Focus on Vintage and Classic
Jayanthi LIYANAGE
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Bandula Wijewickrema |
Bandula Wijewickrema Alahakoon, counting over 25 years as a Media
Photographer, besides being the Official Photographer of the Ministry of
Housing and Common Amenities, will conduct his second photographic
exhibition on December 22 and 23.
Themed in "Focus on Vintage and Classic", the exhibition will
highlight over 200 photographs of vintage classic cars at the Public
Library Auditorium in Colombo from 8 am to 8 pm. Minister of Textile
Development Mahinda Ratnathilaka is scheduled to open the display. His
first exhibition on the same theme was held in 2004.
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A vintage motorbike |
The cars on his photographs originate from as early as 1905 and a
lorry of the same year is also an exhibit. "I have been the photographer
of Vintage Car Owners Club, Classic Car Owner's Club, Mighty Mini Car
Club and Volkswagon Beetle Car Club," said Alahakoon.
"Former President of Classic Club the late Mana Jayawardena and the
late Edward Mason who ran the Motor Mag Supplementary in the Sunday
Observer introduced me to the Presidents of Vintage Car Clubs," said
Alahakoon. "Some of the oldest photographs of vintage cars taken by me
during this period will be displayed at the exhibition." While a large
number of old photographs of motor vehicles will be shown in the
Auditorium, a few vintage cars and five motorbikes will be exhibited
outside. Among the vintage cars are a special saloon Austin Somerset and
a convertible Hillman Minx Series II, UK-manufactured in 1953 and 1957
respectively. Two German-made Merdedes Benzes, 170S and 180b,
manufactured in 1952 and 1960 respectively, and two UK-made Motor cycles
BSAs, ZB31 and C12, manufactured in 1951 and 1953 respectively, will
also be on display. All these are owned by Citi Bank Chairman Kapila
Jayawardena.
He has also been privileged to be the private photographer of a
number of Ministers and Members of Parliament during the past three
decades, giving him invaluable experience. Among them are the late
Ranjan Wijeratne, Sirisena Cooray, S.B. Dissanayake and J.R.
Jayewardene. He was also the official photographer of the late Vijaya
Coomaratunge's Sri Lanka Mahajana Party.
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Classic Car Club rally near Colombo Cargills |
Alahakoon's entry into photography was consequent to his marriage
with Hemalatha, the daughter of Gunasiri Silva, the personal
photographer of the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa. "My
father-in-law was my teacher in photography," Alahakoon expressed his
gratitude. The father of son Dilshan and two daughters Dilrukshi and
Nilanthi, he is the second of the ten off-spring of Chandrapala
Alahakoon and Podi Nona.
The event supported by Lanka Orient Leasing Company as the main
sponsor and Asian Alliance and Maclarens as co-sponsors. |
