Semage blazes a trail in Japan
R. S. Karunaratne
Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage is one of the few local artists who has
received international exposure. The latest news is that he is holding
an exhibition of his paintings at the Yoyogi Park, Tokyo, Japan on
September 13 and 14.
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One of
Semage’s paintings |
Semage's exhibition is held to mark the Sri Lanka Festival of 2008
that will open at the same venue. He will also put up a colourful pandal
at the entrance to the festival.
The pandal will depict Sri Lankan culture and traditional motiffs.
Semage is busy now putting the finishing touches to the paintings that
will be airlifted to Japan. Japanese artists will assemble the paintings
and put up the pandal in time for the forthcoming festival.
The exhibition will be ceremonially opened on September 13 amidst the
beating of magul bera and blowing of conch shells. Sri Lankan dances,
singing and instrumental music will add colour to the cultural show
organised by the Sri Lanka embassy in Japan and Ambassador Ranjith
Uyangoda. Paintings of lions, punkalas, swans and 'liyavel' will
decorate the pandal designed by the artist. He is sure that the Japanese
will be surprised by our cultural heritage enriched by Buddhism.
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Jayasiri
Semage |
Semage's solo exhibition will feature some of his internationally
acclaimed paintings and others mainly done for the occasion. His
paintings will depict Sri Lanka's rural life style with village scenes,
and village damsels engaged in day-to-day activities. The exhibition
will be held in a separate stall which will be open to the public free
of charge.
Semage is perhaps the only local artist who had put up colourful
pandals in different countries. Japanese people still remember his
60-feet tall colourful pandal put up in Fukuoka city in Japan a few
years ago. In addition he has put up pandals in several other countries
which hosted the Expo exhibitions. All these pandals had been created in
accordance with Sinhala traditional motiffs and Makara (dragon) style.
He is perhaps the only Sri Lankan who had held exhibitions of
paintings in different countries. He has already held exhibitions in
Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Sweden, Switzerland and Finland.
By holding such solo exhibitions he has brought fame to Sri Lanka. He
has also become a much sought-after local artist by the international
community. The scheduled display of his pandal and the paintings in the
land of the Rising Sun by Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage will definitely make
Sri Lanka a prime tourist destination in Asia.
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