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| Sunday, 24 November 2002 |
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Features |  |
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Facets of Rural life Renowned artist Basil Cooray's fourth solo exhibition of water colour paintings will be held at the Alliance Francaise, Colombo 7 from November 29 to December 2. The exhibition will feature 35 recent paintings of the artist, under the theme Facets of the Rural.
His works cleverly capture the religious sentiments of pilgrims and the serenity of Buddhist shrines. With his subtle and fine brush strokes he unravels the aesthetic mood and feeling with great authenticity. Working with almost a forgotten medium, Cooray brings to life the facets of rural life with poise and panache. His intensity of expression permeates all his paintings. His previous solo watercolour painting exhibitions were held at the National Art Gallery Colombo, Lionel Wendt Gallery (Perspectives of Life) and at the Hermitage Gallery.
Cooray's paintings adorn reputed institutions such as the President's House, the Hatton National Bank, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in South Africa.Young Cooray received guidance under well-known artists such as Douglas Paul, Dominic Cyril and Stanley Abeysinghe. Cooray works as an illustrator and visualizer for Phoenix O & M (Pvt)
Limited. Between two worlds by Edwin Ariyadasa
In Bahrain, where he worked as a draughtsman, Tissa became fascinated by people and sights of the place. The quaint and archaic buildings, people going about their routine activities, men practising traditional arts and crafts, caught the fancy of Tissa.
The outcome of all this was the popularity that Tissa achieved among the lovers of art and culture in that land. His exhibitions in Bahrain were generally well-attended and the press in that country reported that art-lovers acquired his works with an impressive enthusiasm and avidity. In a kind of unusual 'encore' for artworks, viewers often demanded copies of favourite works that had already been sold. While in Bahrain, Tissa acquired the reputation of being the recorder in water colours of the culture and heritage of that land. Tissa Hewavitarane's art is distinguished by sensitive portrayals of people and places. His works could be described as romantically realistic - as he added a touch of feeling while portraying things and life with authenticity. Tissa's artistic expressions extend to the field of caricature as well. He regularly contributed caricatures to newspapers in Bahrain. Tissa, started his paintings long before he travelled to Bahrain. Educated at S. Thomas' College, Mt. Lavinia, he took to painting while he was still a student. In his water colours, Tissa exhibits an appealing serenity. Whatever the subject matter, his paintings are soothing and tranquilizing. He has a keen eye for situations that qualify to be captured in water colour. He perceives, the inner soul of people and places. His works are compelling as 'pretty pictures'. Tissa's greeting cards are soothing and tranquilizing. Tissa has not held an exhibition of his works in Sri Lanka in recent times. He has held exhibitions in West Germany. His exhibition now being held at Lanka Oberoi till November 26 will
provide an opportunity to see Tissa's multi-faceted art. The exhibition is
titled 'Between Two Worlds', but in effect his works stem from many worlds
- because he is sensitive to people and places everywhere. Wildlife photographs at British Council An exhibition of wildlife photographs by Rukshan Jayewardene will be held from November 28-30 at the British Council hall, Colombo from 9.30 a.m. - 7.30 p.m. Rukshan Jayewardene had his primary and secondary education at Royal College, Colombo and had his secondary education at the University of New Brunswick Canada, University of Maryland USA, and University of Cambridge UK.
Trained in Anthropology and Archaeology he has had an interest in wildlife and conservation issues since his childhood. This interest in animals led him to his first job at the National Zoo, first as a volunteer, then as a permanent staff member where he had the opportunity to observe animal behaviour and also to handle various animals. Photography has been an abiding interest for him for many years. Visits to National Parks especially to Yala inspired him to take up wildlife photography seriously.The photographs to be exhibited at The British Council span the short period from 2000 todate. Some of the pictures are from his recent visit to Southern Africa. He specializes in photographs of birds and leopards, the latter especially through his collaboration on a book on the Sri Lankan Leopard. Recently Rukshan won an award at the prestigious BG International Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2002 Competition organised by the BBC and the Natural History Museum in London. He received the 'Highly Commended' award for his photograph "Hawk
Eagle grappling with a monitor" in the Animal Behaviour/Birds -
pictures category. This photograph is currently on display at the Jerwood
Gallery of the Natural History Museum with 80 other award winning pictures
in various categories. It is also published in the book - Wildlife
Photographer of the Year - Portfolio 12. "A Prelude to Desolation" "A Prelude to Desolation", an exhibition of art created by Jagath Weerasinghe, will commenced on November 23, at the Vafa Gallery of Sarvodaya, Kotte. It be open daily (except Mondays) to the public from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. until December 8. The show will carry a selection of Weerasinghe's compositions of the 1988-1992 era when he was immersed in post-graduate art studies at the American University. The creations were also the backbone which comprised his 1992 show at the Art Gallery. "The Other Side of the Picture", a publication in which Weerasinghe crystallizes his critique of the political mediation of contemporary artists, is also scheduled to be launched on the opening day. |
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Cooray exploits the medium of water colours innovatively to present Sri
Lanka's rural life in a refreshing manner. The haunting natural beauty of
the village with its myriad vibrant ways of living and its inexorable
culture is central to Cooray's paintings.
He has also participated in several group exhibitions: Young
Contemporaries (1997, 1998 & 1999), Moods and Modes, Nava Kalakaruwo
(2001-2002) and Images of Peaceful Life (2002).
Tissa Hewavitarane, earned an extensive reputation in Bahrain, as a
much publicised artist. His story is in a way, quite akin to the legend of
a Prince of the Middle-East, who went in search of a sheep that had
strayed from his herd and discovered an entire new kingdom.
He captured all these in eloquent water colours. Tissa's feeling for
these picturesque places and individuals raised ripples in the minds of
the people of that land. They began to see their own home through the eyes
of the artist Tissa. These paintings, perhaps made them see themselves in
a fresh light.
