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Board of Directors
ANOJA HEWAPATHIRANE (Alberta) - Director NEIL HEWAPATHIRANE (Alberta) - Director APSARA HEWAPATHIRANE (British Columbia) - Director SESATH HEWAPATHIRANE (British Coumbia)- Director VIRANJITH TILAKARATNE (Ontario) - Director RUPALI HAPANGAMA (Sri Lanka) - Director KHEMANGANI MADAWALA (Sri Lanka) - Director MANOJA WIJERATNE (Sri Lanka) - Director DAYA HEWAPATHIRANE - Director General Contact Information
Director General : Traveling Exhibition Service Professional Visual Artist (Photography) and Professional Researcher- Buddhist Art and Culture of Sri Lanka
Email: dayahewapathi@yahoo.ca Telephone: +1-604-327-4256 (Canada) +94-077-348-7638 (Sri Lanka) +94-077-306-6660 (Sri Lanka) +94-011-565-9992 (Sri Lanka)
Mailing Address: No 66, East 61 Avenue Vancouver, B.C., CANADA. V5X 2B4
As a Child
My interest in temple paintings started when I was a child. During that time, it was common practice for rural Sri Lankan families to go on long pilgrimages every year, visiting many temples. Also, each full-moon day it was customary to visit nearby temples. In addition to the ornately painted statues, Buddhist temples in Sri Lanka characteristically have all surfaces - walls, ceilings, doors and wooden mouldings - covered with paintings, which are most often of a thematic nature. It was an exciting experience for us as children, to listen to our parents and elders narrating the themes depicted in paintings and interpreting related symbols and imagery.
As a Young Man
With time my interest went further into the artistic quality and the aesthetic appreciation of some of these paintings. History lessons in school and my university days in Sri Lanka took me further into this exciting world of visual culture that I inherited. Reading about this long heritage and using the photographic medium to capture some of these great works of art soon became one of my exciting pastimes. This interest continued even while I was away on post-graduate studies in UK and USA.
As a Professional
Subsequently, sharing this visual feast of colourful photographic imagery with others became a pleasurable experience for me. It was particularly so when I organized and held exhibitions and made presentations at several international universities where I was teaching. The desire to develop a comprehensive program of exhibitions and other presentations began at this time.
Perhaps the most enriching time was when I had occasion to spend five years in Sri Lanka on a Canadian government assignment in the 1990’s. This allowed me to visit remote historic sites and reproduce, photographically, a wide assortment of outstanding ancient paintings. Besides, it enabled me to pursue extensive literature reviews, library research, inquiries and investigations on the varied aspects of temple and secular paintings of Sri Lanka.
A Professional Organization
In the late 1990's, I organized an informal collective called the Canadian Forum for the Conservation of Sinhela Cultural Heritage, which consisted of a few interested friends and my family. Under the auspices of this collective, along with my son and daughter, I developed a range of themes for purposes of designing exhibitions based on my collection of photographs.
In 2002, with a clearly defined mission, a set of objectives, and a well thought-out program of activities, we became a professional organization, incorporated as a non-profit organization with the federal government of Canada. We named it Traveling Exhibition Service: Photo Images of Paintings in Historic Sites of South Asia ( www.kalaava.com ). Under this banner, we have conceptualized and developed a comprehensive program of exhibitions and related presentations.
Public Exhibitions in Toronto and Montreal
Having relevant photographs enlarged, laminated and mounted, we presented our first exhibition at the University of Toronto, in the summer of 1999, with the assistance of my son Sesath and daughter Apsara. This event was titled “Images of the Buddha”. The following year we held a display of selected paintings at the Mahavihare Centre in Scarborough. Our third exhibition was held on a large scale, in 2002, at the North York Civic Centre.
During the summer of 2003 we presented a comprehensive exhibition at the Toronto City Hall which was partially sponsored by SLUNA. This exhibition was attended by over 3500 people. It generated encouraging media reviews (www.kalaava.com). In November 2003 and in February 2004 we held exhibitions on invitation, in Montreal, the latter at the commemoration of Sri Lanka’s Independence Day. On the Wesak full-moon day in June 2004, using slides of ancient Sri Lankan paintings, a power point presentation was made at the Toronto Mahavihara for the benefit of Buddhist youth of the Greater Toronto Area.
Exhibition at Scarborough Civic Centre Gallery and University of Toronto
In the summer of 2004 we held a week- long grand exhibition at the Scarborough Civic Centre Gallery, with the Senator of the Government of Canada and Chancellor of the University of Toronto, Dr. Vivienne Poy and Dr. Neville Poy as our Chief Guests. An added feature at this exhibition was the publication and availability of my book on the Heritage of Buddhist Art of Sri Lanka.
In the summer of 2005, for eight days, we presented a comprehensive exhibition at the University of Toronto’s prestigious Robarts library Exhibition Area. Professor Vivek Goel, Vice President & Provost, University of Toronto was our Chief Guest. An additional feature of this exhibition was the use of large-sized narrative posters alongside exhibits, with narrations on the heritage of Buddhist art of Sri Lanka presented on backgrounds depicting clusters of the enchanting rock sculpture, architecture and fine arts of Sri Lanka. Poster background image animation was the splendid work of Arjuna Samarakoon.
Documentary film on Buddhist Art of Sri Lanka
In 2005, we designed and produced a Documentary film on the Heritage of Buddhist Art of Sri Lanka. This was an additional component of this year’s exhibition presentation. The inaugural presentation of the film was at the University of Toronto and later at the Canadian National Archives auditorium in Ottawa and at the Norberts Arts Centre Gallery in Winnipeg..
Having conceptualized and designed the nature of the documentary, I secured the assistance of several others for the compilation of necessary scripts, their narration, for selection of appropriate music, spiritual sounds and technical aspects such as computer animation of our photo exhibits for the structuring of the documentary. Among those who assisted were Apsara and Sesath – my daughter and son with narrations an script writing respectively. Arjuna Samarakoon was solely responsible for the varied complex and time-consuming technical aspects of this film, assisted by Earl Anderson and Sanjini Wadugodapitiya.
A Glimpse of a Rich Heritage
The intention of the film is to provide a glimpse of the long and rich heritage of visual arts of Sri Lanka, featuring rare and exquisite paintings spanning the 2300 years of the country’s Buddhist heritage. The documentary succeeds in unfolding the richness of imagination, creativity, aesthetic sense and inspiration of Sri Lankan artists. Concise narrations describe the outstanding artistic products that adorn well known and many less well-known historic sites, scattered across the country. Among them being the famous places designated by the UNESCO as World Heritage Sites – Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla, and Mahanuwara (Kandy).
The film presents succinct information and interpretations serving as a resource for those familiar with Buddhist art and for those interested in delving more into this exciting visual cultural heritage of Sri Lanka. Most ancient Buddhist works of art are known to generate inner calm, and evoke serene joy and emotion among people irrespective of their cultural background. While helping to stimulate a sense of pleasure and discovery, the film provides an aesthetic challenge resulting in a greater cultural awareness and discernment. It can be a pleasurable and exciting experience for those who value multi-centralism, to appreciate the richness of imagination, creativity and inspiration evident in the different art traditions and to enjoy the serene joy and emotions that these paintings help to generate. Buddhist paintings are some of the most gentle and sublime art of mankind. These are among the oldest surviving art of the historic period in the Indian subcontinent.
Exhibition and Film Show in Winnipeg Manitoba
Our last events of the year 2005 were the Exhibition and Documentary Film Show on Buddhist Art of Sri Lanka held in Winnipeg Manitoba. This was a joint venture of our organization along with St. Norbert Arts Centre of Winnipeg, Manitoba Buddhist Vihara and Cultural Association & University of Manitoba, Faculty of Education. This grand event was held at the St Norbert's Arts Centre Gallery.
Proposed Work for Year 2006-7
In 2006-7, we will be presenting our Exhibition in several overseas venues, starting with several presentations in Sri Lanka. Also this year we have incorporated Sinhela narrations to the documentary, and plan on translating to Sinhela, of the narrative scripts used in our exhibition and also my book on Buddhist paintings. In addition, we will be designing and producing our second documentary film under a theme which uses Sri Lanka’s visual culture as its background, with both English and Sinhela narrations. During my Sri Lanka visit, I plan on exploring remote historic sites in view of gathering more photographic images and information about ancient paintings. I also propose to conduct extensive literature searchers for information on recent research pertaining to Buddhist art in Sri Lanka and South Asia, in view of further expanding and diversifying the scope of our exhibition and related ventures in visual art of South Asia.
An Exciting Experience
It has been a most pleasurable and exciting experience for me, to be engaged in an activity that provides me with ample opportunities to appreciate the richness of imagination, creativity and inspiration evident in the different art traditions of Sri Lanka. The artistic aspects of these images - such as the choice of colour and colour coordination, the intricate nature of line and brush work, the elaborate and exquisite designs, patterns and motifs have in combination produced images - are of overflowing aesthetic appeal. The serene joy and emotions that I derive from these paintings, and the pleasure of sharing this artistic wealth with others, are the most wholesome benefits that I personally derive. I am hopeful that our endeavours will generate increased awareness of the richness of this cultural heritage, and lead to greater interest in its conservation.
The Spiritual Dimension
Buddhist Paintings should not be considered as mere works of art. Artistic and aesthetic appeal is an important quality of Buddhist art, but there is another significant dimension to this art – their spiritual impact. Most ancient Buddhist paintings and works of art are known to generate inner calm, and evoke serene joy and emotion among people, irrespective of their cultural background. One could merge one’s mind in these images which have the capacity to generate a mental atmosphere which is calm and composed. Most Buddhist paintings have the capacity to reach the innermost area of the human mind, making one feel peaceful, tranquil and happy.
Daya Hewapathirane
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Daya
Hewapathirane, Ph.D