Father and son showcase artistic skills

Thushara Kaluarachchi

“Art teaches us to listen, and to see, it even heals us....physically and mentally....One’s (soul) is cleansed, and is automatically taught the good from the bad and the right from the wrong...”

Attracted to the various arts from a very young age, Kumara Galahitiyawa artist, make-up artist and theatre actor, is a man best described as an achiever of many successes.

In his fourth art exhibition at the National Art Gallery from August 3-5 he will showcase the collective efforts of himself and his son, Kusala Galahitiyawa (5), appropriately titled ‘Sithuwili Siththam’. The exhibition is sponsored by the People’s Bank and the N.S.B.

Freedom

Kick-starting his professional career, working as an intern to other professionals in the field, Kumara explains that his ‘gift’ is inborn. It has allowed him the freedom to try out new techniques and methods in his work, for example he says, that in the days when he used to be a theatre actor; the effect of greying hair was achieved by applying chalk dissolved in coconut oil on to the head.

In a flashback to his humble beginnings, Kumara remembers one of the most encouraging incidents that had occurred in his life-to make him the artist he is today.

“In my O/Level Art exam, the invigilator who saw my final piece, handed me a huge bundle of art paper, and told me to continue my painting into the future...”

Wonders

Growing up in a rural village, Kumara admits, was one of the best things that had happened to him. Everything natural had appealed to him and beckoned him to experience the wonders within his grasp....Learning to see and hear nature at that crucial instance in his life, he says, has helped him in his mouldings of life-size creations and of course in his painting.

Expressing his views on the type of painting he does, Kumara says he enjoys creating paintings that mean something to the observer, rather than painting something that is completely alien.

“While abstract form of painting, could be done by anyone (holding up one of his son’s paintings), it is the meaningful creations that are hard to achieve.” Stressing that only after a painter establishes himself as a promising artist can he begin to explore the realms of the unknown through abstract painting, Kumara explains that, one who begins in the abstract field of art, tends to be confused with the fundamentals.

Relaxing colour

Kumara further conveyed his love for the colour Blue! “It is a very relaxing colour to everyone’s eyes, which can be thoroughly enjoyed in subtle or obvious quantities...a familiar colour that does not harm the painting...” he said.

Though not much of his work is done through observation, Kumara said that when it came to drawing small animals, sometimes he would use dead animals as models, because reference from a book was rare. In sculpting, he says, he uses a mirror and himself to make judgements on proportion and texture.

Artificiality

Dismissing artificiality as it diminishes appreciation, and discouraging Art as just a splash of pretty colours, in the name of making a profit, Kumara urged growing artists to realise their gift and appreciate what they themselves created, as a true painting and not just a clutter of colour.

Kumara also shed some light into the plight that many of these artists face - such as, a lot of personal strife when it comes to being successful in the ever competitive world.

He also mentioned that the incentives and relief received by the artist society in Sri Lanka from the Government, was minimal and only the hardships in finding the correct tools, paints, art paper and other materials and being unable to afford them, had driven him forward to become the ‘Experimental Artist’ he is today.

Parents

He also explained how parents, can be supportive of children being artists in their small ages, but all too discouraging when it comes to the point where the child wants to continue being good at art to his or her A/Levels - This he says, is because artists are still seen as ‘beggars’ in Sri Lanka.

Having held previous exhibitions at the Lionel Wendt and the Hotel Oberoi Art Gallery, Kumara Galahitiyawa is an ambitious artist who wants to take art to its highest peak in Sri Lanka.

He has plans to replicate Madama Toussad’s Wax Museum (U.K), with the help of local latex and paints.

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