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| Sunday, 26 January 2003 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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Kavita, choosy about the films she directs by Mahes Perera
A first meeting with Kavita Lankesh and you think of her as being a popular classical dancer not as a successful film director from Bangalore who is choosy about the subjects of the films she directs. Kavita was in Sri Lanka recently to interview and select the lead role actor and actress as well as other connected subjects for an international project which she will direct with Sri Lankan collaboration. She will be back in February to commence the arduous task of location filming. "Oh I enjoy the long hours of film making. I'm choosy of my subjects. It should excite me, because to me a film should be a surprise, really each time it should be branded," says charming Kavita whose expressive face is an attention getter. Hailing from a family of journalists her father P. Lankesh was a renowned writer, journalist and film director who won many awards including the prestigious Central Government Literature Award. Her sister is a journalist and editor of their father's Kannada newspaper while her brother is a publisher. "The newspaper is a tabloid very popular in Kannada and is funded by circulation with no advertisements", claims a proud Kavita who was in Sri Lanka after having completed a film which will be released early this year. "The theme focuses on society especially a middle class family caught in the magical Indian film world. What is brought out is the exploitation in the Indian film world - reality is rarely showcased in a hard hitting style. My earlier film was a feature film, a docu-fiction about the lack of water in the village and the complexities in the lives of the villagers. Deveeri my other production succeeded at many festivals won nine awards and Sri Lanka bought the film. Deveeri is the name of a woman and the theme is seen through the eyes of a 12-year-old boy. His sister is a prostitute. He finds this out and resulting implications to society was effectively portrayed," Kavita elaborates further. Besides directing and producing documentaries Kavita has made more than 13 films. What is her preference? "I don't classify films as commercial and documentary. To me every film is an art and to make a good film means that your individual artistry must come into play heavily. In my opinion Bollywood films have no soul and no substance. Deveeri was a success for me because it was watched by all despite its theme. Bollywood may market 134 films but ten films turn out to be hits. I give my films for screening and donate the money I get to orphanages which gives me a great deal of satisfaction" concludes Kavita who is looking forward to commencing the filming of the International Project in February. ************* Exhibition by Tilake Abeysinghe at the Lanka Oberoi The Sri Lankan painter and sculptor Tilake Abeysinghe has created a body of work that can proudly take its place in any art gallery in the world, even in the August company of a Cezanne, a Monet or a Degas.
Abeysinghe has been much acclaimed in his lifetime, even being made a Chevalier of the Order of Merit by the Italian Government in addition to the various national accolades bestowed upon him. Tilake, a village boy born at Karatota in southern Sri Lanka, had his early training at the Government School of Fine Arts in Colombo, and in recognition of his talents was awarded a scholarship to study in Milan, at the prestigious Academia de Bella Arte de Brera under Dominico Cantatore, where he also came under the influence of the world renowned sculptor Mario Marini. After graduation from the Academia, where he was immediately offered a Professorship, he declined and instead established his own atelier in Milan in 1980, holding solo exhibitions in Italy and Switzerland. Tilake toured the art galleries of Europe extensively during these formative years and studied the work of the great masters from Giotto to Modigliani, spanning the various periods and trends in art from the Baroque and Rocco, to Surrealism, through Classicism, neo-classicism, Renaissance, Impressionism, Cubism and any other "ism" that had found favour, and fallen into disfavour in European art at one time or the other. But strangely (or for that matter, not so strangely) enough, no trace of any particular "ism" can be found in any of his canvases. They stand by themselves, instantly recognisable as a Tilake Abeysinghe. Identity is the hallmark of a truly original artist. What this sojourn in Europe did to the raw villager from rural Sri Lanka was merely to streamline his technique, which enabled him in later years to turn out the exquisite nudes for this he is justly famous. Complete mastery of form, line and colour is indeed a formidable task for any creative artist, even if born with loads of talent, in whichever medium he works in, be it paint, stone, music or the written word. Few achieve a harmonious synthesis of all three so that they spontaneously merge to one indivisible whole, which for want of a better word we call a "masterpiece" and its creator a genius. An exhibition of paintings by acclaimed artist Tilake Abeysinghe sponsored by The Lanka Oberoi and The Deutsche Bank will be held on January 26 and 27 at the Artrium of The Lanka Oberoi. ************* Observations of daily life by Deepal Warnakulasuriya Shazra and Nazra Jadulla Jameel identical young twins from Male will hold their painting and drawing exhibition at the Harold Peiris Gallery of the Lionel Wendt from January 24 to 27 from 10 am to 7.30 p.m.
The exhibition is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Colombo Down Town. The inauguration took place on January 24 at 6.30 pm with the participation of the Ms Otara Chandiram (Managing Director, ODEL) as the chief guest and Rotarian N. Pathmanathan (District Governor, 3220 Rotary Intl.) as the guest of honour. Shazra and Nazra have been in Sri Lanka for five years and for the past four years' they have followed art classes at the "Arabasque Art Class" in Borella conducted by Dora Tomulic Aluvihare. The duo will exhibit 20 pencil carbon drawings and 20 paintings (oil and watercolours). Almost all of their drawing and paintings depict the theme of life. Both artists have tried to give a different interpretation to daily observations they have captured in time and space. They have used multiple layers of colours and textures to give depth to their creations and artistic techniques have been used to bring all the effects into their exhibits. President of the Rotary Club of Colombo, Down Town Rotarian, Kiron Shenoy said that part of the proceeds will be donated to the Samanala Children's home, Balapitiya. He also added that it would be a great opportunity for Sri Lankan young artists and others to see the exhibition which gives an impression what the artists have of local life tyles, moods and moments. ************* Sunny side of Saman's work
A series of paintings by artist Saman Kumarasinghe titled 'Fethertouch' were on display in Bangalore, the Garden City of India, recently. The paintings ranging from figures of women, to images of Christianity and Buddhism were well received by the art-loving Bangaloreans. Here is an interview with the artist carried in one of the Indian papers. Painting is his passion, a passion he's pursued with gusto. Dainty women balancing pitchers on their slender waists, women in artistic poses with flowers in their shapely fingers, the calm face of the Buddha, serene looking Buddhist monks, abstracts... he's painted them all. In fact, versatility and bright sunny colours are the hallmark of Saman Kumarasinghe's work. Not surprising, since he hails from the land of sun and sand - Sri Lanka, and each and every work of his bears the unique stamp of his native country. An established painter who's had several exhibitions in Colombo, Saman says he started pursuing his passion for painting only after his formal education in Commerce. "When in college I did not get the time to paint as I was also an athlete. So, I had to patiently wait till I finished college," he says.
After graduating in commerce, following his father's wishes he dabbled in his family business for two years and alongside he started training under Magasaysay award winner Dr. L. T. P. Manjushree. Three years of strict training under the expert guidance of the master artist helped Saman hone his drawing and painting skills and he hasn't looked back since then. Specialising in water colours, he takes upto a month to complete one piece of work, he says. "Each painting has upto five layers of paint. The darker the colour, the larger the number of coats and longer the time it requires for completion," says Saman whose favourite colour is vermilion in all its glory. All his works are in French water colours on thick watermark paper "as they are long lasting." Saman Kumarasinghe's works have found the pride of place even in the homes of foreign nationals residing in Colombo and through them they have reached countries as far flung as Switzerland, Britain, France and Japan. In Bangalore on his fifth visit to the country, Saman says while all his earlier visits were to explore the place his present visit was to exhibit his works. But, Saman has not been able to find any art galleries to exhibit his works. While all his works are priced at Rs. 7,500 each, Saman says he's open to negotiations. |
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