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| Monday, 23 June 2003 |
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A decorative and colourful collection Artist Priyantha Udagedara's current exhibition at Paradise Road Galleries swing away from the so-called current trend in art locally, which mostly depict themes dealing with horror and agony. by Prasad Abu Bakr
An Undergraduate of the Institute of Aesthetic Studies at the University of Kelaniya, artist Priyantha Udagedara hails from Kandy, the fascinating hill capital besides being a stronghold of the arts and crafts of this country. With his first exhibition in 1998 at the Young Men's Buddhist Association in Kandy Priyantha seemed to have broken ground and managed to bring his artistic aspirations to the big city as he has managed to feature his work on a regular basis at numerous exhibitions up to date.
The artist was also placed second in a competition organised by the National Youth Council in 2001 and is a recipient of merit awards on two occasions, by the University of Kelaniya and the Lanka Kalamandalaya respectively, in 2000. Priyantha's present exhibition depicts Women, Lovers and Landscapes as overall subjects of his work. On a rhythmic drawing technique and vibrant but controlled shades of colour the artist has based the execution of his work on many methods of brush work but yet maintained a certain sense of style in the process.
The "Tragediennes" and nude "Tea Pluckers" set a trail of mystery in viewers minds. His style of drawing women adds ultra effects of femininity to the work. His graceful and swaying line drawing of the female form adds ultra
femininity to it. The Japanese scroll like land scape paintings are
refreshing both in presentation and colour. Both these factors also
contribute largely at making Priyantha's work interesting to view and
pleasant paintings to live with. The exhibition ends on the 25th of this
month. Teen compiles books in aid of charity Sonalini Gunasekera, daughter of Surgeon Maiya and Savithree Gunasekera, a former student of Colombo International School has compiled two books of prose and poetry in aid of charity.
The book of poems is called, "Music from another room," and comprises 21 lyrics of varying themes and styles from tuneful verses to free verse. Each poem echoes her individual notion on the subject matter from the death of a young Jewish boy in Potempa who was kicked to death by Nazi soldiers with his mother as onlooker to the more light-hearted insinuations on the comic aspects of human ambiguity in poems like, "Daily Pantomime."
No poem is the same and it's easy to enjoy the content and lyrical mastery of the writing reminiscent of what has been called, "antiquated fairytale language," by one of her teachers. Sonalini has been writing poetry since she was six years old and one of
her first poems was about a field of daffodils. Later on she could only
express her surprise on hearing a girl recite a poem on that same theme in
a Speech and drama class by William Wordsworth. On writing poetry she claims to remove herself from her surroundings in an attempt to concentrate on the source of inspiration. "Writing poetry helps me escape into my thoughts thereby reflecting and extracting what I've learned of the world, it's a very personal habit and on publishing my poems I had to reconcile myself to sharing it with the world." She has also compiled a book of prose called, "Kadapatha," written under heavy inspiration in no less than three days. "I was sharing the computer with my sister who was completing her BSC project. If an idea dawned upon me and she happened to be using the computer I would wait impatiently until she gave her hands a rest. I'm sure that at the end of the day the computer had had enough of both of us." The book is philosophical in its approach and unique in that it allows food for thought as opposed to containing a plot of several characters who influence the story line. It's almost like a journal only without dates and shorthand. The book spans a comprehensive 5 chapters at the end of which one is forced not merely to accept but embrace the realities of life. It's a touching story and a definite recommendation to all you avid readers. Both books are sold together and are available at the Cargills outlet
down Bay Brook Street Odel and C. G. Associates as Sonalini wishes to
donate the total revenue to charity there by avoiding consignment fees of
retail bookshops. Vienna Boys' Choir on stage once more By a popular "En core" the Vienna Boys' Choir will be in Sri Lanka once more from the 25th to the 27th of June, 2003. These young boys all under the ages of 14 are a trained Choir and they are no doubt "beyond comparison". They sang last year to packed audiences and one is in for a big treat once more. So keep these important dates free to be able to be present. Make sure you buy your ticket early to avoid disappointment. Tickets will be on sale by the beginning of June, 2003. Most of the singing is unaccompanied and all the boys enjoy themselves whilst on stage - there is expression, rhythm, uniformity and togetherness as they go through the show. Y. F. K. |
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