Aesthetics plus Engineering under one roof

LITERATURE: Most people find it hard to imagine Engineering undergraduates engaging in some activity outside their academic stream but if you get the chance to spend some time at the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Peradeniya your ideas will be proven wrong.

The art circle, formed 20 years back, is a society which encourages the hidden aesthetic interests of the students.

The society comprises of a president, vice-president, secretary, editor, junior treasurer and senior treasurer and is under the guidance of its senior treasurer, Dr. Janaka Wijayakulasooriya, a senior lecturer of the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering. The current president of the art circle is Sudheera Wanisundara, a final year student of Mechanical Engineering.

The University Art Circle has organised a number of functions in order to enhance the aesthetic interests of its members throughout the decade. Talent shows and arts festivals were held every semester along with Wesak Bakthi Gee performances.

It also supports Mage Deshaya Avadi Karanu Mana! , an annual literary festival held by the Peradeniya Students’ Union (PSU). The society also maintains a notice-board which is filled up with artistic literary creations from the individuals from the faculty.

The art circle also organises a career guidance programme annually, titled “Industry Day” where seminars, presentations, interviews and exhibitions related to engineering are conducted.

Denipetha, a traditional cultural show consisting of traditional Sri Lankan folk dance and music was held in April 27 while Sohani Rath, a night of past Hindi melodies and songs was conducted on December 14, 2006. Awards of appreciation were presented to Ranjith Edirisinghe and Sunil Premaratne for their contributions towards the film industry and electronic media.

Among its dynamic members, the art circle boasts of several individuals who have achieved fame and fortune as it flourished. One such member is Ravindra Karunathilake who had won first place singing (higher education section) in Va Diya Nilla, a literary festival conducted by the University of Rajarata in 2003.

“I was a regular member of our art circle and it helped me to improve my talents in many ways. At present I am employed as an engineer at the Water Board but I still feel nostalgic when I am reminded of the period in which I was a member of the Art Circle. It was a great pleasure taking part in the activities,” Ravindra commented.

Nirasha Gunasekara had won first place in several poetry competitions. He had also published his own Sinhala poetry book titled Bambaru Elapu Dal. He is a regular poetry writer for local newspapers.

Tharindu Weerasinghe is also a budding young poet and compere. He has clinched first place for his talent for announcing at a competition held parallel to Vihanga Sara, a singing competition conducted by the university of Peradeniya in 2006. Tharindu had also been the editor of the art circle for the years 2005/2006.

“It is the responsibility of the editor to edit all the creations that will be put up in the notice-board. The notice-board has to be renewed once in two weeks. We have compiled a book named Induwara Suwanda which consists of creations of the engineering students. It will be published soon,” observed Tharindu.

Tharindu released a book of poetry titled Candelight recently.

Asela Eranda became a singing sensation through a programme conducted by a private television channel.

Now in his third year, Asela had had a lot of back up from his members of the Art Circle to proceed to the level he is in the music scene today.

Coming back to the beginning of this article, it is for you to question - had not these students of the Arts Circle of the Faculty of Engineering proven that academic studies and aesthetics can go hand in hand?

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Nawa Kalakaruwo:

New artists emerge with

PAINTINGS: An annual exhibition of contemporary Sri Lankan art, Nawa Kalakaruwo (Emerging new art and artists), organised by the George Keyt Foundation was held at the National Art Gallery (East and West Galleries).

The group of artists drawn from all parts of the island had emerged through several annual exhibitions and presentations, ‘Young Contemporaries’ and from the Kala Pola over the past 15 years. Nawa Kalakaruwo present new and interesting paths and different handling of the medium.

Pictures by Palitha Gunasena

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Gamini holds second exhibition in Athens

EXHIBITION: Gamini Wasala, a Sri Lankan domiciled in Greece, held his second photography, art and handicraft exhibition in Athens recently. Wasala is the only Asian to hold membership of the Helanik Photographic Society, the association for photographers in Greece.

The unique feature of this year’s exhibition was the handicrafts that were produced out of easily and cheaply available raw material.

Items that caught the eye were a motorcycle produced with jewellery such as rings, ear studs, bracelets and hairclips, a pair of peacocks made out of seashells and a spider attacking its prey, also made out of seashells.

The Athens office of Sri Lankan Airlines sponsored the event, which was held for three days to a packed audience.