Richard Gabriel:
The maestro who outlived his colleagues
by Thilak Paliyaguruge
Until
his demise at the age of 92, in Melbourne, Australia, precisely on his
birthday on February 19, Richard Gabriel was the only surviving member
of the 43 Group.
He was an unassuming, deeply religious individual born in the Deep
South, Matara. He took up residence in Colombo to educate his children.
His Alma Mater, St. Peter's College, further enhanced his aptitude
for painting. A stalwart of the '43 Group, Ivan Pieris paved the path
for Richard Gabriel to get seriously involved in painting under the
patronage of the '43 Group. It was Harry Pieris of 'The Sapumal
Foundation' who further encouraged Richard Gabriel to rise up as an
artist.
A painting done by him on impulse on the impact of the war that
clouded our skies on April 5, 1942, the day Japan launched an air attack
on the city of Colombo, brought him to limelight when it was exhibited
at the War Effort Exhibition in Colombo. He won four prizes and gained
remarkable recognition as a student at this exhibition.
He met the young art teacher, Sita Kulasekera, his future wife, at
the Cora Abraham School of Art in 1951.
When Lionel Wendt formed the '43 Group, Gabriel became one of the
foremost members. He grew up among the rest of its members who belonged
to various aesthetic disciplines with diverse talents. Richard Gabriel
exhibited his painting alongside George Keyt, Justin Deraniyagala,
Geoffrey Beling, Harry Pieris, Aubrey Collette, L.T.P. Manjusri and
George Classen.
He was awarded a scholarship by the British Council to study at The
Chelsea College of Art in 1952. This paved the way for him to achieve a
formal training in art in a foreign country. He also practised wood
carving, etching, sculpture and murals as a parallel discipline, for
which he could fetch record prices. His art work could be seen at
religious sites and churches such as St Theresa's Church at
Thimbirigasyaya, Statue of Christ for The Jesuit Father at Clifford
Place, and woodcuts at National Seminary, Ampitiya and few other places
of Christian worship in our country.
He gave up his career in teaching at St Joseph's College in order to
get seriously involved in his vocation. His paintings were woven around
the typical charm of ordinary rural life in Sri Lanka and he captured
topics for his paintings from its natural surroundings, which were
successfully exhibited at International Galleries such as the Imperial
Institute Galleries in Kensington, London in 1952 and The Venice
Biennales in 1950 and 1958. In 1959 he exhibited at the Sao Paulo
Biennale. His paintings are among the permanent collection at The Musee
de Petit Palais in Paris.
He migrated to Australia with his children in 2002, after the demise
of his wife, and was deeply engrossed in painting thereafter.
(The writer is the Vice President of the Sri Lanka Art Educationists
Association)
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