Call of the drums

for Somabandhu Vidyapathy :

Tribute

A tribute to the late Somabandhu Vidyapathy, prominent painter, sculptor, artist and costume designer will be held on 28th February at 10.00 a.m. at the Tower Hall Theatre, Maradana.

This felicitation programme is organised by the Tower Hall Theatre Foundation and the keynote address will be given by veteran filmmaker and critic Tissa Abeysekera, on the theme, "Art of Somabandhu".

Pandit Amaradeva, and Henry Jayasena will also give tributes to the late artist, while several paintings, set and costume designs and sketches of Somabandhu Vidyapathy will be exhibited on this valuable occasion.

There will be a video screening of his creations to dance, ballet and drama while a collection of essays on his contribution to Sri Lankan Theatre and Art will be launched at the same time.

In the post-colonial history of Sri Lankan art, Somabandhu Vidyapathy occupies a unique place as a painter and pioneer of contemporary art. Inspired by the concepts of Oriental art in its wider sense, he illuminated the firmament of Sri Lankan art to which he has made a lasting contribution.

He was not a chauvinist as far as art was concerned. Nor did he adore the Western art tradition as something sacrosanct. It must be said that his application of art which eschews both these parameters rests on a language of Oriental art that operates on a broader perspective. It is against such a background that Somabandhu's contributions to Sri Lankan art should be evaluated.

Under the guidance of the first Sri Lankan product of Santiniketan, the temple artist S.C. Sakalasuriya, Somabandhu Vidyapathy was initiated into the subtleties of Indian art and to the force and the grace of the line.

Later he entered the Maradana Technical College where he learnt the fundamentals of the Western realistic art tradition. Whilst still a youth he got the opportunity to visit India and enrol as a student in the art course at Santiniketan.

He was fortunate enough to study at the feet of two of the greatest artists of modern India, Nandalal Bose and Ram Kinkar, under whom he was introduced into the aesthetics and graceful aspects of Indian art and sculpture.

He availed himself of an opportunity to study the subtle aspects of South Indian art and sculpture as well. After returning to his motherland, he launched his artistic career in a style of his own, the special features of which were the rhythm and grace he had captured in depth and his beautiful colour scheme.

Somabandhu Vidyapathy has made his mark as an artist of an independent style, not only in Sri Lanka but outside as well. And among his special gifts to the Sri Lankan art lovers, his murals at the Bellanvila Rajamahavihara occupy an important place.

These paintings which can be considered effective and exquisite examples of temple murals of the modern era, display his individual style marked by the rhythmic grace of a novel kind.

His work in stage decor and costumes for the Sri Lankan theatre and ballet has broken new grounds. His contributions in this regard are best seen in the dance creations of Chitrasena. He has also displayed a strong individuality and excellence even in his sculptural representations, carvings in low relief and designing.

Somabandhu Vidyapathy who has left his stamp in many fields pertaining to art with his broad perspective which is above petty nationalism, deserves to be honoured as one of the most celebrated artists Sri Lanka has produced in the twentieth century.