Arts

A doyen of painting:

Senaka Senanayake

by Rosanne Koelmeyer Anderson

From a child prodigy to a debonair of international repute and unsurpassed talent at 57, he created an indelible mark with oil on canvas here and abroad having had 115 one-man exhibitions to his credit and a beautiful work of his art displayed at every premier government and corporate echelon of significance, major museums around the world and even found honour at the delegates lounge of the United Nations General Assembly, the UNESCO, FAO, White House and other Halls of international fame.

Born with a golden brush, Senaka Senanayake's life and work of art titled "Senaka", a publication by Harsha Bkatkal, publisher and popular Prakashan, one of India's most prestigious publishing houses since 1924 was launched on December 5 at the Colombo Hilton amidst a large gathering.

Harsha Bkatkal is an avid collector of art who is interested in promoting art in the Asian region and planning to establish an art village and museum as a tribute to South Asian art in the near future.

The publisher states that the 177 page book "Senaka" is in lavish colour and it celebrates the joy of living that has driven Senaka's work thusfar and infact is pertinently portrayed in Senaka's quote "Although war and suffering are around me all the time I try to paint only the happy and positive aspects of life, the joy of living."

With no formal training in art; the artist was simply self taught until he entered the University of Yale where he pursued a degree in art and Architecture before returning to his motherland to espouse the cause of art in Sri Lanka.

Senaka's style from the age of seven was nutured while a primary student at Royal College, Colombo when his teacher Mrs. Sugathapala strangely provided the children with extremely large sheets of brown paper to illustrate and paint on and not the standard drawing books or sheets, he recalled.

At home too, Senaka began spending much time doing the same and his mother most eagerly permitted it as it was one way of keeping the mischievous youngster quiet, he implied smiling.

"Potting around with all the stuff was enjoyable." It was in 1958 that C.P Gunatilleke, a family friend and Chairman of the Arts Council, impressed by Senaka's work initiated his first exhibition at the Arts Council and thus was the foundation of the doyen of brush stroke.

Moving on from descriptive realism to abstract art Senaka took on the spiritual approach too.

A Buddhist, Senaka says, "The influence of Buddhism as a way of life is not something that is easy to achieve". Moreover, a more important element which has had an impact on Senaka's work is his spiritual journey with Sri Satya Sai Baba of Puttaparthy, India.

"Baba says that happiness is always sandwiched between sadness. What we live for is happiness and I would like my paintings to give happiness to people, so my paintings reflect a positive mood and approach and my choice of colours too have changed to offer positivism.

People say my paintings bring good luck and have positive vibrations." Senaka's other obsession is his affinity to nature which he says has been so since birth. An environmentalist at heart, his forte is the attempt to create public opinion and enlighten especially the younger generation to protect rainforests; to address the issue of global warming and the chaos it is causing through the medium of art.

He says he developed inspiration for the rainforest theme having visited the rainforests in Sri Lanka with his cousin Ranil Senanayake, an expert on rainforests of the world, in March 2005.

Traversing through the rainforests, Senaka has artistically and ingeniously portrayed its aura through his use of vibrant colours which emanates in his paintings; the banana and lotus in particular as well as the beautiful forms of flora and fauna in Sri Lanka.

"The circular style adopted in Senaka's paintings interestingly portray three reasons: to create movement, dimension and show the continuous motion of life", Senaka Senanayke says, "Today, artists have very little scope and art is not a very enterprising career.

The present epoch of buying paintings is very limited I have espoused to provide opportunity to thirty Sri Lankan artists; university graduates and university students of art including promising artists who display their work along the sidewalk of Victoria Park an opportunity to expose their aptitude to foreign clientele at my two art galleries at the Colombo Hilton and the Cinnamon Grand respectively."

The quintessential flourishing Lankan artist's journey and innate talent of brush strokes will truly be an incredibly remarkable leaf in the annals of art and culture in Sri Lanka.

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Attitudes to HIV/AIDS

Documentary on Dr. Kamalika Abeyratne:

The documentary on the life and times of Dr. Kamalika Abeyratne who tragically contracted HIV following a blood transfusion will be screened at 6.00 p.m. at the Russian Cultural Centre today, revealing the gory aspect of Sri Lankan society and knee-jerking reaction to HIV/AIDS patients.

The special screening of the documentary produced by the Trikone Art Centre and directed by Dharmasiri Bandaranayke will be held to commemorate the third death anniversary of Dr. Kamalika Abeyratne

R.C.

Don Simion on CD

The Compact Disk (CD) containing a tele-drama 'Don Simion' will be launched at the de Soysa Stadium, Moratuwa today.

The ceremony organized by the Arts Forum of Moratuwa will be held under the patronage by Kalakeerthi Rohana Pradeep Ariyadasa. Minister of Labour, Mervin Silva whose character is portrayed by whom 'Don Simion', will be the chief guest on the occasion.

R.C.

'Stiches 'N' Designs'

'Stiches 'N' Designs' - an exhibition and competition of sewing and craft by Astrid Fernando, the well-known sewing and handicraft teacher, will be on show on December 22 and 23 from 9.30 a.m. to 6.30 p.m. at the J. R. Jayewardene Cultural Centre, Town Hall, Colombo.

This is the fourth consecutive year that this show will be on and Astrid Fernando is so well known and she has had programmes for the past 5 years on Swarnavahini, ITN, Rupavahini and presently on Sirasa on Tuesdays at 8.35 a.m. and she is assisted by her daughter Anushka.

There will be free workshops on both days in: Ribbon Embroidery and Punch Embroidery on December 22 at 1.30 p.m. and 4.00 p.m. while on Sunday December 23 it will be: Needle tatting and Galatine flowers at 11.00 a.m. and at 1.00 p.m.

Here's something to look forward to... One participant will be chosen from each workshop to follow the relevant course free of charge when classes commence.

All those who like sewing can also purchase illustrated books on all types of Embroidery and craft at reasonable prices. There will also be a variety of eye-catching cross stitch charts and many other designs.