| Arts |
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| Cutting
across hierarchy of high art and low art Beauty is a construction between two people, a result of a relationship and knowledge. Man constructs the parameters of a relationship between a man and woman and we live with that myth. This forms the basis for the paintings of women with curly, frizzy and unkempt hair that only appeal to a man because of the relationship he shares with the woman concerned. In 'Confused narratives' the artist points out that every aspect in life has a different interpretation, often with more than one narrative. The various narratives often cause confusion leaving the human being as a lonely person with his inability to communicate and interpret like others. Using acrylic on canvas with collage, the paintings are done with strong vibrant colours and are influenced by political motivations. "It is art out of art," Jagath says. Each of the works that form the collages on the painting are separate pieces done on un-stretched canvas, which have been cut, pasted and purposefully mixed. "That is how we make history - narratives often get confused." The artist's work has been exhibited several times in the country and abroad- in Japan, UK, Germany and Australia since 1992. Having received his Masters of Fine Arts from Washington DC, he has to date experimented with various media including clay, terracotta, mud, etc. Jagath Weerasinghe has been a strong presence in the development of contemporary art from the 90s. Currently the Chairman of the Theertha International Artists' Collective, he is part of the revolutionary thinking artists who call themselves 'The 90's Trend’. Together the group have formulated some basic ideas that question and challenge Sri Lanka's cultural conventions. The 90's Trend considers their art not as stylistic but something with political significance. They believe that artists are specialists like in any other profession who produce goods for cultural consumption. "Artists are not unique, special or gifted," Jagath says. "If art was a special God-given gift, how is it that before colonial rule, only the lowest caste engaged in it," he asks. He thinks that while some amount of talent is required, an artist like in any other profession needs proper training. The group has explored in depth the purpose of art and the relationship between the artist and art. An artist has to be responsible for the ideas incorporated in his work for "Art always reveals the truth of the artist." When artists portray an image, it is their interpretation of the image and not the truth of the image, Jagath explains. There is no truth in art, only truth about artists. Jagath explained that when the Sinhala elite promote certain art, they undermine the taste of the masses and in doing so deprive a lot of people of their aestheticism and their rights. The 90's Trend wish to cut across the hierarchy of 'high art' and 'low art’. Education only increases the level of expression but not ideas. "Art therefore has to cut across social and class barriers,” says Jagath.
Beethoven’s
‘Emperor’ brought to Sri Lanka We had to wait for the answer till the second half of the programme. The first was given over initially to Nicholai's "Merry Wives Of Windsor" Overture. This was the second time within the space of a year that the SOSL were performing it, and I consider it twice too many. Mozart's ensuing B flat Bassoon Concerto was performed with great charm by soloist and orchestra alike. The conductor did well to hold the orchestra back from swamping the delicate tones of the bassoon with overmuch volume. The young soloist, Nalaka Perera, played with quiet confidence throughout. What he may have lacked of the power and verve that come with maturity, he more than compensated for with his consistent accuracy of intonation and the beautiful woody and burbling tonal quality with which he endeared his great but gentle instrument to us. Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess" selections, presented as a suite, were interesting for the insights they provided into the North America contribution to Western classical music, particularly by way of melodic, rhythmic and harmonic characteristics that were themselves influenced by jazz and the Broadway musical. The orchestra handled the fortissimo and presto passages very well but faltered in the lento and legato. In fact, this was noticeable in the first item too. And so to the "Emperor". The three powerful opening blasts from the orchestra, with the piano in full cry and flight behind each, were enough to put us on notice not only as to the vastness of the scale and depth of the first movement, but that soloist and orchestra had the situation well under control. The orchestra proceeded to prove this by launching, with that necessarily beautiful seething sound in the violins, into the extensive tutti, and rendering it superbly. When the soloist entered on its tail we knew what to expect, but could only watch with mounting admiration at the consummate ease with which he went about the execution of his prodigious part. His fingers simply seemed to lap up the torrential runs, rolls and shakes while the great chord masses and scale/arpeggio-like processions were despatched with awesome aplomb. I was quite unexpectedly reminded of Zakir Hussein's tabla playing with his ability to convert enormous complexity into virtual fluidity through sheer virtuosity. As for the orchestra, not only was it fully supportive throughout, it proudly held its own as it variously accompanied, engaged and alternated with, and took over from, the piano. The second movement was almost perfect. The soloist identified so closely with its meditative lyricism that he seemed to coax the piano into a singing role. The orchestra kept up the gentle dialogue with corresponding feeling and control. After the piano had sunk a semitone to the dominant of the original key, the third movement burst upon us. Here a joyous exuberance fittingly followed the successful negotiation of the intensities of the first two movements, but nevertheless requiring the greatest skill and control which were fully in evidence. When everything wound down to await the final wild upward dash of the piano we waited with bated breath, for any mistake here would be fatal. It was perfectly executed, and we felt keenly for the pianist as he came deservedly to his rest, leaving the orchestra to finish off the movement. It was truly magnificent performance. If it fell just short of greatness, this was not due to the two or three false notes of which both soloist and woodwind were guilty. It was on the matter of interpretation. One felt that the soloist did not sufficiently bring out the potential of the quieter patches in the first movement, for example after the great central marching scales have died out. There was a need to linger more lovingly here to provide that reflective contrast to the otherwise relentless driving of the movement. Again, the impressive fluidity was a trifle overdone in that it took away somewhat from the sense of preciseness which is needed to maintain the dignity of the writing. In the third movement I could not agree with the exaggerated lilt that was imparted to the first part of the theme - it seemed rather un-Beethoven-like. Yet, what a great experience it was to hear to the "Emperor" performed with such acceptance. We could never have had this experience if Michael Sheppard had not visited and had he not chosen this composition, enabling the Symphony Orchestra too to rise to the occasion. Priya David |
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By
Esther Williams
