Reflective landmarks in water colours
Sandasen Marasinghe
Reflective Landmarks the fourth solo water colour painting
exhibition, an attempt to encapsulate the landmarks and the characters
of a by gone era yet remaining unchanged, by the award winning water
colour artist Sanjeewee Seneviratne will colour the Lionel Wendt Art
Gallery from November 14 to 16.
“Visuals, the symbols (landmarks and characters) that remind us of
the period before freedom was achieved can still be seen in Colombo and
suburbs. They have been giants before our eyes since then up to date.
Yet modern landmarks and characters have been able to spread their
dominance over these ‘old’ ones in the same space. Yet the latter have
still been able to maintain their prominence among them.
“Sometimes they are landmarks, the buildings or they may be the pace
or a movement of people’s economy or lifestyle. It could even be the
interference of technology that made a huge transition in our day -to
-day activities” Sanjeewee Seneviratne was giving vent to his thoughts
of his attempt.
“Landmarks and characters, as I see, are the reflections of that
transition. This is exactly what I mean by ‘Reflective Landmarks’”.
The exhibition will be consisting of 35 pieces of which the most are
of 25 by 35 cm average.
The National Museum, the Galle Face Hotel, the Old Parliament
Building, the Town Hall Building, the Old Town Hall Building are some
among of those Sanjeewee tries to show us through his eyes. He also
brings beauty of architectural structures of religious places on his
water colour paper.
The Gangaramaya Siemamalakaya, The Cathedral of the Living Saviour,
Dawatagaha Mosque haven’t missed Sanjeewee’s eyes. You can see the
beauty of the Cart, the man at the hand cart, basket carrier and Hindu
devotees that you forgot to see in your busy day routine, don’t forget
to enjoy this Sanjeewee’s exhibition.
Sanjeewee Seneviratne had been excelling his skill in the water
colour painting technique of ‘Wet on Wet’ for over ten years and molded
his talents as an artist while he was reading for his Fine Arts
bachelors at the University of Kelaniya.
He had held several group water colour painting exhibitions Mihisara
Pahasara phase 1 and 2, young contemporaries, Kuthuka 99 and Five Vision
by the time he passed out from the university with an honors degree in
2002.
“There are very few veteran contemporary artists of water colour
paintings in the country today for it is not taught at academic level.
The other fact being no proper classical discussion on this medium the
taste of the audience had not been moulded to entertain the water colour
paintings.”
Sanjeewee was concentrating on why this rich art was not prevalent
among the contemporaries. “After all the medium of water colour is
difficult to control as the paint runs on the paper. The other special
feature of this medium is its transparency.” Sanjeewee continued, “The
artist has to control both the features to come up with a good piece”.
Sanjeewee Seneviratne’s pieces have been selected not only by Sri
Lankan persons, universities, churches and Five Star Hotels for their
collections but his paintings are there with the collections of Paul
Harris, Sturt Bailey, J.L. Chawner- England, Chitra Perera-Trinidad and
Trover Adams-Dubai. Young Sansjeewee Seneviratne is the art teacher of
Bopabanna Junior College, Urapola, Nittambuwa. He is a past student of
Bandaranaike College, Gampaha. |