Semage set to storm Oman

R. S. Karunaratne

Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage has been invited by an organization of Sinhala expatriates in Muscat, Oman to display his oeuvre along with several other painters. This is his first art exhibition to be held in Oman. The artists taking part in the exhibition too are Sri Lankans working in Oman in various capacities.

As guest artist at the exhibition Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage will display some of his paintings done in oil on canvas and acrylic. The 20 paintings he is planning to display will have a distinct Sri Lankan flavour. The exhibition will be held from April 22 to 25 in a famous art gallery in Muscat.

Mr and Mrs Semage will be the star attraction at the exhibition that will be attended by a host of foreign ambassadors, their staff, artists, Sri Lankan expatriates and art lovers. The keynote address will be delivered by Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage on this occation. Newspapers in Oman have already given wide publicity to the event because of its extraordinary quality.

What is more, in view of the prevailing cultural ethos in Oman and other Middle Eastern countries, Kalasuri Semage will have to fall in line with their thinking.

For instance, Semage has been compelled to change his style of painting in such a way not to expose the human body with sensual brush strokes.

This means he will not be able to depict bare-bodied women engaged in various activities in rural areas of Sri Lanka. The authorities in Oman have already asked him to submit photographs of the paintings for approval before the exhibition. This might be a novel experience for Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage who has held several successful exhibitions in many parts of the world.

“I have accepted the challenge of painting for a different segment of art lovers in Oman. I have no difficulty or unwillingness to change my style of painting if it really matters. An artist should be able to face such challenges from time to time,” Semage said.

“My paintings have appealed to art lovers in Malaysia, Singapore, Switzerland, Finland and Japan because of their Sri Lankan identity.

I am always prepared to cater to the needs of art lovers in Middle East countries where cultural norms are different from those of ours,” said Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage who has been hailed as a cultural ambassador.

The forthcoming art exhibition to be held in Oman will be another landmark for Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage who has risen from a humble newspaper illustrator to an internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan painter.

Without resting on his laurels he has sought new avenues to reach out to the art world at large not forgetting that he is essentially a Sri Lankan artist.