Images of Sri Lanka: Illustrator's views captured with great passion

by Prasad Abu Bakr

An exhibition of a collection of works in watercolour by Ranjan Aluwihare is currently showing at the Barefoot Gallery, Colombo. The artist who has been born and educated in London holds a higher diploma in Fine Art and Design from the Chelsea School of Art. He has later obtained his BA (Hons) in Architecture and Interior design from the North London Polytechnic. He has worked in London for almost over 18 years with some of the most leading Architectural practices there.

The work at a glance appear to look more like prints rather than hand painted but at a closer look they are cleverly and painstakingly executed works by an artist who seems to be specially gifted at producing such wonderful pieces using the craft that he has probably been occupied with from his childhood and honourably qualified in his youth. The work themselves indicate an illustrator's extension of expression of a country that he has been living in since recently but had his roots running deep long before he was born in London. This makes Aluwihare an illustrator who can create expressions of almost anything with great passion without reason or rhyme. This trait undoubtedly should be adding lustre to Aluwihare's career as an architect and interior designer.

In his summary of himself the artist discloses of an event where his camera broke while on holiday with his wife in Bologna, Italy. as he claims 'where it all began' 18 years ago. 'With the set of water colours that was in our possession we decided to record street life in Bologna four hours on end' Looking at his present collection one could only imagine what his interpretations would have looked like of that great Italian city.

The artist has to his credit exhibited his work at the Chelsea Arts Club in London, which were a series of figurative drawings in charcoal 'the entire collection was bought by members of the club which enabled me to pay off my student bills at the time' states Aluwihare modestly. One of his works representing the North London Polytechnic, which went into competition received second place at the final year Architectural Awards function held at the Mall galleries, St. James Square London.

Ranjan Aluwihare is married to Shaunagh, who herself is a designer of textiles; the Aluwihares have two children Benjamin and Lelia and have been living here for the past 6 years. 'I am extremely thankful to my wife, children and specially to Nazreen and Dominic Sansoni of Barefoot Gallery for all their encouragement and support' states the artist.

The present exhibition by the artist is due to end on July 3.

Sri Lanka's Master of Dance honoured by France

A lifetime achievement award was recently presented to Deshamanya Chitrasena at the annual Fete de la musique held in Colombo. The master who attended the ceremonies was accompanied by his wife Vajira who, together with her husband toured the world promoting Sri Lanka's dance forms thus bringing recognition to the country in a big way.

Photographer Sulochana Gamage has recorded some of the moments that were a part of that memorable evening which was an emotionally overwhelming occasion, specially for Chitrasena who sat there witnessing all the goodness that he parted with for the benefit of his students (such as Ravibandu Vidyapathi at one time in dance being magnificently performed in his presence to highlight the felicitation ceremony of their 'Guru').

The evening also featured the classical music duo of France Stephanie Carpentier on violin and Franck Labiste on flute performing compositions by some of the great masters of western classical music. The evening was hosted by the Alliance Francaise in collaboration with the French Embassy in Colombo.

- P. A. B.

Restoration of the Apollo Gallery at The Louvre

by Gwen Herat

Apollo Gallery is a royal masterpiece housed at The Louvre and built three hundred and fifty years ago to celebrate symbolically the glory and majesty of the Sun King Louis XIV has now opened to the public after a three year closure for architectural renovation while retaining its original splendour. It is more spectacular and magnificently visual to the eye of the beholder and while art lovers are amazed, the critics cannot contain themselves.

The gallery contain 105 masterpieces, accurately restored in the range of 41 paintings with the spectacular and all-time favourite Apollo Slaying The Python by Delacroix along with 118 stucco figures arranged into 36 groups, and 28 marvellous tapestries. Every art lover is aware that over two hundred years, many French artists contributed to this mythical gallery. This paved the way for the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.

The Apollo Gallery once again, will serve the art-hungry people from around the world and stand as the ideal showcase for the treasures of the King of France who was passionate about his vast collection. Among them is the legendary Crown Jewel and others, safely exhibited in their gilded cases for public view for the first time.

The work on this gallery began in 1663 on the site of the previous King's Gallery at the Louvre which was destroyed by fire in 1661.

Around this time young King Louis XIV who had selected the sun as his crest, commissioned architect Louis Le Vau to build the gallery and entrusted the decor and interiors to Charles Le Brun who was the first painter to the King. He had just returned from Italy and greatly influenced by Rome's Baroque aesthetic and sumptuous decor, especially the Farness Gallery. However, he maintained the French superiority of splendour but used an 'illusionist' system and created an asymmetry that spread the light evenly over the decor as the Italians had done.

Ironically the Farnese Gallery which was a magnificent palace, became the French Embassy in Italy as well as the French School of History and Archaeology, two centuries later. That is how art binds countries in a bond of human attachment.

Once completed, the lavish Apollo Gallery measures 61.34 metres long, 19.46 metres wide, 15 metres high and 600 sq. m in surface and remains one of best loved and revered testimony to historical heritage.

It's France's showpiece and rightfully one of the best in the world.

Le Brus who was fascinated by the Sun God, Apollo and the legend surrounding him, interpreted the myths in various forms to magnify his monarch's stature.

He designed elaborate ensemble of artworks and sculptures especially in a theme based on the movements of the sun in space, earth and oceans. When painting he adhered to the time, month and the zodiac sign.

He completed three of Neptune's, painted directly on the vault's plaster, one on canvas which he glued to the ceiling and the other in the artist's studio.

He was the best of Louise XIV's four most talented sculptors and together, they created 36 groups. When Louis XIV moved to Versailles in 1678 prior to the completion of the project, leaving behind the Louvre Palace which he had never cared for. However, the aesthetical and architectural experiments carried out in the Apollo Gallery, paved the way for the creation of Versailles Hall of Mirrors designed by Jules-Hardouin Mansart from 1678-1684.

Charles Lebrun with much passion and exuberance poured all his creative designs like the genius he was into decorating this new gallery in all glory and dedication to his beloved monarch, the Sun King, Louise XIV.

Though under Louise XIV, the Apollo Gallery was left unfinished, it did not fall into oblivion because the Royal Academy of Paintings and Sculpture, moved into the gallery in 1962 and called upon young artists to paint the empty spaces on the ceiling.

This was throughout the 18th century and finally in the 19th century, architect, Felix Duban organised extensive restoration on the Old Louvre and transformed it to the Central Museum of the Arts after the 1798 Revolution (as it was known after his death).

With the restoration, Le Brun requested Eugene Delacroix to paint the Triumph of Apollo and he chose the theme Apollo Slaying The Phython. This became a masterpiece, the world was to know right from the beginning.

The gallery's restoration was a three-year endeavour from 2001-2004 and mind you this is restoration and not renovation as the Louvre's director, Henri Loyrette emphasised was carried in the spirit of Duban and also based on the works of Louis Le Vau as well as of Charles Le Brun in whose concepts Apollo Gallery was created. One of France's greatest gifts to her people.

'Sulangata Madivee' on Rupavahini from July 1

by Nadira Gunatilleke

'Sulangata Medivee'(In the middle of gale) a 25 episode Sinhala tele series directed by actor Lucky Dias and produced by Mohan Fernando will commence telecast over the National Television at 9.30 pm on July 1 (Friday).

This is the latest time belt of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC). The theme of this tele drama is the extreme concentration needed to lead a normal family life in the present day society. The teledrama shows how much attention is needed to prevent outside interferences and the damage caused by revealing personal details to others.

Darshana Wickremeratne is a down to earth responsible executive who is happily married to Nitha. They have a 12-year-old daughter. Darshana's buddy is Niranjan Karaliyedda who is single. One day Niranjan goes to a restaurant with Darshana and Daisy, a pregnant woman. After a while Niranjan leaves Darshana and Daisy in the restaurant and goes out promising to come back in an hour but returns after about five hours. During those five hours Darshana tells every single detail about his personal life including his past, present and memorable moments to Daisy.

Two days after Niranjan goes abroad secretly Daisy starts to destroy Darshana's life using what he disclosed to her. She proves that the father of her unborn child is Darshana. As a result Nitha and the daughter leave Darshana. But Darshana continues to help Daisy without knowing her secret operation. Daisy also mislead Niranjan who return to the country.

Lucky Dias, Nayana Kumari, Janaka Kumbukage, Damitha Abeyratne, Manel Wanaguru, Alfred Perera, Chithra Vakista, Prasannajith Abeysuriya, Ruwanthi Mangala, Panchalee Kaushalya, Vinee Weththasinghe, Shrimal Sathyajith, P. Gunawardena, Premadasa Vithanage, Nirda Uyanhewa, Kapila Sigera and Nelum Kalubowila play roles in this teledrama.

Nawaratne Gamage has provided music for this teledrama while Jagath Weeratunga has done the editing. Camera handling is by Saman Sigera and Art Direction is done by Nilantha Ranasinghe. Punarwansha Wasantha Kumara has done the make-up. The Assistant Director is Ananda Kapuge. Malcom Manthara and Upatissa Kolambage has done production management.

Sri Lankan student wins 'State of the Art' prize in London

At the annual open art competition held for the students in North London, 8-year-old Sri Lankan student, Christine Maleesha from the Manorside Primary School in Finchley was awarded the second prize. In view of the very high standard of the many thousands of entries received the organizers found it extremely difficult to select the winners. The prize awarded to Maleesha was presented by Councilor Wendy Prentice, Mayor of Barnet recently. Maleesha is the daughter of Drs. Kanthaka and Anusha Tissera Withanachchi attached to NHS UK.