Palitha's paintings: A riot of colourART: The water colour paintings of Palitha Gunasinghe exhibited at the Lionel Wendt was a riot of colour in homage to the scenic beauty of Sri Lanka done boldly as well as in subtle shades. Apparently Gunasinghe has drawn his inspiration from an unspoilt hamlet in Kalutara dotted with vast paddy lands stretching out to mingle with rubber plantations on their borders. The villages and the villagers are prominently displayed in his art captured in their true form. Their simple lifestyle and day-to-day living, tell us about the travails of human existence.
He paints abundantly in free strokes on smudged paper so that each detail melts on to the other. There are no harsh strokes or dividing lines between his chosen subjects. Where spectacular colour combinations are warranted in cases like the Kandy Perera, he has no limit on his palette and paint profusely with red and gold, dominating and surfacing black backgrounds. A combination of elements from locations around Kalutara, suggests space by introducing paler colours in the background though the painting remains characteristically flat due to absence of shadows. The use of strong colour on white background seems to be his signature. He attempted to explain the underlying vision that he has so memorably realised. Bound by conventions of our time, the still-life adorning the Lionel Wendt is worth a visit even from a distant place. He has taken immense care about every little detail no matter what the substance was. With so many nature painters around, Gunasinghe has carved out an identity of his own and it is reflected in all his paintings. The curved lines, pliant softness and delicate colour gently contrasting make up his paintings. Watercolours have reached a high development or artists like Gunasinghe to rely upon to produce sparkling effects. He has made less distinction like greater artists of Sri Lanka who depended on watercolour techniques. But then Gunasinghe has the future open up to him and he is travelling on the right track like his predecessors. Often his watercolour paintings appear solid and textured with a sheen in ethereal delicacy. Gunasinghe is totally immersed in identified themes draw from the brilliance of nature. He gets nature to express herself, her glorious burgeoning, crystal dew drops, lashing rain, emerging dawn, disappearing dusk, the sea and the breeze. There is poetry in his works but for a painter who was capable of trapping the essence of all these qualities, to me he appeared anything but a painter. Among his galaxy of paintings, one among others were picture No. 4, Ruwanweliseya. Where Gunasinghe had used all shades of grey shifting over to pale orange. A beautiful combination by any standard. Pic. 11. Blind Grandma - Grace and dignity of old age captured once again in subtle shades of lingering brown to emphasis disability of a frail woman, groping and lost. The artist has used a single colour discreetly to highlight the frailties of humanity. Pic. 19 Dambulla Cave Shrine. The marvel of hard rock, its severity and harshness set against a peaceful and abiding shrine beneath it, illustrating the spectre of Buddhist philosophy, the loneliness and calm to soothe man's nerves, truly captured with vibrance. No. 37 The Kandy Perahera. A favourite subject of any local painter. The gorgeous spectacular, stunning beauty of the perahera, internationally known, rises out of his painting. The harmony of vibrant colour used to enhance the royal tusker and the rest, was sparkling very much like seen live. From time immemorial, the Kandy Perahera is a special event celebrated by all Buddhists, dating back from the time of our kings who had offered royal patronage to it. It is a dream time display of Lankan culture; the magnificent tusker carrying the sacred tooth ralic of the Buddha in glory and majesty. Gunasinghe's brush has not spared any of this royal splendour and if anyone has not seen the perahera live, he can see it emerging from this painter's work. No. 42. Still closer to home, a scene very familiar in the beach bordering Marawila where I live. The fishermen. Their daily life struggle for existence, all exposed on smudged paper to give a balmy effect. It is a catch in the drawn and the artist has depended on an array of colour to set the scene against the backdrop of the sea. What really caught my keen eye was an untitled new painting by Gunasinghe with the soaring valleys dipping into a winding rivulet painted in multiple greys against a white backdrop from Makeliya. It was soothing to the eye; marvel of nature; truly a masterpiece. Worth the distance to reach and look at his paintings. |
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