Seeing the unknown in the known

Aditha Dissanayake

Had I known as much about ceramic art as critic Lucy R. Lippard, I would have described Ajith Manjula too with the same words she used to identify the New York artist Ken Price.

Ajith Manjula; finds comfort in art and solitude

“Something of a Surrealist, something of a purist, something of an expressionist, something of a naturalist.” But when he introduces himself to me as “Ajith” and gives his phone number, my immediate concern is more practical and slightly confusing. In a world filled with people called Ajith how would I describe this new Ajith to identify him from the others? Ajith the artist? There is one by that name already in my phone book. Ajith the bohemian? Ajith the....? He promptly comes to my rescue “Call me Ajith the ceramic sculptor.”

Ajith Manjula is the violet by the mossy stone, who made it to the international arena, holding a solo exhibition of ceramic art in Japan, winning several presidential awards as well as the award for Best Artist of the Western Province 2011, in addition to having his creations in the homes of art lovers scattered in many parts of the world.

Born in the quaint hamlet of Handapangoda, he confesses his parents are simple rustic folk who are proud of his achievements and who have been a pillar of support in his journey so far as an artist. “They never imposed rules on me. Never urged me to become a doctor or an engineer. They gave me the freedom to do what I love, and this is the greatest gift I received from them” says Ajith, his eyes filling with tears of gratitude.

Working as a designer at the Department of Industries, Ajith seeks satisfaction not in pursuing material wealth but in trying to solve the great mysteries of the universe. If you call him on a Poya Day he will not answer the phone till late at night.

His explanation: “I was at the temple in Wataraka, observing sil”. At first intrigued by the teachings of Krishnamurti but now having exhausted the knowledge imparted by this great thinker, Ajith is currently searching for the answers to many a question that has invaded his mind and seemingly taken up permanent residency there, through the teachings of the Buddha. He believes once he masters the Abhidamma he would discover most of the solutions he is seeking.

His quest, one that dates back probably to the days of Plato, is to find the meaning of existence. “Life is far more complex than what it appears to be on the surface” says Ajith. Unlike his contemporaries who are addicted to digital devices, and seek pleasure from material things, Ajith yearns for solitude, the pleasures of a good book and above all a peaceful state of mind in which he could contemplate who he is, where he is going and how he is going to get there.

“I don't want to simply meander through my life like a piece of driftwood” he explains. “ Success does not mean looking at someone and wanting to be like that person. Success means looking at your own inner self and discovering who you are”.

Throughout the ten or so years he had been studying the art of ceramic sculpture and today, as a teacher imparting his own experiences to others, Ajith has continued to manifest his thoughts, uncertainties, ultra sensitive temperament and rebellious spirits into his work. He recalls how his interests in art were first kindled at the Handapangoda Primary School and later at the Horana Vidyodaya Pirivena where his teacher, Ariyapala Gamage encouraged him to pursue a career in arts.

As an undergraduate at the Institute of Aesthetic Studies though he had studied sculpture with the rest of his class Ajith says he always felt there is more to art than simply trying to imitate nature. “I wanted to do more than simply reproduce nature” he stresses. “When we look at a tree we look at it knowing this is a tree, but what would we see if we looked at the tree without this foreknowledge?” asks Ajith. In his work he tries to go beyond what is already known, into the realms of the unknown.

The enduring, alluring, vitality of ceramics

Ajith's first exhibition was held in Japan when he lived and studied ceramic art at the Yokkaichi Ceramic Research Center, having received a scholarship given by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). Of the several exhibitions he held in Sri Lanka, all have been immensely successful. Ajith remembers how a visitor to one of the early exhibitions made a lasting impression on his life.

“Architect Anjalendran came to my first exhibition in Sri Lanka and was deeply impressed by my work” recalls Ajith. “To this day he has continued to be my mentor”. Among the others who helped him are the staff at the Dediyawala Center, Vinitha Senevirathna, Heuroki Asakura,Makatho Kageyama, Milinda Ekanayake and Mils Young. He is also grateful to his friend Sudath and his brother for their unwavering support.

Yet, he admits his journey, defying convention, avoiding the beaten paths, swimming against the currents, has not been easy. At school and at university he was seen as a recluse and often teased for being “a bit crazy”. “Because I was quiet and kept to myself my batch-mates thought I was from the CID” smiles Ajith.

Growing up in Handapangoda he helped his father and mother in the bakery they owned, to help make ends meet.

By the time he was studying for his O/Ls, it was customary for him to wake up early in the morning to bake the bread and deliver it to the shops and hotels in the area before leaving for school. “Old habits die fast” observes Ajith. “Even today I wake up at 2 in the morning as I used to do when I was a teenager”.

Perhaps, this is a good thing, for, working eight hours a day for five days a week, this is the only time he has to pursue his creative interests which seem to cover all facets of ceramic art, from functional art and vessel forms to purely sculptural works. Currently he is working on his next exhibition which he plans to call “Beyond Beauty”. Ajith's exquisitely finished creations resemble a marriage of art and craft. They symbolize the enduring, alluring, vitality of ceramics; abstract, calm meditative, at times disturbing, but always beautiful.

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