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| Monday, 21 July 2003 |
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Of Cabbages, Kings and Things : The world of Senaka Senanayake Unlike Lasantha who drew on the kitchen wall with charcoal and received a terrific beating from his drunkard of a father, Senaka had all the amenities to foster his talent. by Padma Edirisinghe When I was invited by a friend to do a piece on the internationally celebrated artist Senaka senanayake I politely refused. It was not that I had anything against this genius from the politically famed Senanayake clan but the fact that I did not know the ABC of the world of art. I did not wish to dabble in stuff that I had no knowledge of. But that very night I relented since I remembered that I had already made reference to him years back when I was imagining myself to be the official saviour of poor gifted children. (One gain of a rather long life is that it gives you an opportunity to retrospect on the many chances given by the world to make a fool of yourself). I had not gushed on his creativity in this piece but simply stated that our child prodigies of the underprivileged class never have the luck to forge ahead in the way child prodigies as Senaka Senanayake of the affluent class had.
So when I finally volunteered to meet him I mentioned what I had already written about him, to which he promptly retaliated by saying that talent has nothing to do with social class. Ofcourse it hasn't but the truth of what I had written too cannot be challenged. Senaka then when went on to say that the tagging of the famous Senanayake name onto him did not insinuate that he was from a very affluent family. His father had been just a PRO in a Theatre company. But ofcourse the boy attended Royal College and was lucky to have a class teacher like Mrs. Sugathapala full of innovative ideas. One device she adopted to gainfully occupy the boys bubbling with mischief during free time was to distribute large pieces of brown paper and pastels. She asked them to spread these on the floor and draw anything they fancied. Some slept on them and some rolled them and made balls to hit their pals on the heads but Senaka drew and drew. He drew large animals, elephants in the wilds, crocodiles basking on river beds, dinosaurs metarmophosing out of nowhere and painted them in flamboyant flashy colours. The mania grew on him and he began drawing not on the dirty kitchen wall with charcoal like Lasantha, the central figure in my novel that I developed on the theme of the poor gifted child, but on brown paper spread on the parlour floor in his Colombo 7 abode that he still lives in his with his charming wife in happy married bliss. And who would step in the house as the boy drew but the most well known arthritic of the time in the island who gaped and gaped and then exclaimed, "This boy has talent". Just to go off the track a certain library flashes a notice," A book misplaced is a book lost". Likewise talent undiscovered is talent lost to the country at large. How much undiscovered talent lies in our country while a regimented educational system stalks arrogantly flattening every child into one single clan where individual differences are forgotten. The critic talked about Senaka's talent in the right places. And it came as no surprise when the head of Royal College "commissioned" SS to have his first art exhibition to synchronise with the opening of the swimming pool at Royal College. And who would come there? The Director of the Smithsonian Museum of US was in town (Colombo) at this time and he came in to have a peep. He was simply astounded and said that the boy could apply to any University in the States for a Degree in art. At this time Senaka was an AL student in the Science stream. Accordingly applications were made to three Universities and finally he entered Yale University on a Scholarship. The youth never looked back ever since. He claims that he is the only Sri Lankan to have had a 100 plus one man shows all over the globe. A factor very praiseworthy about Senaka is that he has launched many devices to give recognition to lesser known artists. Foremost among them is his Artoria Gallery Project at Hilton Hotel where works of these artists could be displayed. Having acquired his degree Senaka began striding the whole world like an art colossus holding exhibitions first in the US then on to London and via Paris, Rome, Prague, Berlin and other European capitals back to Asia i.e. Tokyo, Bangkok and Delhi. His paintings today hang in the UN headquarters of New York, FAO building, Rome the White House and National Greographic buildings, Washington, Berlin Museum, Dresden Museum etc. Many are the laurels that have been heaped on him, here and abroad. The Jaycees International named him one of the most understanding young men of the world and presented him with an Oscar. As he says talent has nothing to do with social position. Promotion of talents of adults, youth or children of any class is the country's gain. In the same way that talent begins to lie dormant in children of poor families due to lack of location and chances of fostering, talents of children of upper middle class and upper class families get destroyed by too many distractions and the ingredients of luxury living. The individual determination to forge ahead and stick steadfastly to the bobby begun has to surface as in the case of Senaka. An interesting feature about Senaka's drawings is that they always portray a positive image. Beautiful scenery, flashy flamboyant colours, idyllic settings. No dismal gruesome figures or scenarios accost you. I asked why the glee, the happiness especially in the sordid times we live in. He gave a surprising reply. It is the influence of Sathyajith Sai Baba, he said. Though a fervent Buddhist a large picture of this much venerated sage hangs on his studio, a sage who had said, 'There is so much sadness and horror in this world but why carry it onto the supr- eme field of art too? Let us project the happiness sandwiched between two sorrows in our creations at least'. Before I left, the greenhorn that I am I asked him whether his career is remunerative. The good natured genius laughed at that and replied, "Ever since I was 13 years I have been paying income tax". "I thought you have to reach a certain age to pay income tax"
I remarked. He shook his head to imply that there are many things that one
does not know. Review : Exemplary commitment to the art of classical performance! by Rohan Jayawardane Young Professionals Concert 2003, held on Saturday the 5th of July at the Russian Cultural Centre at 7 p.m. featuring young adult teacher/performers, as follows: (1) Shalindri Jayasinghe (L.G.S.M.D., L.T.C.L.) Piano (2) Ruvini Kalupahana (A.T.C.L., L.T.C.L., L.G.S.M.D., L.R.S.M.) (3) Hasini Halpe Andree (B.A. Hons, L.R.S.M.) Violin (4) Nuwan Vithanage, Piano (5) Chaturika Rajapakse (B.Sc. Hons, L.R.S.M.) Piano. Trained and presented by Mrs. Bridget Halpe of Kandy. It is a fundamental criterion about artistic expression that the actual measure of it lies in the ability to communicate beautifully with audiences whilst possessed of fine technique and great knowledgeability. This is what poised and exquisite expression is about: in the raising of perceptions above the mundane, the shallow and fraudulent, and the dark pools of disappointments and frustration about organised social life. Out of the joyful language of this Music is born an unique fraternity with special insights about life, about personal discipline and of highflown expectations. There was no doubt that the four young ladies and one young gentleman who appeared on stage at this concert provided to classical musicians and to their fans an excellent example of high consistency in the performance of complicated music. This was never one of the instances where the concert was mostly about a dull search for the correct notes only; but one of dynamism and high interpretive prowess. It would rank anywhere in the world of classical concerts as a great event worthy of the most distinguished of audiences. The daily rehearsing in these young lives must be of several praiseworthy hours! Out of this commitment alone can they proudly profess to be Teachers of Music at a valid level (rather than an expedient one that does no student any good). The tall and statuesque Shalindri Jayasinghe gave a fine start, playing with great posture and control at the Piano, in her powerful - almost flippant - renditions of the mandatory Chopin and of Greig's "Wedding Day at Troldhangen". She might beware of losing a wee accuracy at the high speed chordwork. Ruvini Kalupahana started with dreamy finesse in the utterly enchanting Schubert "Impromptu", obviously based upon his song "Fruhlingsglaube" describing the loveliness of awakening springtime. She was then transformed in the Brahms' Rhapsody into a power house of rhythm and dark colours effected with great aplomb. The singular violinist of the evening, the diminutive Hasinee Halpe Andree, used to do solo bits within the forum of the former Lanka Philharmonic Orchestra. Hence it's been a long time of nigh a septet of years since she has woven her charms over an audience! She commenced with a rarely heard Sonata by Jean-Marie Leclair of sunny sorts, but then all of a sudden led thereafter into Max Bruch's dark statement in "Kol Nidsei" (op. 47). With the marvellous support of her mother's piano collaboration (Bridget Halpe) the devastating sounds of dark grief uttered slowly with fullest violin tone reduced me quite rapidly to tears (as she did with my neighbour as well). This was rare intuitive playing, with an assured grasp of the interpretive sense required. In this country of quick-takes (etc) Hasinee's fulsome rendition of "Kol Nidsei" stands out as a lesson in mature musicianship. She later finished with Saint-Saen's "Danse Macabre". The well built and assured Nuwan Vithanage provided a virile complement to the forum of maidens. He appears to favour the virtuoso image, and played strongly through the Schubet Sonata. However, it was his fine comprehension of the features of syncopated Beat-and-Rhythm in George Gershwin (two Preludes) that revealed his university of Music appreciation. (What about the Rhapsody in Blue, sometime?) The concert closed with the piano virtuosity of Chathurika Rajapakse, a self-effacing young person of quiet charm. She commenced with the daunting Liszt "Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12", performing excellently with fire and ferocious accuracy. Nevertheless, in order to further-raise her indepth perception of these Liszt virtuoso works, she might listen carefully for the stinging quality and devastating "force" generated by famous interpreters such as Georgy Cziffra, giving off a near-vulgar glitz and brilliance which is the required hallmark. In the balance items of her programme by Rachmanior and Skryabin, she revealed a flair for the Romantic colour and lyricism of the 19th century Russians, bringing to a fitting close an absorbing evening with the "class of Bridget Halpe". In fact, there is no doubt that this quintet are a bunch of responsible young professionals with great artistic commitment and discipline. And of immeasurable worth! |
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