Guneratne led the pace for others to follow in magnetic elegance.

The Trinity College choir took us on the wings of fancy to the halcyon period when the choir was fine-tuned by Major Gordon Burrows to be acclaimed in the same breath as the Choir of King's College, Canterbury.

Teachers and parents

by Prof. J.B. Disanayaka

An Indian word of Sanskrit origin that has found its way into both English and Sinhala is Guru. English dictionaries define Guru as an Indian religious leader or teacher of religious practices. A religious man who succeeds in producing peace of mind, in particular, is considered a guru. In informal usage, however, a person who commands respect for his ideas is also called a guru. One might say that J. M. Keynes was the great guru of economics.

The Sinhalese also call their teachers guru and in traditional villages the house (gedara) in which he lived and taught was named guru gedara. The teacher deserved so much respect that he was never referred to by the word guru alone. The two suffixes vara and tum were added after it to show this respect. Thus came into being the words guru-vara-ya: (the teacher) guru-vara-yek (a teacher) guru-varu (teachers)

The suffix tum was added to words that refer to noble men and thus the teacher was called guru-tum-a:. The teacher of the king (ra:ja) was called ra-ja guru and the devotion (bhakti) that pupils showed to the teacher was called guru bhakti. The followers of a teacher formed into a guru kula and they promoted their teacher's school of thought. Traditional teachers were not paid salaries but were given gifts as a tokens of gratitude and these gifts were called guru panduru.

The parents are the first teachers of a child and thus they are called de guru, a term which literally means 'two teachers'. School associations (samiti) which look after the welfare of the school is called in Sinhala.

guru deguru samiti (teacher - two teacher - societies)

Parents are also called

mavu piyo; (mother - father) or de mavu piyo: (two - mother - father)

Wholesome in treatment

After winning wide international acclaim with his very first film, 'Saroja' Sri Lanka filmmaker, Somaratne Dissanayake, is ready with 'Chinna Devadhai' (little angel) a poignant story set in the strife-ridden island of the 1980s.

He doesn't preach, he only makes you think. His film is a wholesome and healthy analysis of the human psyche - an analysis that does not leave you drained at the end of it.

A clearly thought out and well planned script is what makes 'Chinna Devedhai' crisp and enjoyable. Sampath, a 10 - year old Sinhalese boy is rich but mentally disturbed. The frequent squabbles between the parents make a dent on the child's mind. The mother goes away with another man and the father a womaniser, is too busy to pay attention to the child and believes that he can make amends by providing him with the latest toys.

Into the solitary and sad life of Sampath, who often turns violent, enters the young and cheerful eight-year old daughter of the servant in the household; They are Tamils. It is to an oasis of affection and joy that Sampath travels, as his friendship with the girl Sathya proves an effective therapy. But the ethnic conflict and the bloodshed in which Sathya's father is burnt alive, make the boy's happiness short lived.

The toil that mindless mayhem takes on innocent lives is what Somaratne places so poignantly before us in 'Chinna Devadhai'. The servant Velu is killed in a dastards manner and the Sinhalese employers risks his own life to save him in vain. There is no gore, no melodrama. Yet the scenes are charged with the thought that basic human kindness transcends any divide. Even small details have been taken care of. The strong point of the re-recording is that the' composer knows when to have a background' score and more important, when not to. And even when there is music it blends well with the mood of the scene.

Yet the scenes are charged with the thought that basic human kindness transcends any divide. Even small details have been taken care of.And even when there is music it blends well with the mood of the scene.

Somaratne Dissanayake's first film, 'Saroja,'released in 2000, won nine International awards.

(Courtesy 'The Hindu')

Tower Hall Theatre Awards presentation

by Arundathie Abeysinghe

The rhythmic sound of feet on stage accompanied by the vibrating sounds of drums echo in the air... The vibrant colours of the costumes, especially the headdresses of the dancers attract the attention of the audience...All were spellbound with the various dance items that were a part of a variety entertainment presented by the students of the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation drama school as part of a program of presentation of scholarships to undergraduates.

The highlight of the variety entertainment was the several dance recitals including Ves Netuma, Daru Nelawili. The Tower Hall theatre foundation awarded scholarships to 15 outstanding undergraduates of the University of Kelaniya (1998-1999 academic year) under this program. Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Deputy Director, Tilak Gunawardene and Director, Tower Hall Theatre Foundation Indika P. Chandratillake presented the awards. The audience was entertained well for two hours. The dancers too performed professionally.

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