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| Sunday, 22 August 2004 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Imagination given free rein Artist and sculptor Manoranjana Herath, will hold his 11th solo
exhibition titled 'Imaginary Forms', at the Finomenal Space Gallery, Mano's sculptural language, like before has a combination of figurative semi abstract and surrealistic characteristics. A dominance of surrealistic style is more eminent in this exhibition compared to his previous ones organic and inorganic forms blend with the space in perfect harmony creating a sense of visual rhythm that appeals to the spectator. He has used a parallel style both in his sculptures and paintings. Accordingly he has given more significance to shapes and forms rather than colour to his paintings. While surrealistic and abstract elements are prevalent in his paintings, figurative symbols show a decline. His free flowing composition of shapes and forms fill up the white background of his canvas, and so, in his paintings too, Mano portrays the characteristics of a sculptor. ************** Critic's Corner Selamuthu Pinna : Stereotyped romance by Ranga Jayasuriya Selamuthu Pinna is a stereo-type romance, the kind of love story that the contemporary local cinemas keep feeding its viewers on a regular basis.
So the director's motives are easily comprehended; he wants to cash in on the prevailing trend. The film has been churned from an all for familiar recipe; five or six songs and dances, two jokers who crack exhausting joker throughout, the duration of the movie, a bit of a fight and at the end good prevailing over evil. Athula Adikari and Indika Upamali - the main protagonists- who make their debut in the silver screen perform reasonably well, even though they some times tend to over-act. But the plot - which is absurd and obviously the fundamental flaw in the film - overshadows every credible achievement. The actors become prisoners of a poor plot. Two rural young lovers (Athula Adikari and Indika Upamali) making love on a remote mountain are disturbed by a gentleman who with no prior knowledge of the duo, offers to make the best movie stars in the country. They accept the offer. And in the first film they act, they are given the best actor and the actress awards. The gentleman (Sanath Gunatillake) who is the benefactor of the two aspiring actors is a symbol of virtue. But his enemies, a disgruntled actor and actress who lost their place to the two newcomers try to discredit him and manipulate the two lovers against him and against each other.The film moves to cheep conspiracy theories, but at the end the good prevails over evil. If director Roy de Silva's only objective was to add one more stereo-type young romance, he has done it successfully. Even then, when enticing the young filmgoers, he would have to compete with better productions of the same genre, for instance, Adaraneeya Vassanaya. Had the director wanted to make a distinction, or to deviate from the narrow and stereotype view of romance, Selamuthu Pinna is a failure. The director employs Hiran Chamikara (Pin-pon) and Damayantha Perera (Suwada), both known for their talent to make the audience laugh to inject a bit of spirit to an exhausting plot. But, the story is so boring that the duo fail. Sanath Gunatillake's acting is watered down by his character, a virtuous, generous and forgiving film director. Perhaps that may be Roy de Silva ideal director, though we have yet to find one of that kind. A poor plot, low budget and an ordinary film. But the director has nothing to be worried. For he conscientiously refrained from exploring new heights to trying to make any difference. He stuck to the stereotype and ended up with an ordinary film. ************** Photographic Society of Sri Lanka invites entries The Photographic Society of Sri Lanka invites both amateur and professional photographers to submit their entries to the 49th International Exhibition of the Society. The exhibition is open to any subject matter. Digitally manipulated and regular photographs also will be accepted. There will be a modest submission fee of $10 for people who live outside Sri Lanka and Rs.200 for residents, covering the return postage and submission of up to four black and white or colour entries. (A total of eight photographs may be submitted). Minimum size is 6 X 10, maximum 16 X 20. Deadline for submission is October 16, 2004. All selected winning entries will be exhibited at the Harold Peiris Gallery, Lionel Wendt Memorial Art Centre from November 5-7, 2004. International awards will be given to winners and the top 100 photos will be exhibited. Entry form and rules can be downloaded upon request or on e-mail in any country of choice. Entries to be submitted to: The Exhibition Secretary, Photographic Society of Sri Lanka, Lionel Wendt Art Centre, 18, Guildford Crescent, Colombo 7. |
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Galle
face courts from August 27 to September 7. By constantly doing the work
that he knows best, Mano has once again proved his stand as a visual
artist. Sensitive to his surroundings, he tries to convey his life
incidents through his work which reflect the influence of the Gampola
period (which he is presently researching) 'Imaginary Forms' as a
presentation of the reality of his present life.
This seems to be the time for love stories in the genre of Selamuthu
Pinna. A few are already proving to be box office hits.
