Arts

Exhibition of photography by Marc Blanchet:

Beyond reality

by Indeewara Thilakarathne and Ranga Chandrarathne

French poet and photographer Marc Blanchet held an exhibition of photography at the Lighthouse Hotel Galle which coincided with the Galle Literary Festival. The exhibition consisted 30 black and white photographs that Blanchet captured during his photographic excursion in Sri Lanka two years ago.

The themes of the photographs range from ancient cities to the every day life of ordinary folk highlighting the tension between the past and the present.

During the 2005 tour of Sri Lanka, Marc has captured memorable moments in the form of black and white pictures, seemingly ordinary scenes in an extremely novel and estrange manner. For instance, window curtains, frames and odd objects have been used as natural filters to give a surreal effect to the pictures.

According to Marc, when one takes a snap, one captures a moment in the past which can disappear in two ways; change of light or change of the permanent objects like buildings.

So that snap is a good memorabilia of the past. However, sometimes, one may want to capture a passing moment; it may be a light through a window, piece of body or a poetic view on the wall. It will not only be part of one's memory but also interpretation of reality captured through lenses.

Commenting on the picture of flowers taken through the natural filter of a window screen, Marc says that it is his view on the world. He believes it is a way to go beyond reality. In a way unique to him, Marc, captures seemingly ordinary objects from a different perspective. "You can make things appear" says Marc Blanchet referring to his poetry in visuals.

Being a poet and writer, Marc portrays Sri Lankan landscapes, people, statues of Buddha, ancient monasteries and every day life of people in a poetic meter unique to him. It is the poetry in visuals which themed on absence and presence, present and the past, reality and beyond it. It is poetry in contrasting black and white.

Marc, sometimes, exploits the intrinsic properties of stills such as light, shade and contrast to the maximum to give an insight into the reality, linking the past with the present.

The exhibitions would have been a memorable journey into the forgotten monasteries in the past and every day life of people of today and the tension between the past and the present.

Marc Blanchet has published a book of poetry Les Naissances (Le Bois d'Orien), Les Amis and Secrets (essays on Music and Paintings). He has also published an essay on the Bengali poet Lokenath Bhattacharya.

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Sri Lankans in UK celebrate Navy's recent victories

by Reggie Fernando

Sri Lanka's unprecedented naval victories of the recent past were celebrated by Lankan expatriates in the United Kingdom along with salutes to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda - the trio that engineered these victories over the supposed - to - be invincible- LTTE.

The celebration in the form of public thanksgivings took place recently at the London Buddhist Vihara under the auspices of the Sinhala Bala Mandalaya (UK) headed by Gamini Keerthichandra.

Of course every man and woman in the Sri Lanka navy and other forces that played a role in those memorable and admirable victories also received the congregation's blessings.

Vice Admiral Karannagoda was accompanied by Brigadier Prasad Samarasinghe, Military attach, Sri Lanka High Commission. Among the congregation were Rani Bulathwela and Sisira Perera representing the SLFP (UK), Harsha Kannangara and P. Navaratne from the UNP (UK supporters) and Darshana Hettiarachchi and Mahinda Weerakkody of the JVP branch (UK).Ven. Bogoda Seelawimala, Chief Incumbent of the London Buddhist Vihara who praised the brave, daring deeds of the navy, conducted the ceremony together with many other monks from temples in the London area.

The monks also chanted pirith and invoked the blessings of the Triple Gem on the Vice Admiral and members of the armed forces and police.

Where do I exist?

Sri Lankan artist S. Nuwan Nalaka who studied at Rabindra Bharati University, Kolkata, is exhibiting his muti-layered talents on canvas.

His transition from Sri Lanka to India has had a profound impact on his visual metaphors which is closely associated with his impression of the traditional head of Nagaraksha. The exhibition will be held from February 8-29 at the Allience Franquic Colombo.

One of the significant characteristics of his work is his intense personal nature and his ability to bring up the symbols of the past and present. Transition is imprinted in his creations and his pictorial language is enriched by cultural heritage, history and folktales of the two countries.

His images are poignant and highly symbolic and he is best expressed at exploring the visual language connected with transition.