Semage to Japan

By Edwin ARIYADASA

Japan, the Land of the Rising Sun, will soon greet an alluring array of Sri Lankan art. A deep-seated sense of beauty, is fully entrenched in the Japanese way of life. At times, one cannot help but wonder, whether the Japanese are given to thinking in colour and exchanging views in artistic motifs.

In Sri Lanka too, the masses have been dominated for long centuries, by forms of art, that possess the potential to transform them, to the very depths of their being. The compelling murals of the village temple, etched moral imperatives in the rustic soul. The village child, watching engrossed, the artistic depictors of Heaven and Hell, good and bad on the walls of his temple, will imbibe an unforgettable lesson, on what is right and wrong. And, the lesson, lasts life-long.

One of the exhibits

The point, that emphatically emerges here, is that, both Sri Lanka and Japan are blessed with ancient and functional traditions of art.

At the cultural pageant, that will be held soon at Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, these two cultural streams will have the opportunity to meet each other, with a spectacular festival as the backdrop.

What needs to be highlighted here is that, the wholesome task of taking our art-tradition to Japan for this festival, has been assigned to veteran artist Jayasiri Semage.

Quite often, we talk glibly about artists being "cultural ambassadors." In this instance, Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage, has to perform that function in the real sense.

The event that is being held in Yoyogi Park in Tokyo, Japan, is titled "Sri Lankan Festival." Organized jointly by the Sri Lankan Embassy in Japan and the SriLankan Airlines, the primary purpose of this pageant is to showcase Sri Lanka's art and culture. Cumulatively all the items at this event, will portray a living facet of Sri Lanka's vibrant art and culture.

The centre-piece of the festival will be formed by the elaborate arch-way, set up at the entrance to the festival ground.

This kind of structure is generally described, as a pandal. The Sinhala term is 'Torana'.

Two imposing arch-ways (pandals) erected at the main entrance will welcome the visitors to the festival ground. Art motifs derived from the Sri Lankan tradition, decorate these twin-pandals. For the visitors who come upon these strange, exotic edifices for the first time, it will prove a stunning experience.

Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage, created these, here in Sri Lanka, in segments, that could be readily put together at the festival location. Airlifted to Japan, each of these pandals, when fully assembled will be 10 metres high. Such motifs as stylized swans, elephants and traditional linear designs, collectively project the "Sri Lankan-traditional feel".

The palette utilized for these pandal decorations, reflects the colour-range in the mural paintings in Sri Lankan temples. A guardian deity stands, on each side of the pandals. These deities too are constructed in accordance with the traditional specifications. A pattern of traditional female figures is the principal motif in one of the pandals.

Here, the discerning Japanese visitor, will be able to appreciate the authentic "spirit" of Sri Lankan art.

The opening ceremony, will have all the traditional adjuncts associated with an auspicious inauguration. The officials of the Sri Lankan Embassy in Tokyo and other distinguished guests will light the traditional oil-lamp, to the accompaniment of the auspicious Drum-tattoo (Magul Bera) and the sound of the conch-shell.

In Sri Lanka such a ceremony may be "routine". But, in Tokyo, this kind of colourful inauguration takes on a special glamour particularly for those who have not experienced it before.

The central personality in all this, is of course, Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage. As a creative Artist, he is versatile. His skills are wide-ranging. At an exhibition, held in Colombo recently, he displayed a series of paintings, distinguished by their serene and subdued presence. Here, his figures, especially the female forms, are etherial to say the least.

Over and above these 'salon' quality works, he excels in pragmatic, practical and utilitarian art as well. Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage, is perhaps the only main-stream Sri Lankan artist, who is adept at structuring such functional act as "candals". Besides, he takes immense delight in such artistic activities.

He hails from a village in the deep South, in the vicinity of the city of Ambalangoda. This urban centre is, highly reputed for its traditional art and elaborate pandals. In the season of Vesak, sight-seers converge on this city, attracted by the vanegated pandals, for which this urban centre has been a traditional venue.

Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage, took this reputation beyond our shores. His pandals have soothened the souls of people in such far-flung places as Fukuoka in Japan, where he structured a 60-foot jumbo Buddhist pandal for an Asia-Pacific Exhibition.

Over and above all these, he is internationally known, for his temple murals as well. In Malaysia and Singapore his temple art occupies a highly significant place. His murals adorn even secular structures. Art by Jayasiri Semage decorates the walls of the United Nations Hall, Geneva. His murals could be seen at several Sri Lankan embassies abroad.

A recent assignment has taken him to Lumbini, one of the holiest places associated with the Supremely Enlightened Buddha. His murals adorn the walls of the Sri Lankan Vihara at that holy site. Swarming accolades flow to him, both from home and abroad. In the most of all that adoration and praise, Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage remains, without fluctuating, ready to seek new a venues of creative expression, displaying the humility of the true artist. Greater and greater strength to his multi-faceted brush.