SCARBOROUGH CIVIC CENTRE GALLERY

CANADIAN EXHIBITION OF
HISTORIC PAINTINGS OF SRI LANKA

JULY 24 TO 31, 2004 Scarborough Civic Centre Gallery,
Toronto, Canada


An exhibition of Photographic Images of Historic Paintings of Sri Lanka was held for eight days, from July 24 to 31st 2004, at the prestigious Scarborough Civic Centre Gallery, Toronto, in Canada. It was open to the public and free of charge. Photographs are the collection of Daya and Sesath Hewapathirane of Brampton, Canada, who were responsible for the overall concept and design of the exhibition. The preparation of exhibits and the presentation and management of the Exhibition were undertaken with the active cooperation of members of two Toronto-based organizations - The Traveling Exhibition Service :Images of South Asia and the Ontario Sri Lankans Foundation. This exhibition was organized as a joint venture of these two Community Organizations. A fund raising dinner organized by these two organizations and patronized by many Canadian Sri Lankans, helped to meet part of the cost of presenting this event. The organizers are grateful to all who supported and assisted in various ways to make this event a success.

The Concept and Approach
The exhibition was planned as a place where people could see, appreciate and learn, a place that stimulates a sense of pleasure, pride and discovery and as an experience that provides an aesthetic challenge resulting in a greater cultural awareness and discernment. The event was a great opportunity for intercultural dialogue and appreciation. The exhibition provided an opportunity for everyone interested in art and art history, creative artists in general and photographers, to enjoy and draw inspiration from, an array of art-work and related photographic images, that are of great aesthetic appeal. It was an opportunity for art enthusiasts to interact and share their observations and feelings on Sri Lankan art. Inevitably, the event was of particular interest to people of Sri Lankan origin.

In particular, it was an exciting experience for the younger generation of Sri Lankan Canadians, providing them with a glimpse of a fascinating aspect of their cultural heritage. It helped to bring about increased awareness and appreciation of the richness of their cultural heritage.

The Chief Guest
An outstanding Canadian, the Honourable Senator of the Government of Canada, Professor Vivienne Poy, who is also the Chancellor of the University of Toronto the preeminent university of Canada, declared open the Exhibition. It was an exceptionally great honour to have her as our Chief Guest. She was accompanied by her husband Dr. Neville Poy, the brother of the Governor General of Canada the Honourable Mrs. Adrian Clarkson.

Professor Vivienne Poy is an author, entrepreneur, historian, fashion designer and the first Canadian of Asian descent to be appointed to the Senate of Canada. In 2004, she was honoured with the Outstanding Asian Canadian Award from the Canadian Multicultural Council, Asians in Ontario. Last year, she was recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Most Powerful Women, by the Women’s Executive Network - in the ‘Trailblazer’ category. She has received an International Women's Day Award, the Arbor Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service to the University of Toronto, as well as a gold medal for her outstanding contributions to the promotion of race relations from Toronto’s Human Rights and Race Relations Centre.


Other Guests
This year’s exhibition was also a special tribute to our Bhikkhus and the Elders of our community. The most Distinguished Special Invitees of this event were our Buddhist Bhikkhus of the Vihares and Buddhist Centres in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Windsor, Calgary and Detroit. The respectful elders (seniors) of the Buddhist Community of the Greater Toronto Area were Special Guests of this event. This was an expression of our appreciation of their consistent contribution to the sustainability and enhancement of Buddhist culture and values.

Many Canadian dignitaries were invited for this event, including those involved with culture, heritage, art and South Asia, in government and private agencies and organizations, universities, museums and galleries, and Ambassadors of South, Southeast and East Asian countries. The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Ottawa Canada and her large Embassy staff were unable to attend this historic event owing to personal reasons.

Opening Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony began with ‘Pansil and Seth Pirith’ chanting by Buddhist monks followed by
“magul bera” and lighting of the Traditional oil lamp by the Chief Guest and other dignitaries. Short speeches were interspersed by ‘hevisi’, traditional dances, patriotic and spiritual songs, and a slide show. Spiritual sounds dominated by rhythms of the flute played throughout the duration of the exhibition as background music, added to the calm, solemn and tranquil atmosphere that prevailed throughout the event.

The youth of our community attired in ‘osari’ “lamaa saari”, redda-hatte’ ‘sarong’ and shirt adorned and conducted this exhibition with much enthusiasm. The last day of the Exhibition which drew large crowds, coincided with an open-air musical recital titled “sath-sara-raavaya” immediately outside the Exhibition gallery.

King Wimaladharmasuriya-1
The Exhibition was dedicated with gratitude, to the memory of the great Sinhela King Wimaladharmasuriya-I, whose 400 year death anniversary is commemorated this year. His service to the Sinhela nation and Buddhist culture, by protecting them from subjugation and possible annihilation by ruthless foreign forces in the 16th century, is less well known but calls for extreme admiration, recognition and highlighting.

376 Photographs
The exhibition included a selection of 376 enlarged photographs (17”x11”) of paintings of sixty-three historic Buddhist sites. It was an assortment of outstanding paintings of well-known and many less well-known sites scattered across the country. Most sites are ‘Raja Maha Viharas’ or Buddhist temples established by Sri Lankan kings, or which received Royal patronage in ancient times. A representative sample of the fascinating spectrum of vihara paintings of the twentieth century were also exhibited. Highlighted were the exquisite ancient paintings that adorn the UNESCO designated World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka – Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Dambulla and Mahanuwara (Kandy).

With the focus on the World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka, this event was of interest to all Canadians who represent a wide cross section of the world’s diverse cultural mosaic. Providing information and opportunities for enjoyment and inspiration, this event helped to bring about increased awareness and appreciation of the rich visual cultural heritage of Sri Lanka. After-all paintings and other cultural wealth found in World Heritage Sites are priceless treasures which are essentially a part of the common heritage of the entire global community.

Different Surfaces
Paintings that were on display represented a period that exceeds 2200 years, from the 3rd century BCE to the present century. Included were paintings found on ancient caves, temples, monasteries, palaces and inside stupes (pagodas), where paintings were executed on varied surfaces such as rock, walls, ceilings, statues and related structures, doors and other wooden surfaces, textiles and earthenware. Some paintings of cave temples are over 2000 years old and some more than a 1000 years. Most of the earliest paintings are found in a fragmentary form. The UNESCO has identified 1037 shrines with paintings which are more than 100 years old.

Varied Art-Forms
Paintings that were selected are reflective of the variation in art styles, approaches to paintings and traditions of art, in the past and present. Some characteristics of these paintings that were of great appeal to many appear to be the colour choice and coordination, the intricate nature of line and brush work, the elaborate designs, patterns and exquisite motifs used for decorative purposes, and the fascinating symbolism adopted effectively to provide greater meaning and depth to paintings.

Inevitably, the range of art techniques and styles evident in the artistic masterpieces of Sri Lanka’s World Heritage Sites were of particular interest to art enthusiasts and creative artists looking for inspiration for innovative artistic ventures. The selected exhibits brought out the richness of imagination, creativity, aesthetic sense and inspiration of Sri Lankan artists of ancient and present times.

Themes and Impact
Themes of most paintings are based on the life and teachings of the Buddha. Most ancient paintings with secular themes reflect a spiritual predisposition. Some are reflective of social-cultural characteristics of different times in the past.

Most ancient Buddhist paintings and works of art are known to generate inner calm, and evoke serene joy and emotion among Buddhists irrespective of their cultural background. They transcend artistic and aesthetic appreciation and appeal, to something higher and deeper. Engrossed in classical Buddhist paintings, one finds that they tend to enter one’s inner-self, transforming one’s mind to a state of innocence, compassion, serene joy and peacefulness.

Publications
A comprehensive Exhibition Guide was compiled with a captivating Bellanwila painting as its front cover, which contained concise background information on the heritage of Buddhist paintings of Sri Lanka and narrative descriptions of historic sites and paintings that were displayed. The exhibition was also the occasion of the launching his book on “The Heritage of Buddhist Art of Sri Lanka” by Daya Hewapathirane, the first book published on this subject, also containing a comprehensive bibliography.

Arrangement of exhibits
Each exhibit was labeled giving the name of the site, introduction to the painting and its date. Accompanying exhibits were short descriptions outlining the history and major elements of art forms of different periods of art in each of the sixty-three sites in Sri Lanka, giving also their regional variation and specific location using maps.

Exhibits were arranged chronologically, in terms of the four different periods of art which are based on the fascinating differences evident in art traditions during the long period of Buddhist heritage of Sri Lanka.

The Classical Period (3rd century BCE to 13th century CE)
Ancient paintings of the classical form of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and a few other places, are of overflowing aesthetic appeal. Most are considered as masterpieces of human creative ingenuity and imagination. Classical style of Sinhala art is naturalistic exemplifying a transformation of nature by imaginative contemplation. Paintings show a highly tasteful use of a variety of colours and a skilful depiction of facial expressions of the figures. Most of the surviving paintings of this period are found in fragmentary form. Most were destroyed during foreign invasions in the past.

Period of Changing Capitals(13th century CE to 17th c. CE)
Political instability of this period had a negative impact on people’s artistic initiatives. South Indian invaders plundered local settlements and inflicted widespread damage to Buddhist temples and monasteries where works of art were concentrated. Although painting activity was not as prolific as before, among some spectacular paintings of this period are the decorative paintings of ancient ola (palm-leaf) book covers and exquisite paintings on textiles (referred to as ‘pethikada’), were also popular during this period.

The Mahanuwara (Kandyan) Period (18th and 19th c.)
Paintings of the 18th-19th centuries (Mahanuwara Period) exhibit a predominantly stylized form, referred to by art professionals as ‘abstract symbolism’. It is a unique art form of great appeal, with its own dynamics and structural properties. Paintings show several stylistic variations in different parts of the country, the most significant being those of Southern Sri Lanka which show a distinctive character.

The Modern Period( 20th c. onwards)
Important sites with enchanting modern paintings are the Kelani Raja Maha Vihare, Gotami Vihare, and Bellanwila Vihare. Several modern artists and photographers have contributed to the conservation of ancient paintings by producing near perfect reproductions on canvas and some commendable photographic reproductions.

Impact of the Exhibition
During the eight days of the exhibition, a wide cross section of the diverse cultural mosaic of GTA had occasion to view the exhibition. It provided information and opportunities for enjoyment and inspiration. It helped to bring about increased awareness and appreciation of the rich visual cultural heritage of Sri Lanka. It was a useful opportunity and congenial setting for intercultural dialogue

The success of the exhibition is reflected vividly by the most appreciative and encouraging comments, both verbal and written, made by all who attended the event, such as:

“Excellent photography of ancient paintings, capturing their true and luminous colours so clearly”.

“Extremely sensitive photography of Buddhist paintings which provides a deep insight into the gentle and compassionate message of the art”.

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