Arts

Transition (Where do I exist?) In search of pictorial identity?

By Ranga Chandrarathne

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Nalaka’s exhibition of paintings, Transition (Where do I exist?) offers a peerless parallel of indigenous visual metaphors both in India and Sri Lanka through a set of neatly crafted paintings.

He extensively deals with the fundamental question of “Where do I exist?”. One of the significant aspects of the visual metaphors is that they are intrinsically linked with the traditional head of “Nagaraksha”. The contents of the paintings are highly personal and they bring to the fore past, contemporary symbols.

Nalaka’s pictorial diction has been evolved through cultural heritage, history and folklores of India and Sri Lanka.

For instance, painting of camouflaged barrels with bullet marks on it is an ingenious use of contemporary symbol to portray fear psychosis that engulfed the entire society.

However, he is best expressed in his attempt to explore transition through his highly evolved visual diction which is unique.

The most important event that happened in my life is the transition from Sri Lanka, my native land, to India.

I grew up in an atmosphere where social and political conditions, as well as religious and cultural life styles are quite different from Kolkata. But during the past five years of my stay here, I have tried to interact and understand the modern Bengali metropolitan culture.

I visited the city and also many places of Art in India, such as Ajanta, Ellora, and Halebid etc. and when confronted with older Indian Buddhist Art I found something that is similar to my country’s Art.

I have enjoyed my life here with friends and gradually I realized that I have fallen in love with Kolkata.

However, I can’t deny my native link. So, whatever I have painted in my compositions, there has always been a tension of transition and love of interaction, between where I was and where I am now.

I have found my place in the Sri Lankan traditional mask where I found my real existence” says Nuwan Nalaka referring to experiencing two cultures and the traditions that influenced his work.

Nalaka is one of such emerging creative minds who came all the way from Sri Lanka to study art at the reputed Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata.

Here, after successfully completing his BVA (Bachelor of Visual Art) he is now ready to venture out and carve a niche as a notable artist. Since his student days his cityscapes, landscapes etc. mostly in the medium of watercolour were quite noteworthy.

Then gradually his ideas shifted towards the traditional craft motifs, esp. the characteristic mask motif of his homeland which he tried to incorporate in his paintings. But very recently his attempt has been to fathom the deeper insights of Buddhism more in terms of philosophy rather than the religion.

In the present series, depicted mostly in the medium of Acrylic on canvas, his compositions comprises of various sacred symbols in association to human figures, as if seeking the eternal message of Peace and Prosperity within the worldwide trouble torn conditions. The images often transpires the viewer, therefore, to a kind of meditative elevation, leading towards sharing a peculiar spiritual experience.

SOSL Masterworks Concert

By Ranga Chandrarathne

The Masterworks Concert of the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka will feature works by Boccherini, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Verdi and Grieg in a live-in-concert on May 3, 2008.

The soloists will be Tamara Holsinger, cello, who is a member of SOSL and Camilla Jonstang, soprano, visiting from Norway. The concert at Ladies? College Hall (7 pm) will be conducted by Ajit Abeysekera.

The soloist in Boccherini’s elegant and expressive Cello Concerto in B flat major, Tamara Holsinger has previously performed cello concertos by Vivaldi, Saint-Saens and Elgar with the Symphony Orchestra. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music from Mt. Holyoke College, USA.

The principal orchestral work will be Mendelssohn?s beautifully evocative and high spirited Symphony No.4, the ?Italian?. Mostly written in Rome in 1830-31, when Mendelssohn was in his early twenties, it is a “paean of praise” to the light, colour and animation of the Italian countryside.

Camilla Jonstang, soprano, who is a graduate of the Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, has performed widely in Norway and Russia and at numerous international music festivals and church concerts.

Her repertoire spans from the lyrical Handel and Mozart to the more dramatic Richard Strauss and Rachmaninov, in orchestral works, oratorio, songs and opera.

She will perform Mozart’s “Exsultate, jubilate”, “Solveig’s Song” by Grieg from his Peer Gynt suites, and Verdi’s aria “Damour sullali rosee from his opera Il Trovatore.

The box plan is open at Titus Stores, Liberty Plaza. Concert which is a rare collection of talents will be held free of charge to facilitate the participation of wider section of Sri Lankan concert goers.

OBA NISA 2

Petronella will present ‘OBA NISA 2’, an evening of music on May 25, at Lonel Wendt Theatre at 6.30 p.m. DVD and CD containing the performance ‘Oba Nisa’ she held at Lionel Wendt will also be released.

Petronella who was born in Sri Lanka and has been working for UN in New York for eighteen years previously launched two CDs ‘Punchi Kumari’ and ‘Oba Nisa’. The music for the CDs was composed by veteran musicians such as Rohana Weerasinghe, Stanley Peiris, and Neela Wickramasinghe. RC.

A short film "Endless Journey"

Henry Warnakula's short film "Endless Journey" has been chosen to release in the website www.pangeaday.org in parallel with the Short Film Festival Pangea Day in Los Angeles in UAS. It has been also invited to be launched in www.ovi.nokia.com to thousands of cellular phones around the globe.

The concept for the ten minutes short "Endless Journey" is by Kamal P. Alahakoon and music is by Navarathna Gamage.

Warnakula's critique on "Uppalawanna" will soon be launched.

Sigiriya: Kassapa’s Homage to Beauty

Shed light on legend of Kassapa and Sigiriya

Prof Siri Gunasinghe’s latest volume titled ‘Sigiriya: Kassapa’s Homage to Beauty’ presents entirely novel interpretations contrary to the widespread of Kassapa who is projected as an assistant in administration and questions that Kassapa murdered his father.

The present volume will be launched on Monday April 28, 2008 at the National Library Service and Documentation Board (NLSB). Prof. Gunasinghe views Sigiriya as Kassapa’s place of pleasure where he used to meet his beauties from time to time.

Bharatanatya Arangethram

Arangethram of Oshini Aloysius (10) will be held at Hindu Cultural Hall Kandy on May 4, 2008. She is year 5student of Colombo International School in Kandy. Oshini learnt Bharatanatyam under Smit Umah Sritharan, an accomplished Kandyan and ballet dancer. RC

Weda Bari Tarzan Mathi Sabayata

Weda Bari Tarzan Mathi Sabayata is the latest film by Sunil T. Fernando who has produced the highest number of films in Sinhala. It is directed by Sunil Soma Peiris. It is being now shown at a host of Cinemas Island wide including Rickey cinema. (RC)

Degree Show

Exhibition by the Visual Arts and Design and Performing Arts Unit of the University of Kelaniya will be from April 24 to May 4 at Barefoot Gallery.