Innovative pavement Picassos

by Shireen SENADHIRA

Both sides of the road are lined with shadey trees. Some of the trees are in bloom and under the swaying ehela and yellow cassia (mara) blossoms, the artists exhibit their paintings for sale. It is indeed very pleasant to ply up and down on this road which borders one side of Colombo's big park. It is not only pleasant to see the art in vivid shades of colour but it is a relief to shut out the garish and silly posters and cut-outs preceding the oncoming elections. Added to this, are the posters that are an getting bigger and longer with all the advertising slogans. It is really a shame that they block out the verdant green of the tropical vegetation and mar the beauty of the place and are really eye sores. Therefore, the weekends are an impetus for our aesthetic senses when we see the numerous paintings so fervently displayed.

Two of the pavement paintings

I spotted an oil painting with flamingoes which made me think of Bundala and its Embilikala kalapuwa instantly. That's where the flamingoes migrate and gather each October to get away from the cool climes. When they stand in the waters dragging their beaks on the silt, they are like hockey players "with their long supple necks and hockey end like beaks. When hundred of these birds take wing, it's like a cloud of pink arising and it takes your breath away. A little further your eyes rest on a painting which is a moonlit scene of a lake and you would think of sitting by the Kandy lake on a moonlit night and remember the history of the place and the tragedy of Ehelapola Kumarihamy.

Another painting is a coastal scene with big dashing waves. After your eyes takes their fill, it may be your dream of Kirinda with its rock strewn beach or the beach in Trinco, bordered with beautiful coves.

I spoke to Sunil, one of the artists who has his place on this long pavement between two flowering trees. His paintings are hung in two rows on the railing and some are leaning against it, as well on the two trees. He has a niche where he has a stool and he greets you with a grin. If he sells two or three big paintings for a weekend and the same repeated for four weekends, he is in luck's way.

Then, he has enough money for his canvases and paints and a bit extra too. These days are exceptionally good for sales because everyone is in search of gifts or people are in the mood to adorn their walls with new paintings to make their houses more beautiful. These artists linger around and stay the night and sleep on the pavement as they have to guard their paintings. They sleep in sleeping bags or on rush mats. They have makeshift canvass roofs to be under when it rains. They pile up the paintings and cover them for the night too and make them water proof. They come very early Saturday mornings and leave at dusk on Sundays. Some come by Friday evening to this pavement and put up their paintings on the railing for a longer duration for sales.

Saran, an artist had his paintings of stick like figures on coloured backgrounds. Some of these stick figures were women with blown up skirts. They were like butterflies from a distance. The colour combinations were good. It was innovative art. I bought a couple of them. I got talking to Saran and found out how he was eking out an existence, I asked, no, I forced my friend to buy a couple of his paintings too!

Then, there was this other artist, who had painted some attractive landscapes. They were not only in the natural green colour but in other colours, like browns and blues. My friend bought one. When she put it up, it was matching but a little too dark for the sitting room wall as the curtains were a shade dark too. So, we went next weekend back to the pavement and told the artist our problem and asked whether he could make the picture a little lighter. He agreed very willingly and said to give him time till next weekend. He brought it promptly as promised. The painting is lighter in colour and is hanging now proudly in its allotted place.

Then, there is Rom who befriends many amateur artists like the ones on the pavement. Rom has a place where art works are displayed and sold, thus helping another set of pavement artists. There should be more people like Rom about, to help our up-and-coming and eager artists.

Pavement paintings

In this vein, recently, there was an exhibition organized featuring a few of these street artists. I haven't yet seen its outcome but certainly it gave a much needed boost to these struggling artists. I met yet another young man, an artist in the suburbs of Colombo. He was seated with his paintings around him. They were oil paintings and water colours. I told him the place to sell his art works was near the park at weekends and gave him the address. I told him, that he would get more people viewing his art there and buying them too. It is certainly a place where art lovers browse, look and buy. He seemed happy to be told.

The side pavement of Hyde Park, London too have artists exhibiting their paintings for sale. I am happy to note that the Colombo park side pavement is becoming similar. There are only one or two artists who paint at the spot seated on this pavement at their easels, a little like Montmarte, Paris.

"I've also seen one artist drawing on the pavement with chalk and I stayed a long time watching him. No, he was not defacing the pavement, as the next splash of rain would have cleaned the pavement to be like a new slate.

There are other types of pavement Picassos. Some are the artists who paint the pavement with their pastels. These are called chalk guys. They are popular in Canada and Florida. They take a lot of trouble and chalk such amazing pictures. Some do cut-outs on paper first and place them for guidance and correct perspective. Next, they chalk for hours. Such a huge effort gives them a worthy end result of a beautiful and satisfactory picture.

Among such famous pavement Picassos are Julian Beever, Manfred Stader and Edgar Muller, Jo Ann Rice and Valeria Le Conte. We can't go to far away places to see their art physically but one can see them easily on the internet. This is one place their art will live on forever as the pavement pictures fade away or washed off when the next rain fall arrives.

If you visit Mighty Optical Illusions website you will see their street drawings. Some of their art is so amazing and breathtaking. They paint precipices and abysses which are frightening to view and look so real in their large sizes. They even place real people seated or standing on certain spots of their paintings, so that when you look, it seems as if those people are about to fall into the abyss. It does make you catch your breath or your heart to skip a beat.

In Florida there is an annual Lake Water Street Painting Festival where over 400 artists take part. They chalk original art and masterpiece reproductions. At that time, the streets come alive as the artists transform the pavement into works of art and this happens every February in Lake Water, Florida.

Pavement paintings

Tradition of street painting is traced back to the sixteenth century, Italy. Then, itinerant artists treated the pavement as a makeshift canvas and chalked their art. Their paintings lasted only until the next rain but the lively spirit of accessibility of the exhibition captivated new audiences each year and inspired lasting memories.

All this art on the pavement do not affect the art galleries. I do still think that there's nothing to beat going around the galleries to view the new artist paintings hanging there and of course, the paintings of the old masters. Repeated visits to the same galleries will never be dull. One can sit or stand in front of a favourite painting and dream on it.

Also, contemplate the colours, the figure painting, the light and the shadow. Later, you will gather information about a particular painting you liked as well as, information about the artist who painted it. You can find out in which era he lived and when the picture was painted and perhaps discern what mood he was in at that time and thus acquire so much art knowledge. In Colombo, the park side pavement stretches long and inviting. It is free and such an incentive to these artists who are happy to show their creations and dexterity to the world.

The pavement Picassos are becoming more and more innovative. It's the new way of depicting art. It is how they bring out their creativity and their imagination to the canvas.

They paint with cultural nuances of meaning in the natural and in the abstract form as well. Thus, in turn these artists are able to reignite the viewers imagination too. Therefore, these artists must be encouraged and their efforts applauded. All this is what gives a new outlook to art and it is very invigorating.