Arts

‘Conceptual Art’ Made in Kelaniya

Review of the ‘Degree Show’ of students following the special degree program in Visual Arts and Design at the University of Kelaniya. 24th April to 4th May at the Barefoot Gallery Colombo.

When an idea or a thought is expressed visually through form, shape, colour and texture it has been loosely called ‘Conceptual Art’. Behind these ideas lies a concept or a statement firmly anchored in the politics of the given society.

Following the US American and European artists, some young Sri Lankan artists too sought to express their deeply felt sentiments about issues such as state sponsored violence of the eighties and early nineties, ethnic chauvinism and upcoming militarism.

Going beyond traditional modes of expression like painting and sculpture they too created installations with ‘Found-objects’ and also used performance as a medium of expression.

This was a very conscious effort to question accepted values and norms and make the visitor to the exhibition review new Sri Lankan lifestyles enjoyed during the open economy critically.

With the ‘Degree show’ of 2008, the final year students following the special degree program in Visual Arts and Design have ventured to reach out to a new critical audience beyond the exhibition space within the university.

They have been working under the guidance of Mr. Kingsley Gunatilleke, himself one of the pioneers of ‘Conceptual art’ in Sri Lanka and lecturer at the University of Visual and Performing Arts.

Within this framework the undergraduates have been given creative space to work without restrictions, the academic institution usually poses and create art not simply to adorn the wall, but expresses a view or protest.

The themes chosen arise from issues that concern the group of young people mainly from a rural background. Based on their values, social and political consciousness, they are able to give expression to their very personal experiences through paintings, installations and even video art. Seven female and three male undergraduates set the stage for a discourse.

Chadian Hatharasinghe uses maps of the Western province and Colombo, prime areas targeted by the suicide bombers for the five paintings entitled ‘Western province’.

Fragmented self-portraits appear enmeshed between the roads of the maps. Duminda Subhashana’s ‘My share of Tsunami’ are paintings on doors of cars he found in the debris of the disaster.

He himself survived the disaster on 26.12.2004. Used cooking pans and not canvas hold images of the ideal beauty modeled by fashion in Shrimani Kumari’s installation ‘Cooked Fashion’.

To the artist, fashion is dictated through media. The pans symbolize her discomfort due to restrictions imposed from the environment back at home. Nelika Lakmini is unable to paint ‘still lives’ as van Gogh and Cezanne did, but paints garbage that surrounds her.

Chitrapali Champa Kumari’s painting ‘Rebuilding my body’ shows her engagement with her own body. She comments “I had to think of my body many times. Who makes my body” What’s the shape of it? Western designs dictate measurements of breast, hip and waist to suit fashions created for western women.

The Asian women is faced with a dilemma. She must ‘rebuild her body’ to be able to follow these fashions.

Mahesh Weerasinghe’s ‘Masochism’ is complete departure from the standard modes of expression. It is his dialogue with pornography, which today is easily accessible through VCD, DVD and Internet. Discarded Motherboards serve as his canvass to mount photographs and insects.

For the installation ‘The silent protest’ the artist Madduma Patabandige Shyamali uses empty baby oil bottles, beakers, surgical wool, wire, thin tubes and buds of flowers. This light installation is her silent protest against illegal abortion. Kaumudi Karunarathna’s ‘Fantasy Friends’ and Dhammika Sirimanne’s ‘Untitled’ both are fascinating.

A multitude of miniature figures are used in these two installations. Some are Extra-terrestrials and others are Fantasy animals born in the creative minds of these young artists.

This reference to science fiction shows the artist’s ability and craftsmanship to translate his or her imagination to tangible objects. In very much in the same way, Krishantha Basnayake invites the visitor to his installation ‘Dream zone’. His own pillow is part of this voyage to the subconscious.

As seen at the preview on the 24th April, the artists were able to explain the concepts that lay behind months of work to their own relatives and friends. The mentor Kingsley Gunatillake, seems to me, has guided his students without making them his clones. The ‘Degree show’ is not the product of a ‘Gola pririsa’ eager to copy the style of the Guru. Each budding artist is able to assert her or his concept and defend it most eloquently.

Dr. Asoka de Zoysa.

Department of Modern Languages, University of Kelaniya, Kelaniya.
 

Raja Bhawathu Dhammiko

Weerawansa Pathirana’s stage play “Raja Bhawathu Dhammiko” will go on board on May 16, 2008 at 6.00 p.m. at Lumbini theatre. The cast include Sanet Dikkumburage, Sriyani Kuruwita, Jayantha Ranaweera and also Weerawansa Pathirana. Music is by Rohana Baddege.R.C.

Music for a noble cause

“Surath Paura” and “The Lotus Heart”, two concerts organised by “Help Samitha” will be held on May 25 and July 1, 2008 at BMICH and Sugathadasa Stadium respectively.

These concerts are unique as they were organised in aid of 25 year old Gonnage Samitha Samanmali, a fourth year under graduates in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Colombo who is worded at ward 73 National Hospital following tragic accident at BMICH.

However, since the proceeding of the concert goes to the creation of physical facilities for disabled that would remain for years to come, it is certainly a worthy cause.