Fascinating lines of a mature artist
R. S. Karunaratne
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ARTIST: Chandana Ranaweera
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ART: Chandana Ranaweera’s ninth exhibition of paintings will
be held at the Alliance Francaise de Kandy, Kandy Art Gallery, in Kandy
on July 20. Prof. Ashley Halpe and Mrs. Brigette Halpe will be the chief
guests.
Chandana Ranaweera belongs to a new generation of artists who
experiment with lines. He has perfected this art so well that he creates
wonderful line drawings without much effort. For instance “Raban Handa”
(The Sound of Raban) depicts two women playing the rabana. With a few
lines he creates two women and their joy in playing the rabana.
The same can be said of “Denama” (Two monks). Here you see two
bare-footed monks walking sedately carrying their umbrellas. With a few
lines he has depicted the calmness and the serenity
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SVARA SANKALANA: Two musicians.
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HARMONY: Moon, stars and flowers
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of the monks. In
another picture we see a senior monk and a novice monk walking together.
The senior monk is somewhat detached from worldly feelings but the
novice monk or Samanera is excited. He looks at the world with wide open
eyes.
Apart from Buddhist monks, the artist seems to be fascinated by gods
and goddesses. In one of his paintings three gods are seated on a
peacock.
This is somewhat unconventional. In another paintings, a god is seen
riding a flying peacock. We really do not know whether he is laughing at
gods by drawing them in this manner.
On the other hand music and musicians also play a major role in his
creations. In “Svara Sankalana” one musician plays a string instrument
and the other plays the tabla. What is remarkable is that Chandana has
depicted the feelings of the musicians with the minimum use of lines.
Meanwhile, “Veralehi nala pimbinna” is a complex painting with the
flute players plays his flute at the sunset. Then there is the painting
of two pipers, blowing their pipes while looking at opposite directions.
Like many other artists, Chandana too has been greatly influenced by
the beauty of nature. In “Sanda Saha Bakamuna” he has created the night
atmosphere using only lines. “Muhude Oru” and “Sanda Saha Maluvo” show
the harmony of nature. “Sanda Tharu ha Mal” deftly paint the beauty of a
moon-lit night.
Taken as a whole, Chandana Ranaweera has built up his Sri Lankan
identity. He has matured over the years and he will bring honour to the
country one day. |
