Picking up the pieces
Jigsaw puzzles were mainly considered as an entertaining pastime
for children but for Nanda Wijesekera it is a means of escaping to
wondrous lands and dimensions in foreign soil
Jayanthi LIYANAGE
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Jigsaw puzzle exhibits. Pictures by Saman Sri Wedage |
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‘Piece by Piece Still Going’ was an exhibition of jigsaw puzzle
pictures held by Nanda Wijesekera at the Gandhara Gallery of Colombo 6,
from February 19 to21.
A retired vice principal of Lindsay school, she started out on her
childhood hobby of assembling jigsaw puzzles in earnest when she lost
her sight in one eye.
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Jigsaw history |
The jigsaw
puzzle emerged as an educational tool in 1760, when John
Spilsbury, a London map maker and engraver mounted one of his
maps on wood. Using a fine bladed saw, he cut around the country
borders of the world and put them together again. This was a
successful aid for geography classes throughout schools in
England. Cardboard was introduced to the industry and being
cheaper, puzzles were produced in large quantities. Where wood
was used, due to its lasting properties, a puzzle often became a
family heirloon!
Modern technology has given the industry amazing dimensions.
Photo Mosaics are a recent innovation, with thousands of
miniature photographs cut and combined to make one awesome
picture. Wood puzzles are cut using computer controlled lasers;
3D clock puzzles actually work; Artillusions, turns puzzles
luminous in the dark.; ‘Stained Art’ feature staine glass like
transparent pieces; in ‘Magic’ puzzles, the picture changes when
the surface of the completed puzzle is rubbed; and there are
pieces which can fit in many ways but have only one correct
solution to form ‘Trick’ puzzles. |
“Before that I had been in England and Scotland teaching and when I
came back I used to sew costumes for theatre,” Wijesekera said. “When I
lost my sight, I stayed at home and started doing jigsaw puzzles.” Many
of the jigsaw puzzles on display were sent to her by friends, relatives
and past pupils now living overseas.
“First, I sort out the puzzle pieces according to their colour,”
Wijesekera described the process of assembling a puzzle.
“A sky would be white and blue and a meadow would be green. I make
the sky and the meadow separately on a small board and transfer the
assembled pieces on to the big board. I start from a corner and build up
from there.”
The main exhibit at the event was Pieter van den Keere’s New Map of
the Entire World, 1611. His maps are well known for their technical
precision and extraordinary designs. This particular map is a fine
testimony to the decorative Dutch cartography of the early 17th century,
regarded as the Golden Age of this art.
The exhibition had a corner for Juniors, with puzzles assembled by
Wijesekera’s grandsons. “I hope other children will follow,” said
Wijesekera. “It is important for children to do jigsaw puzzles.”
Her first exhibition of jigsaw puzzles was held three years ago. |
