Bright and vivid paddy fields
Jayanthi Liyanage
Lasantha Chandana Kumara is an artist hailing from Dehiattakandiya.
His paintings of modern art are redolent of his familiarity and
experience with traditional farming practices.
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Lasantha Chandana Kumara |
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An artiste’s life |
* Lasantha
has a Fine Arts degree from the Kelaniya University
* 18 paintings are now being exhibited
* Mainly themed on paddy field and God Ganesh
* Paintings are basically vivid and brightly coloured
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His current collection of 18 paintings, exhibited at Paradise Road
Galleries, displays this knowledge. “I like presenting traditional
knowledge with my modern art,” says Lasantha. “My present exhibition is
different from my previous exhibitions as I have tried to present
reality, straying from my usual abstract style.”
This collection of paintings is based on the theme of paddy fields
and Ganesh. “Ganesh is a God we worship,” explains Lasantha. “We begin
our farming work by offering poojas to this God known as Pullayar.” In
his art Lasantha has given expression to incidents, happenings, and
traditions in connection with paddy fields and farming. Key points of
farming, such anicuts and the threshing floor, figure prominently in his
expressions.
One example is his painting ‘The Moon’, which displays coconut husks
that farmers place on sticks in paddy fields to offer a perch to birds
devouring insects harmful to paddy plants. This practice is an
alternative to insecticides. Another point he wishes to stress is the
change of life farmers undergo by trading their cattle to tractors for
ploughing. “I believe there is something worth heeding about old
traditions,” says Lasantha. “That is why I try to present these old
practices through my modern art.”
His specialty, he says, is vivid and bright colours that he uses to
enhance his ideas and designs on canvas.
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Some of Lasantha’s paintings |
Lasantha has been engrossed with the theme ‘Paddy Fields’ since his
very first exhibition while he was a final year undergraduate of Fine
Arts at Kelaniya University. In his first exhibition, he displayed
designs drawn from ash on the threshing floor, depicting swastika,
mammoty and other religious and traditional symbols.
He took to art after he studied art as a subject at Advanced Levels.
“I don’t come from a generation of artists,” emphasizes Lasantha. He
held solo exhibitions at Madagama College, Dehiattakandiya in 2003 and
at Paradise Road Galleries in 2005 and 2006. He expresses his gratitude
to Saskia Fernando, daughter of Paradise Road Galleries owner Udayshanth
Fernando, for encouraging him to hold an exhibition after a lapse of
four years.
Lasantha participated in Theertha International Art Camp in 2001 and
Theertha Residencies Art Work Shop in 2008 and won the second place for
painting at State Awards Festival. At present, he is an in-service
advisor of Art at the Zonal Education Office, Dehiattakandiya. |
