Kalapathi Sunil Lakshman:

Outstanding painter outshines his rivals

Among the Sri Lankan artists of today, Sunil Lakshman is one of the rarest painters. I doubt whether there is any medium he would not be ready to use should the occasion arise. But what is more remarkable is the outstanding quality he has achieved in all his works.

His father, Pattiyage Percy Stanley had four children. His eldest son Sunil Lakshman was born on February 13, 1954 at Kollupitiya. He received his education at St. Michael's Christian School at Kollupitiya.

From his childhood brush and paints interested him and under the supervision of his teachers he excelled in art and sports.

He won Boxing colours and completed his education passing the O' Levels in science.

Kalapathi Sunil Lakshman

Due to financial difficulties he could not pursue higher studies. The budding artist started commercial art at a young age along with his uncle who was also an artist at Minuwangoda.

Commercial art

He underwent training under his father for metal work and tinkering as he was the chief motor mechanic at Walker and Sons.

As a result Sunil was able to turn out artistic creations in bronze and brass for which he won many awards. He came at this time under the influence of a very reputed commercial artist Godamana and found an opportunity to study painting of portraits and colour effects. In 1976 he joined a printing press and worked as a commercial artist while learning silkscreen printing.

He produced creative designs with the help of stencils. The art became popular and a number of poster designs were done as commercial work. Sunil Lakshman manifested qualities which were to mark him as rare versatility in both subject and technique. He had immense capacity for hard work. His water colour paintings were well-known and widely admired. Sunil's busy professional life continued undisturbed by any crisis. A steady flow of creative work went on to the market, backed by exhibitions in oil on canvas, and watercolours.

He infused into his pictures a 'creamy richness', a mellow grandeur of white, red and brown, yellow and blue. This peculiarity of colour distinguishes the portraits of Sunil from all the work of his contemporaries.

Sculpture

The brush and the palette, as well as the chisel and hammer seemed to possesess the magic virtue of transmuting labour into gold.

Though painting has been his forte, Sunil took to sculpture in 1983 and hours of toiling over his sculptures using copper aluminium, hard board, clay and even cement helped him to win many awards.

Village scene

An unusual art work was done out of an old tree trunk that won him the State Award and was adjudged the second best sculpture in 1989.

Sunil participated in the 1997 Osaka Triennial 8th International Contemporary Art Competition in Japan. His painting 'Night fishing', and 'Peacock' were exhibited in Osaka in 1994. They were purchased by the Council of Habikino city, Japan for permanent collection.

In 2005 to mark the 70th anniversary of the Tama Art University Sunil Lakshman was invited for a special exhibition. He selected a creation titled 'Mother and child' depicting a mare and her foal and Moonlight tranquillity of 1998.

Posters

His posters have been selected for the 'World Peace and Protection' poster exhibition organised by the Russian Embassy, and in 1981 one of his posters won the 4th place at the Environment Day Poster Competition.

Sunil served as an art instructor to the Ceylon Society of Arts in sculpture and painting from 1987 to 1992. He has also held the post of Assistant Secretary, Secretary and Art Exhibition Secretary in the Ceylon Society of Arts.

He was the president of the Ceylon Society Arts, Colombo.

For his long-standing service he was awarded 'Kalapathi' by the Ceylon Society of Arts. Sunil's paintings have been exhibited in International Art Exhibitions held in India, Bangladesh, Japan, Russia, USA, China and Australia.

The painting titled 'Village Vegetable' done with acrylic was exhibited in Japan, at the Hygo Perfected Museum of Arts, Kobe in 2005. Great art is as irrational as great music it is made with its own loveliness ..." a saying that echoes not only the thoughts of artists but all those who appreciate beauty, in any form.