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"Two
Youths - Two Contexts & Their Awakening"
An Exhibition of Doodles, Paintings
and Photographs by
Kesara RATNAVIBHUSHANA
and P.T. Andrew de SILVA
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Kesera
RATNANIVIBHUSHANA
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P.T.
Andrew de SILVA
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The
exhibition is titled "Two Youths, Two Contexts and
Their Awakening" was opened on January 21, 2005 in
Colombo, Sri Lanka. The title refers to recent events
in both young artist's personal history. One of them,
Kesara has been studying Art History at the University
of East London for the last two years, and the other artist,
Andrew, is a recent degree graduate from the Bartlett
School of Architecture, University College London.
Andrew, mostly brought up in the UK, is
presently visiting Sri Lanka (the land of his birth) and
expresses through photography his joyous reactions
to the local surroundings.
The honorary guest of the exhibition was legendary
author and scientist Sir
Arthur C. CLARKE who made the opening of the exhibition
by lighting candles which is part of the Sri Lankan traditiions.
Both young artists were very excited as well as the guests
of the opening reception by Sir Arthur's contribution.
Before lighting the candle, there was one minute silence
for in memory of Tsunami victims where reached the most
sensibile moment, where almost everyone had difficulty
to hold their cry for Tsunami victims...
* * * * *
About
Kesara RATNAVIBHUSHANA (21 years)
Kesara has spent many hours traversing the streets of
London photographing the city's eclectic urban makeup.
His intricate drawings done mostly whilst whiling away
long wintery nights, are what he calls "castles in
the sky".
Like
his drawings, his acrylic paintings are his "flights
of fancy" into a great cosmic unknown -- a science
fiction universe in which cities float and scale is immense.
Born
and educated in Sri Lanka (Primary education at DSSV and
AIS and completing Secondary education at Colombo International
School), Kesara left for London in 2002 for higher studies.
As a young boy he spent time on his home rooftop gazing
at the heavens with his telescope. Like most children
he was fond of drawing and model building, but rediscovered
a singular and interesting style of expression as a reaction
to the tedium of sitting A Level exams at CIS, Colombo
when he produced a series of cosmic fantasies in acrylic
colour on canvas. These 2001 period pictures on exhibit
reveal a passionate preoccupation with imagery of cosmic
subjects. One sees cities, waterfalls and heavenly bodies
in balanced compositions that are at the same time pregnant
with gravitational tensions. His cosmic preoccupations
of 2001 to 2003 and a fascination with Salvador Dali's
work has developed into more surreal visions in black
and white pen work as he began to adjust to the wintry
confinement of university lodgings at the Docklands Campus,
in London. These tiny originals on exhibit have also been
reproduced at a larger scale for greater impact.
Kesara
has travelled to the USA as a Presidential Classroom candidate
in 2000, attended a Summer course in Art and Architecture
at the American University of Paris (2001) and in the
vacation of 2003 travelled to Goa and Rajasthan on his
own. The historicity and charm of Goa in particular inspired
some of the photographs by Kesara on exhibit.
Other
interests: Listening to music and sampling interesting
food.
Current
personal philosophy! : "The only thing to do with good advice is to pass it on.
It is never any use to oneself"
"Fashion
is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter
it every six months"
~Oscar
Wilde
"You
don't have to like it; you just have to do it"
~US
Navy SEAL credo
* * * * *
About
P. T. Andrew de Silva (23 years)
Born
in the U.K. to Sri Lankan parents, a Graduate student
of Architecture from the Bartlett School at UCL, London,
who is currently spending a training period in Sri Lanka
with Architect/Designer Anura Ratnavibhushana, to gain
experience in Architectural practice.
Here
is a youth born of Sri Lankan parents who emigrated to
the U.K. (in the late 80's) and who from a young age was
basically educated in London and now has been draw to
his native land and who devotes every moment of leisure
in the pursuit of serendipity in Sri Lanka. Fascinated
by the culture and the ambiance of his home country and
ancestral "gama" Matara - the photographic work
on exhibit will reveal his infatuation and admiration
for Sri Lanka and its people, places and scenic splendour
as a personal reaction and flashback to memories sublime.
Philosophically
Andrew seems well adjusted to the sights, smells and tastes
of Sri Lanka, "warts and all, as it were" despite
his predominantly western exposure. He moves with ease
in the artistic and social milieu of Colombo and his black
and white photos reveal a joyous reaction to the Sri Lankan
environment.
From
his base in the U.K. Andrew has visited numerous European
Countries experiencing the passionate and expressive cultures
of the peoples of France, Spain, Italy and Portugal, among
others. Further a field he has also enjoyed the glitzy
lifestyles of New Yorkers and its counterpart in the hustle
and bustle of Bombay. In recording his experiences in
travels during this period Andrew wanted to capture everything
in colour, almost to a point of saturation.
In
his return to Sri Lanka a realisation dawned on him to
seek the essence of the place, of people or events through
the photographic medium. He found soon that working in
Black and White and in Light and Shade was the answer
to capturing the spirit of the place and the numerous
subjects.
The
photographs on exhibit are all exclusively taken of experiences
in Sri Lanka in 2004, and reveal his singular sensitivity
to working in this refreshing medium.
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Sir
Arthur C. Clarke, made the opening of the exhibition
on January 21, 2005 in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Photo:
Bircan Ünver |
After
reviewing and right before leaving the exhibition,
Sir Arthur, two young artists Kesera and Andrew
came together among Bircan Ünver for above
photo.
Photo:
Dottie Weerasooriya |
This exhibition took place:
At
the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, Guildfort Crescent, Colombo
7.
Opened
Friday 21 January 2005 at 6 p.m. Closed Sunday 23rd
January 2005 at 8 p.m.
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