Semage showcases talents in Malaysia
R.S. Karunaratne
Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage is more or less a modern-day cultural
ambassador. He has been holding solo exhibitions of his paintings here
and abroad since the day
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Mother and child |
he became an acknowledged artist. Although he himself cannot remember
the exact number of exhibitions he had held in foreign countries, he
rattles off the names of the countries as if they are familiar towns in
Sri Lanka. He says he has held solo exhibitions of his paintings in
Thailand, Kathmandu, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan, Finland, Malaysia,
Singapore and Oman on many occasions.
Kalasuri Semage is now in the process of getting ready for his
forthcoming exhibition of paintings to be held in Malaysia towards the
end of March. This will provide an opportunity for the Sri Lankan
community living in Malaysia and others who wish to view his paintings
done in recent times. Arrangements have already been made to hold the
exhibition at the main hall of Sri Lanka Maha Vihara, Brickfield, Kuala
Lumpur in Malaysia. During the exhibition days to be announced shortly
there will be a seminar to promote Sri Lankan food among the Malaysians.
In addition, there will be a fashion parade by well-known models of the
country.
The cultural display, organized by a Sri Lankan expatriate
organization, will depict Sri Lanka’s authentic traditional dances
adding colour to the on-going exhibition.
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Awards |
* Kalasuri
* Kalakeerthi
* Kalabhushana
* Kalapathi
* Media award
* Sarvodaya National Award
* Solius Mendis National Award |
Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage has been specially picked by the organizers
to showcase his paintings because he is the only internationally reputed
Sri Lankan artist who has not veered away from traditional art forms.
The village damsels, their life patterns, the rhythm in his art, and the
unique colour combination have added lustre to his paintings. Because of
these qualities Semage is always in demand among the international
community.
He has some sentimental feelings about Malaysia. “It was in Malaysia
I held my maiden international exhibition of my paintings way back in
1975. I was then the chief artist of the now defunct Dawasa newspaper.
When the late Ven. Mapalagama Vipulasara Thera, president of the Lanka
Kala Sangamaya, sent me to Malaysia to hold an exhibition of my
paintings I was just a novice. I displayed some Buddhist paintings at
the same venue selected for my forthcoming exhibition. What is
remarkable is that I did all my paintings while staying at the temple.
Thereafter, I did the murals at the Buddhist temples in Penang, Malaysia
and at the Mangala Vihara in Singapore,” he said.
Kalasuri Jayasiri Semage made a major breakthrough when he was
assigned to do the murals at the Sri Lanka Vihara, Lumbini in Nepal. He
says the whole project was a concept of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. |
