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Two Thumbs Up & Hooray! To Daya Hewapathirane! “Sri Lankan Buddhist Art” A Film Documentary @ 2004 – Producer/Director: Daya Hewapathirane Ph.d. - Camera: Arjuna Samarakoon, Narrated by Daya & Apsara………….. Film Review: by Aloy Perera* * (A freelance writer based in
Two thumbs up! And this “hooray!” for Daya
Hewapathirane’s documentary film, “Sri Lankan Buddhist Art”
which recently had its debut at the Daya Hewapathirane, former Health Canada water quality
expert and environmental scientist turned sleuth of Fine Arts of the Sinhala
Buddhist Cultural Heritage, is a man with a passion and a mission. It’s
his passion, the study of Sinhala Budddhist Art that had moved him to travel
far and wide in his native Sri Lanka probing into not only every well-known
archaeological site but also many a less famous locale of cultural
significance looking for the hidden treasures of fine arts of the Sinhalese
people; often ferreting out important and valuable information for the
illumination of the modern Sinhala Buddhist psyche which seems to have lost
its compass and direction and is content to linger in the cultural doldrums,
occasionally getting excited but never taking in earnest the plenteous
refinements and saving graces of its own ancient heritage! This latter
purpose also has a lot to do with Daya’s mission. That is to drive in a
sense of pride to every Sinhalese worth his/her name that there’s out
there an inexhaustible glorious past that is both inspiring and enervating to
draw from as each one pursues ones personal ambitions whether in Here lies the nobler reason why Daya’s endeavor
should receive greater support from every Sri Lankan particularly at this
fateful hour of It’s not like going to an exhibition. It’s
not like going on a pilgrimage to see the arts. Cinematic experience is
something quite different and unique! I am reminded of my friend whom I tried
to coax to see Daya’s movie the other day. He excused himself saying
that he ‘had seen all that in his youth in I sat through a deceptively quiet eighty minutes of enchanting splendor and astonishment as the film’s overbearing and powerful message that it’s culture and that alone that can shape the vision of a nation and create an environment that’s caring, loving, sacred and liberated! In the end, I was transfixed. The film had left me fascinated, uplifted and grateful! I for one, have acquired a habit that goes back to my College days in Colombo in the late fifties when a couple of us as students had formed ourselves into a group to discuss philosophy, religions, movies, theatre et al and used to meet fortnightly at 56 Pirivena Road in Ratmalana, at the Jayamannes’, just next to Vipulasara Hamuduruwo’s Paramadhammacetiya Pirivena. That is, to go to a movie or the theatre both as a critic and as a casual viewer. And the subject of Daya’s and Arjuna’s “Sri Lankan Buddhist Art” being my cup of tea I do harbour a little bias! For that reason I have deliberately put my critic’s role in the back burner! Hope you’ll understand. Arjuna’s camera zeros in on the image or the painting capturing the details one had never seen before! He does the trick of taking each apart and then reassembling it as it were giving it a new skin full of grace and beauty! If this not creativity, then what’s it? May I ask? Arjuna is a filmmaker in the making! He’s bound to go places in a future career! With admirable skill, Arjuna brings to the fore, as has never been done before in similar Sri Lankan productions, some 2000 odd stunning works of periodic art, frame by frame, – as if the objects jostling with each other to gain prominence – all emanating the spirit that burst forth in the archival material and properly contextualized in terms of history with the unaffected voice of Daya and his art loving daughter Apsara’s blending in a brilliant tour de force as they lead you on from epoch to epoch! Needless to say, that this type of movie spurs national and patriotic enthusiasm. Getting closer to the objects on the screen is to partake of the dedication, joy and the pain the sculptor, artist or painter experienced as they created those evocative and immortal works of art and be saturated with what’s true, good and beautiful! Arjuna’s dexterity goads you to imagine that you hear the innermost thoughts of the Sigiriya fresco artist as he grappled with the visual challenges of achieving his artistic vision! Arjuna’s cinematic adjustments successfully effects the difficult task of conveying to the viewer, the colour, form, texture, images and ideas embodied in the works of art in focus; balustrades and borders come alive displaying exquisite decorative art and changing styles providing valuable information to the student of art. Well chosen background music highlighting the evocative flute serves to enhance the magnetic effect that takes hold of the viewer from start to finish and creates an aura of mystique and reverence conducive to appreciation of art. Daya’s illuminating documentary is a welcome
departure from the average film on Sri Lankan Art usually meant to boost
Tourism in Introduction of a few on line interviews and more succinct material from authorities on the subject would have added glamour and prestige to this near perfect documentary! But you may choose to differ!
COMMENTS ON THE FILM It is educational and brings Sri Lankas past glory in buddhism to the present world. A job well done. Hon. Consol General Sri Lanka Ambassador C.S. Poolokasingham Great affort. Wonderful presentation. Thank you very much.... Ranjan Veerasingha
Excellent presentation. Very interesting, informative and beautiful work.... Aryella Colm
Wow! I was very impressed with the quality of production. Great job Earl, Arj, and everyone else involved... Jason Crowtz
Good Work Guys! You were moved from the heart in under taking this project (keep it up) Michael Banate
Very interesting. Good work. Enjoyed very much. Rupi Wadugodapitiya.
Its amazing to see how much work you have put into the project! I thoroughly enjoyed it as it brack back so many many memories. I hope you will continue and make more of these available to us! Congratualation on a job well done. Krishanthi Ratnayake
Very educational and personally interesting to learn about buddhist history and art in Sri Lanka. A very good documentary and surprising that it is a pioneer effort everyone who worked on this project.. Proffessor Fine Arts: Queens University
Wow that was soo good.. we really found most interesting and educational. Exceptionally good. Dinuk & Nadine Jayatilika
A REVIEW OF THE EXHIBITION:
Buddhist
Paintings of Sri Lanka at the Toronto City Hall
On Getting Lost In A Cloud Of
Nostalgia Atop Sigiriya… With A Heavy Dose Of Patriotism! I saw the elderly lady in a saree standing next to me reach for her Kleenex… and a tear drop or two she could not hide.. I was tempted to make a passing comment in empathy but I found myself feeling as if choked with a sort of ‘a lump in the throat’ and immediately stifled myself realizing that the moment was intensely private and sacred to this lover of Sinhala Buddhist Art as she stood gazing in adulation or adoration before an imposing Aukana Budupilimavahanse! I moved on leaving her to her sraddha or patriotism or both! I could not imagine that this was happening, not nineteen miles south of the fabled eternal city of Anuradhapura, in Aukana in Sri Lanka just on the outskirts of Vijitapura but amid the hustle and bustle of Metropolitan Toronto which I had dodged on this sultry summer afternoon of July to enter the precincts of the familiar crescent towered Toronto City Hall to see Daya Hewapathirane’s one man photographic exhibition of Buddhist Paintings of Sri Lanka. I went there not as an art critic, for, such talents I possess none, but in the spirit of a pilgrim in genuine appreciation of Daya’s own epic pilgrimage the result of which was the present exhibition. I remember about two years ago Daya tickling my curiosity telling me of the paintings he had photographed during his frequent visits to Sri Lanka. I am sure the lady in the saree, like me, had made that trek to Aukana many a time before this in her lifetime! Neither did it take long for me to get lost in a cloud of nostalgia atop Sigiriya and virtually remain there interminably relishing and reminiscing.. As I paced like a zombie moving form panel to panel pages from Mahavamsa, Deepawamsa, Dathadhatuwamsa et cetera began to come alive and flash before my very eyes! The proud and splendorous two thousand year history of the Sinhala race! Its unique culture and civilization, its spirituality, its heroes and villains, treacheries, debaucheries, plots, conspiracies, murders, heroic wars, Tamil, Chola, Pandya and Portuguese/ Dutch/ British colonial invasions all in focus! Such was the magical effect Daya Hewapathirane’s exhibition of Sri Lankan paintings had on me! Yes! A kind of mystifying wonder, living as I do, in this far flung home away from home of a cultural desert of sorts - despite the fact that I had been to some half a dozen photographic exhibitions of similar type, a few put up by my quondam photo-journalist colleagues, all in Sri Lanka, mostly prior to my arrival in Canada thirty three years ago! The subject, “Buddhist Paintings of Sri Lanka” not only provides an infinite range of material for its students to see and study but also reflects the quality of Sri Lankan genius that surfaced in the nation’s characteristic art forms right at the very outset of the history of the Sinhala race. While it is impossible for any photographer-artist to capture a field so vast in its entirety, Daya has very faithfully highlighted the important trends that would certainly help any sophomore in any Canadian University coming along to see his exhibition to bag an A Plus in case she or he had to write a paper on the subject. Dreams, spirituality and nostalgia come together in vivid colours both in Daya’s viewfinder and the celluloid. He’s no mean photographer. Take for instance his treatment of the masterpieces of the classical period where he displays great versatility. Be it paintings or sculpture, his picturization leaves qualities of bold execution, technical skill and expressive symbolism of the works intact and untarnished not to mention the superb camera skills achieved in some photographs. In these and other paintings as well, Daya has commendably captured those sinuous lines, subdued tones and the permeating grandeur, awe, reverence, devotion (sraddha), hilarity as the case may be of the originals. The delightful ‘linear fantasia’ of master artist and craftsman, Soliyas Mendis in the Kelani Rajamaha Viharaya’s Perfumed Hall has been well executed by Daya in a manner befitting an artist rather than a cameraman (e.g. the towering figure of Theri Sanghamitta, a picture of beauty, grace and aplomb radiantly disembarking along with her retinue bearing the Sri Maha Bodhi sapling adroitly, reverently…). I personally wished that he had given the same comprehensive treatment he gave the paintings of the Tivanka Pilimage, undoubtedly the most refined and enchantingly beautiful of the works of the period, to the splendid Ajanta/Bagh inspired panels of Soliyas Mendis which reflect the genius of the most famous Sinhala artist of modern times. Browsing through the photographs of different periods, for example, the Sigiriya frescoes and the murals of Tivanka Pilimage, I saw only reflections of still bubbling human life and not some familiar antiquities of a bygone era as someone at the exhibition was overheard explaining to a certain visitor. Through their paintings and sculpture, the Sinhala artist and the Sinhala race have embodied their deepest thought processes and ideals and have spoken to the world in a language that needed no translation. The Exhibition seems to have been carefully planned and professionally categorized according to periods in history. When it comes to Art exhibitions, personally, I can live with themes. Not so with categories! Over-categorization vexes me and disturbs my serenity, a sine qua non for any serious lover of Art going to see an exhibition! Given the simplicity, joie de vivre and the celebration of life reflected in the art forms of the Sinhala people at the zenith of their civilization, Art for me will always remain as something that defies categorization. All art has aesthetic claims varying in degree. May be some notes of explanation next to a picture might have been enough and appropriate from an academic point of view. Daya’s pictures have succeeded in keeping, particularly the Jataka reproductions (mainly in the various rajamaha vihara collections) vividly in focus. Some artists had painted their characters men, women and children, in the typical Indian milieu while there were a few examples where the Sinhala artist had deliberately donned them in innovative Sinhala garb of the period providing a wealth of information even for the benefit of today’s creative Sinhala fashion designer! In fact, Sinhala writer-laureate Martin Wickramasinghe wrote a whole book on the subject in the late forties, which might be of interest to some of our fashion conscious Sri Lankan ladies! I remember pointing out this particular detail to Daya’s lovely daughter, Apsara who nodded in agreement! Damayanthie, Daya’s wife, seeing me at the exhibition on my second day there jokingly remarked, “Rumour has it that you were crawling on all fours and straining to study details of some exhibits yesterday!” In reply, I remember to have blurted something like, “True! Damayanthie! I would go on all fours for anyone who has the daring to put up a show like this! It’s all worth it!” Repartee aside, Damayanthie’s casual remark pinpointed something that was lacking, in the physical arrangement of the exhibits; mounting exhibits at a comfortable eye level for easy browsing and study! This and the unavailability of financial resources under the circumstances, and the desirability of having the photographs enlarged to a reasonable size for visual convenience in no way diminish Daya’s accomplishment. In our modern era, conservation and presentation of documentary art through the medium of photography has become an art in itself. Museums and collectors world over are willing to pay well-executed pictures portraying ‘docuart’ large sums of money to acquire them. A photographer’s task in this regard becomes even more difficult. He’s straddled from the word go with the dual role of being faithful to the original and of producing a creative work of art himself out of all the data his view-finder can hold. I have poured over endlessly on some of photographic masterpieces which were reproductions made by the greatest authority on Sinhala Art that ever lived, the late Dr. Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy in his original monumental work, “The Medieval Sinhalese Art” which is out of print today (It’s this Sri Lankan Tamil gentleman and savant, who did for Sinhala Art what Munidasa Kumaratunga did for Sinhala Language and what Anagarika Dharmapala did for Buddhism). I have also seen “Nihal Fernando’s exuberant, quaint photos, those of Roloff Benny and Christian Zuber, on the theme of Buddhist Paintings. It costs enormous sums of money to put together a Thematic Exhibition of this type. I can understand why Nihal Fernando, who is perhaps the greatest living Sinhala photo-artist has not held any exhibition beyond the shores of Sri Lanka although I feel Nihal for some reason has never had attempted to tap the right international resources. Then again, being poor, we Sri Lankans, only have our dreams! This is a moot point and here lies also the significance of serious amateur photographer, Daya Hewapathirane’s exhibition of Buddhist Paintings of Sri Lanka at the Toronto City Hall. Daya set out to do what he did on a shoestring budget, solo spending his own money save for the help he received from his wife Damayanthie, daughter Apsara and son Sesath! Daya is a dedicated trailblazer! A dreamer! What triggered the whole idea of an exhibition in Toronto was his intense feeling for his native-land, Sri Lanka and his life long commitment to the espousal of the Sinhala Buddhist cause. Environmental Scientist, Daya is a man with a pulsating heart for the philosophy of the beautiful and transcending of his people, the Sinhala people, as expressed via their characteristic art forms for over two millennia. Obviously, he wanted in the first place to educate some of his own thick-skinned, culturally impoverished and uninformed Sinhala compatriots, the types who would mispronounce ‘Y a p a h u w a ‘ and wonder what it was and where the hell it was on the map and secondly to show today’s Canadians that there was another dimension to Sri Lanka which is important to multicultural Canada other than the ‘Tamil Refugee’ connection. For this alone, every breathing Sinhala soul in Canada should owe a debt of gratitude to Daya! Judging by the thousands who came to see his weeklong exhibition, I am sure Daya is more than pleased with the public response. Kudos to those dedicated volunteers who helped Daya and Sesath to put together something which all Sri Lankans, including Tamils and Moslems could be truly proud of and joyously participate as Sri Lankans! Finally, my advice to the Sinhalese living in Canada is to follow Daya’s initiative, learn about their own culture and language and be proud of their unique and refined heritage and have a dream! Each contributing his/her mite in his/her own way to it! Simply put, to borrow a line from the perennially beautiful strain from Broadway’s Irish-American musical, “Finian’s Rainbow”, “Follow the fellow who follows a dream! * S. Aloy Perera is a freelance writer based in Toronto; formerly teacher, St. Peter’s College, Colombo, sub-editor, Independent Newspapers, Colombo, publishers of “Dawasa” & “Sun”, reporter, “Sunday Express”, Montreal, Quebec, & presently, Editor, “Dhamma Wheel”, West End Buddhist Centre, Mississauga, Ontario.. He works as a Quality Systems Analyst with Ford Canada in Oakville.
EXHIBITION AT THE SCARBOROUGH CIVIC CENTRE Comments of the Chief Guest : Dr. Vivienne Poy, Senator of Government of Canada and Chancellor University of Toronto
Dear Friends: On behalf of the Senate of Canada, it is a great pleasure to extend my congratulations to the Sri Lankan community of Ontario on the occasion of the presentation of the traveling exhibition of historic paintings found in the World Heritage Sites of Sri Lanka. These photographic images of historic paintings, combining art and religion, evoke the beauty, grace, and spirit of Sri Lanka’s unique cultural heritage, reflecting more than 2200 years of history and tradition. I know that all who attend this exhibit will be educated, and inspired by these images, and I wish you great success with your exhibition.
Vivienne Poy
COMMENTS ON EXHIBITION Of Photographic Reproductions of Buddhist Paintings of Sri Lanka Held At The Toronto City Hall On June 28 To July 5, 2003 A SELECTION FROM THE NUMEROUS COMMENTS OF APPRECIATION WRITTEN IN THE ‘VISITORS BOOK’ AT THE EXHIBITION
I am fascinated by the wide-ranging exhibits depicting
different artistic styles. They are truly exquisite. I am proud to be a part
of that cultural heritage………
It is a wonderful job. Great vision on promoting Sri
Lanka in its true picture, through its
culture and history. Many thanks and All Best
Wishes……………….
Thank you for a Visual
Feast………………………………………………………
Thank you so much for this great labour of love. Your
work as a photographer is a gift to both the original artists and a great
gift to future generations. Thank you for honouring and preserving such a
rich legacy of spiritual thought………………...
Your heritage is very rich and absolutely sacred. You
should be very proud. The exhibition as presented is displayed perfectly. The
art paintings etc. of ancient and modern times is simply outstanding and
fascinating. What a collection! I am thankful that I was able to be present
here today…………………………………..
In a darkened world, your Exhibition of Buddhist traditions of the great people of Sri Lanka, is a beacon shining the way to those who thirst for the drink of enlightenment. I will always cherish this day and seeing your exhibition. I will contact you soon about our project to celebrate the finest spiritual works of humans. Thank you and God Bless you……………………………………………. Tetteh Kofi Hadjor (Ghanian-Canadian Journalist Spiritual Leader) A very comprehensive exhibition worth wider publicity across Canada if not also overseas........................ Prof. Suwanda Sugunasiri, University of Toronto, Canada I cannot express how fortunate I was to be a witness to this magnificent display of your collection of photo images of our own heritage. I want to thank you for taking time to explain few details to me while I was there…. Daya, this precious memory of your exhibition is something I will always cherish in my heart. I am sure, every moment you spend photographing, researching, categorizing, and cataloguing prior to the exhibition was much appreciated by everyone who attended this unique exhibition. I wish you every success in your future exhibitions. May God bless you and your family with health, happiness and peace! …… Tears gathered in my eyes…. what more I can say……. Freeda Villavarayan, Canadian Research & Information Centre, Watson Wyatt Worldwide I have visited many many temples and monasteries in several Buddhist countries in S.E. Asia and seen temple paintings. But these paintings take my breath away! They are fantastic and I feel proud to be a Sinhalese Buddhist. Thank you for giving us this opportunity to see them. Congratulations to you on a wonderful job. Chintha Pelpola
Mr. Hewapathirane deserves congratulations on this
original project which brings one of Sri Lanka’s
national treasures to the attention of Canadians. Even if these artistic
masterpieces may one day be physically lost, one hopes that this kind of
photographic record will let future generations see and enjoy them. I hope
this exhibition will be taken to many more places. Finally, I hope Mr.
Hewapathirane will consider publishing these pictures in one compendium
– perhaps with National Geographic or the Arts Council of Canada
Congratulation! Daya you have done it! You trailblazer! First I got lost in a cloud of nostalgia on top of Sigiriya! Then rambled through, through your pictures, the pages of Mahawamsa and Deepawamsa… through to Mihintale! It took quite a while for me to get back to firma terra of Toronto, Canada! Dreams, spirituality come together in vivid colours in celluloid…. On your photo matts. Your arrangement of the pasteurization from era to era, province to province, piece by piece is indeed superb. Every Sri Lankan, Sinhala soul, that is breathing in Canada is in your debt for ever! Thank you for this exhilarating experience! Splendid Effort! Keep it up………………………………………………………… Aloy Perera Fantastic collection of paintings and an excellent job. Even for Sri Lankans this is a great opportunity to understand our country’s history and Buddhism. Keep up the good work……………………………………………………………………… Drs. Ananda and Dhehini Seneviratne, University of Toronto, Canada Well done! I did not realize the extent of paintings in Sri Lanka. You have done an exceptional job of depicting Sri Lankan history. Please do contact me to discuss as I too have some pieces of Sri Lankan art with me that I can let you have for any exhibition………………………………….………………………………. Nihal Jayawardena
Done with utmost dedication and passion, this is a
cultural project that shows the peace, harmony and serenity of the
Buddha’s life as depicted by Sinhalese Buddhist artists of such great
talent. Thanks you Daya, I for one enjoyed it immensely. May I suggest that
this fine collection be made available to a far wider viewer ship as well.
Congrats
Again………………………………………...
Stunning history of a marvelous culture & heritage
displayed beautifully. Wonderful job ..............
Daya, thank you for the inspiring collection of exhibits
of our great country. Please keep up the good work and we wish you all the
very best to keep it alive many years to
come………………..……………………………………………….
As a Sri Lankan out of the country, I was really amazed
to see these paintings. Personally I will thank Daya and others who helped
him so much………………...
Dear Dr. Daya Hewa Pathirane, Thank you for sharing your
photographic collection with all of us. On a personal note we think that your
exibition brings to the forefront of our cultural heritage not only to our
doorsteps in Canada
but to all cultures of the world. Our family in various small ways is already
involved in contributing to the success of the exibition. May your exibition
radiate Srilanka's rich culture throuhgout the fourcorners of the
world……………………………….
Excellent! This exhibition brings out the Buddhist
history of our motherland in a most impressive manner. We are proud of you
BRAVO! The effort you have taken is unbelievable. These
photographs are truly extraordinary. They reveal the essence of Buddhist
culture………………………..
A beautiful and spiritually provoking exhibit…………………...………………….
Thank you for this amazing experience to my senses. My
eyes delighted in the visual presentation. It was like a time travel into my
soul. To go back to my roots – in Sri
Lanka, the beauty and gentleness of the
nation, transcending all religion and nationality the beauty of the soul.
Thanks again for the experience…...………
This is the best collection of Buddhist paintings I have
ever seen…………………
Thanks – what a lovely mix of spirit and earthly
sensual existence………………..
The Exhibition is wonderful. It made me proud to discover
what a marvelous ancient heritage we have. Very well put together –
easy to follow . Thank you very
much…………………………………………………………………………...
Thank you for the informative exhibition. Toronto
will benefit greatly with a strong Buddhist influence
Really fantastic
show……………………………………………………………….
An exhibition of much historical and cultural
value….....………………………….
Well done! You have to be out here to really appreciate
what we have. I’m proud to know what we have
Such a historical occasion for this city – great
work……………………………….
Thanks and Well Done… Organizing a great cultural event in multicultural Toronto…………………………………………………………………………….. Dr. Neville Hewage
Thank you for allowing us to share this collection. It is
beautifully displayed and very well
explained…………………………………………………………………
This is a priceless gift to Ontario Sri Lankans……………………………………... Wickrama It is a great collection of art I have seen in Buddhism. The exhibition is excellent. Hope there will be another show soon. Keep up the great work. Thanks……….… Bernard Wijeyaratne This is a wonderful display of Buddhist art and culture! I have never had the opportunity to attend and help out at an event such as this before now. It is especially meaningful to me as I have lived abroad but am of Sri Lankan descent. It is a reminder of my culture and heritage. Thank you for making this event possible…………………………………………………………………………….. Nuangi Wickramasuriya Well done! Excellent job. Keep up good work. Being a Sri Lankan I am proud to see our culture in a foreign land. Congratulations…………………………………. Abdul Azeez Excellent opportunity to share our treasure with the world. Thank you…………… De Silvas Fabulous exhibition. I wasn’t aware of most of the places until today……………. Dissanayake This exhibition is a great incentive to visit Sri Lanka. It was wonderful to be able to talk with the Venerable Bhikkhus. Thank you all………………………………. David Hampton I enjoyed the Buddhist paintings of Sri Lanka. Some of the paintings convey knowledge and strong feelings of awareness. Thank you ……………………….. Scott Dr. Hewapathirane! Your magnificent task of collecting these images of paintings and exhibiting them to the public is a good deed. We have learnt more of our own country’s history. Thank you for giving us this opportunity…………………….… Samaranayake Thank you for this beautiful exhibit. It is very well organized and comprehensive.. Marie Hart A very rich presentation of your heritage, well organized and very educational…. Christine Hol Thank you for giving the opportunity to see our treasured paintings in one place and value our heritage more………………………………………………….……. Krishna and Wilbert Makes me feel like visiting Sri Lanka. Beautiful…………………………..……... Sular Narin It is a great collection of art and history. Good job in putting together this historical collection………………………………………………………………… Asif Great composition of works. Really interesting to see the different stages of art … Alex Janvette It was a pleasure to see such wonderful art-work. It was something I had never really looked at before. Now I am very interested. Thank you……………….…… Esiel Great exhibit! Learned a lot about Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Keen to find out more. Should have displays like these more often………….…………………..….……... Prabhat Thank you very much in organizing this wonderful event! I didn’t realize how much we did not know growing up in Sri Lanka/Ceylon. I can assure you that I will take the time to visit the places of ancient art next time. Once again thank you and Best Wishes……………………………………………………………………. Ari Dassanayake Never knew before that Sri Lanka is historically so enriched. Proud to belong to mother Lanka. Lovely to see the essence of Lanka traveling this far, to inspire the West. Let the country flag fly high and we Lankans be the example of the proud culture. All the Best………………………………………………………………... Shiran and Shamin What a wonderful Exhibit! ………………………………………………………… A Parker Very impressive display. Collection is well presented ……………………………. Evan Heise It’s outstanding – it took my breath away. Very nice artwork……………………... Francis Noble This is a great cultural show – Thanks …………………………………………….. Juan Being a foreigner to the Sri Lankan heritage and culture, I was, to say the least, sincerely appeased by the rich culture of Sri Lanka. Very enlightening!………….. Bala Naidoo Wonderful paintings. Done a great show. Wish you all the best for another show in future. Thanks for the Great work………………………………………………. Sriya Hetiarachchi A great display of art and if you can, please bring more paintings and pictures Harshana and Dilan Abeygunasekera A great display and a lot of information on the history of Buddhism…...………… Suzannah Ng What a wonderful and informative display of great works of art. Thank you for sharing it with us…………………………………………………………………… Simon Great Exhibition. I felt like I was in Sri Lanka for a couple of hours………….….. A. Weerakkody Thank you for this beautiful display of such a rich culture and the artistic side of Buddhism………………………………………………………………………... Alice Lee This Exhibition is certainly an experience which I would not like to miss. It is a great collection of national treasures. Having lived in Sri Lanka for so many years I have personally not seen half of these valuable paintings. I thank profusely the organizer of this exhibition for the opportunity……………………………………. Quintus Ratnayake Just one word – awesome! I can’t remember ever seeing something like this – the dedication and long hours of work, the dedication and love put into this exhibition is wonderful. I hope you will take this around the world. Good luck and success for the future………………………………………………………………….……. Krishanthi Ratnayake We all really admired and it is a great pleasure to see all these very ancient pictures. Daya, we all thank you so much for all your efforts ……………….……. Gunasekera family Never realized until today the vast array of Buddhist art depicted in the numerous paintings exhibited in the collection. Well done.………………………………….. Duncan Gunasekera I am so glad that Quintus and I were able to make time even on the last day to visit City hall. All of us visit these temples and marvel at the paintings and architecture, but we have never had such detailed information to go along with what we have seen in terms of Buddhist culture. The long hours of research, dedication and the obvious love of history have made this Exhibition an eye opener to all of us. In short, it was an AWESOME EXHIBITION! ……………… Krishanthi Ratnayake · I came to Toronto from Sri Lanka recently, on vacation. I accompanied my children – Shelton and Anoma to this exhibition. Seeing these very rare and exquisite Buddhist paintings was simply overwhelming with deep spiritual feelings. This is an extremely valuable commitment on the part of those who responsible for this exhibition. You will be remembered forever for the great service you are doing to promote our Buddhist culture. May the Triple Gems Bless you for the time and energy you have spent on this great work. I wish you the best to continue doing this great service (translation from Sinhala)………….. Mrs. Gunawathie Kuruppuarachchi Fantastic collection of pictures of ancient paintings ………………..……………... Dilini Kohomage Very elaborate. Good quality. Inspiring. Interesting how the paintings become more mainstream in the last century.………………………………………………. J. Harvey . The quality of the exhibit is excellent …………………………..……………….… Wai Hung Lee · Daya, Wonderful collection. Keep up the good work. Congratulations………..…. H. Perera It is a treat………………………………………………………………………...… Freddy Seneviratne Daya, it is a beautiful collection of paintings. I enjoyed looking at and reading about all the places and history. I have been to some of these places but never seen it as beautiful. Thank you…………………………………………………….. Malini Perera and Herbert Perera This exhibition is wonderful. The material were selected to cover all the eras and traditions in Sri Lanka’s temple art. The talent of the photographer is very high. He was able to capture very minor but very important things in some pictures that have special meanings. I am very pleased to say this is excellent………………… Rev. B. Mudhitha, Chief Buddhist Monk, Detroit Buddhist Vihara, USA It is a beautiful exhibition and as a Buddhist monk, I am proud of you…………… Ven. Rahula Thero The strong feelings we have towards our motherland were increased many-fold having experienced an Exhibition of this nature. The effort you have taken to evoke such feelings in us is most commendable and much appreciated ………... Venerable Dhammarama Thero, Toronto West-End Buddhist Vihara Congratulations Daya, You have done it! It was so wonderful to see the beautiful artistic pictures at the City Hall of Toronto. As soon as my eyes came in touch with these valuable pictures, I felt I was physically there at these ancient historic sites…. This certainly was a great opportunity and an inspiring exhibition for Sri Lankan Canadians as well as Westerners…..My personal thanks go to Dr. Daya Hewapathirane for his hard work in exhibiting these beautiful Buddhist pictures in Toronto……...……………………… Bhante Saranapala, Toronto West-End Buddhist Vihara · We appreciate the hard work you have put in to make it possible for us to see these excellent paintings and understand how these art developed in Sri Lanka….. Mary/Tina/Sandy Congratulations! This is a great collection of art. Thanks for all the effort and trouble. Brings back memories…………………………………………………….. Ranee Perera Very peaceful and beautiful depictions…………………….………………………. Babara Finley This is a great achievement. It presents Sri Lanka in all its past glory. I think the collection is marvelous. I did not know of the existence of many of these temples. Thank you for bringing these to our attention…………………………………...… Rene An excellent exhibition of Buddhist culture and paintings. Takes you way back to the ancient history of our motherland. Well done………………………………….. Ira Opatha I’m delighted that you have made the effort to help the younger generation of Sri Lankan and others to take pride in their culture and heritage…...…………………. D.C. Weerasinghe This exhibit was a lovely reminder of the places I have visited in Sri Lanka and an inspiration to return to see more. Well done………………………………………. Jamie Allan This is outstanding work of art ……………………………………………………. Rashid Javad Thank you for the wonderful exhibit. To bring the Dhamma to the hub of Toronto is very important………………………………………………………………….... Philip V. Starbranam I enjoyed this very much. Great art and super presentation. Best wishes………… Rob Graham One of the most interesting and stimulating exhibitions this summer in Toronto. A fascinating development of styles………………………………………………….. A. Lifec, Toronto Thank you for bringing this lovely exhibit to Toronto…………………………….. K.G. Smith Thank you so much for this exposure to Sri Lanka that I don’t often see. It has really opened my eyes and my heart……………………………………….……... Meid Berson How fortunate we are to see at least a bit of our culture in Toronto………………. Daya Sarathchandra Heartfelt thanks to the team that brought this wealth of information for viewing in Toronto……………………………………………………………………………... Mani Excellent and very impressive Buddhist paintings of Sri Lanka. It is a very good way to show Sri Lankan culture to the world……………………………………… N.L. Seneviratne This is one of the greatest displays of Buddhist art I have ever seen. I being a Buddhist did not know many of the stories related to these paintings. Appreciate the effort in organizing this event………………………………………………….. Manjula S. It is wonderful to see a exhibition like this. Great job……………………………... Kalyani Very beautiful exhibition. As a young Sri Lankan Canadian it opened my eyes to an aspect of Sri Lankan culture that I’d never explored before. A beautiful way to present the history of Sri Lanka. It has inspired me to do more research. Thanks you very much……………………………………………………………………… Himali Wijesundera Very interesting art. Sri Lankan people should be very proud of their heritage and art forms. May it remain for all generations to see forever……..…………………. Ken and Dorie Jones, Chicago, USA A very inspiring visit. Wonderful art from ancient times………………………….. Helan Muller This is a rare opportunity to see such a wonderful exhibition here in Toronto……. E. Muller A magnificent culture, amazing religion and such delicate art. Buddhists have been playing an important role in human history. Buddhism is important not only to Asia but more to the entire world……………………………………………….. Zhang Li I will be reading more on this amazing culture…………………………………….. David Thank you for sharing history and beauty. The use of colour delivers a message of ancient truth and energy. Peace not war and occupation………………..…………. Margaret Fish Very informative exhibition! Keep up with your good work……………………… M. Gunawardena Very fantastic exhibition. You have done an excellent job………………………... Mithila Arasaratna The pictures are very beautiful. I learned a lot about Sri Lankan history. I’m very happy I got to see these magnificent sites because I have not been to any of these beautiful sites. Thank you for giving me this chance…….………………………. Isuru Very Good! Saw some paintings that I have never seen before…………………… Nanthini Dear Uncle Daya and Sesath Aiya,It was a great opportunity to explore the beauty of Sri Lankan Buddhist art and learn about its significance……………………………………………………….. Harinie These paintings are incredibly amazingly beautiful. Words cannot explain the beauty you have captured by the single click of the camera. I believe you should have many more exhibitions such as this one and continue to display the beauty of our homeland…………………… Nissasala I must congratulate you for creating an exhibit of Sri Lankan art that could be enjoyed by locals and westerners alike. Though I personally have little interest in art and cannot truly understand the beauty of what is in the pictures, there were many people that I met who could. Seeing their reactions was really something interesting and re-enforces the idea that we must preserve our cultural heritage and history. I congratulate you again for your work and I hope that someday in the future I too might be able to enjoy it for what it is: pictures of incredible artistic and aesthetic value. Please continue organizing events like this to spread our culture. It will go a long way in preserving our culture……………………………. Rajiv Seneviratne I like every picture. They are beautiful. I like to see them in Sri Lanka one day….. Siva The exhibition is excellent and very well organized. It accurately depicts the history of paintings in the temples of Sri Lanka and is of great educational value. I enjoyed it very much ………………………………………………………………. Ajit Amarasinghe Indeed a very good portrayal of Buddhist Teachings.. enlightens one as you go through the paintings of the different centuries…………………………………..... Ajali Fascinating! Breath-taking! It shows the world the greatness of the cultural heritage of the people of Sri Lanka… (Translation from Sinhala)……...…………. Siri Candrasekera Pictures are very good. They are similar to ours and therefore are familiar to us the Judo Shinshu Buddhists of Tibet………………………….………..………….. Tashi Very contemplative.. would like to spend more time to study… Thanks.……….. Devata
Written Comments of people whose names are illegible in the Visitor’s Book: An extremely interesting and insightful exhibition. Keep up the good work! ……. What a wonderful exhibition. Thanks for bringing Sri Lankan art to Toronto……. Very moving images and I am changed today ……………………………………. It’s wonderful! It’s a great culture ………………………………………….…….. (from Bavaria Germany) A beautiful display and brings forth the wonder of the country and its people and culture……………………………………………………………………………… Exquisite collection of paintings showing the Buddhist Sri Lankan history. Thanks for sharing this valuable historical knowledge with the City of Toronto … Very inspiring and beautifully displayed exhibit. Thank you for exposing your collection and knowledge to us……………………………..……………………… Thanks – it is so wonderful to see a part of the heritage of Lord Buddha…………. The exhibit is beautifully presented ……………………………………………….. Never seen a more impressive Sri Lankan event .Thanks…………………………. It was very informative and well put together- Thanks …………………………… Informative and very well presented ……………………………………………… Good to see this in Canada ………………………………………………………… It is a great exhibition where all Sri Lankans could be immensely proud of………. Exquisite collection of Buddhist Sri Lankan History. Thanks you very much for sharing this valuable historical knowledge with the City of Toronto…………….
EXHIBITION (2005) AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO COMMENTS OF OUR VISITORS • A most impressive
photo documentation. Completely unique – We had a detailed tour by Yoshani
DeSilva. • Thank you for such
a wonderful introduction to Sri Lankan Art. The tour was informative, the
people receptive and pleasant to talk to. We look forward to seeing the
documentary film tonight. • Thank you so much
for the personal tour of the exhibition. You have inspired us to visit these
wonderful sites ourselves as soon as we can. Your images of sculpture and
paintings are truly stunning! With Thanks • This is really
fantastic. I enjoyed it very much. Great work. • A really powerful
display. Pity my students can’t attend as a group for the great learning
experience - self identity and self esteem! • Wonderful exhibit!
Students very helpful and enthusiastic!! Spread this cultural exhibit
throughout Canada for others to enjoy. • I found the exhibit
overwhelming – a revelation, not only the beauty and elegance – the sheer
extent and variety – and exuberance and vitality. • I enjoyed the
documentary film tremendously. The use of colour and the beautiful design work
are simply wonderful. I have two suggestions for editing. 1. the music in the
first section employing the mail narrator drowns out his voice. 2. the word
capitals is misspelled several times. Best wishes to you in finding a venue
for future exhibits. • Both events were
very enriching and have opened my eyes to such an artistic and spiritual
culture. The movie was very informative and detailed towards Buddhist art and
culture and has kindled a greater interest in understanding the different
symbols and representations used in Buddhist art work. Participating in the
art exhibition was truly and honour and privilege. • Excellent
presentation. Very interesting, informative and beautiful work. • Wow! I was very
impressed about the quality of the production • Very educational
and personally interesting to learn about Buddhist history and art in Sri
Lanka. A very good documentary and surprising that it is a pioneer effort. I’m
impressed about the talent of everyone who worked on this project • As an artist I am
overwhelmed by the time it took to paint all these surfaces. I have been
reading and studying Buddhism for the past year and finally found the
spiritual outlet I needed – I thank you for the tour and much enjoyed this
exhibition. • It’s wonderful! To
get in the buddha’s realm through the exhibition! Best wishes to keep going
on! The compassionate heart • It’s good to see something which is spirituality instead of just high technology and science. This exhibition brings me one more step forward towards Buddhism. Nowadays people really need this kind of information though they don’t think so. Keep going!! Alan • The most beautiful
paintings of love, peace, enlightenment, devotion and all that is good in our
world. Thank You. Peace, love and Blessings • Thank You very much
for letting me have a good chance to view all these valuable historical
remains. I am a visual artist, so you will understand how I appreciate this
exhibition. Also as a Buddhist this exhibition is very important to me –
educationally and in terms of appreciation of art. Thanks for all you hard
work and look forward to see you next year. • I am moved by the
delicacy of detail, the richness of colour, texture and motif and the
endurance of the materials over time • Quite encouraging.
Lots of efforts put. Thanks…., we viewers speak for you • A wonderful
experience seeing the photos was almost being in front of the images. May this
exhibit continue to delight and inform wherever it can go. • This is really
fantastic. I enjoyed it very much. Great work. • Really powerful display. Pity my students cant attend as a group for this great learning experience it could be for self identity and self –esteem! • The photographs are
amazing. Sorry I missed the documentary film. Hopefully the documentary film
contains the history of the rich culture. • A wonderful
exhibit! Students were helpful and enthusiastic! Spread this great cultural
exhibit throughout Canada for others to enjoy! • Impressive
exhibition. • Thank You very much
for the comprehensive exhibit that are exquisite and informative and
educational. Enjoyed the Tour given by Yoshani and Discussion with Daya • I really enjoyed
ancient Buddhist Paintings and Statues in Sri Lanka. These are all beautiful
and attract my interest. For sure I would travel to Sri Lanka to see them in
an year. • Very informative
and extremely interesting. A spectacular exhibition! I would definitely
recommend this show case to friends and family who take interest in the
Buddhist Tradition in South-East Asia. • I would like to
keep in touch about future exhibitions. I belong to an art gallery and
interested in various art work • Please send me
information on Jataka • It’s a one of a
kind exhibit, rare historic serene images photographed in one of the most
remote areas of the world for all of us to enjoy and appreciate. • Excellent
Presentation. Should be shown on Program “Opening Night” Thursday Night on CBC. • Excellent visual
quality and contour supports the magnificent contents of the film. Minor
auditory problems in presentation – could not always undertand the male voice
in early part of the film – I think technical problems with the equipment.
Otherwise, its perfect. • Thanks for this
wonderful film you enabled me to see. Such an impressive and spiritual art of
Sri Lanka. As a person interested greatly in Buddhism I was really impressed
on all the art and I’d only encourage people to visit Sri Lanka. Thank you so
much. • Wonderful! Best
Wishes to success & spiritual harmony • Magnificent
cultural and religious achievements. Deserves greater knowledge!! • Very interesting. I
had not known any of the history of Sri Lanka it’s art. This gave me some of
both. • Very interesting
and fascinating. I enjoyed the documentary very much. It is very interesting
to see Buddhist art to compare to those of China. Thank you. Great work. • It is a wonderful
exhibition. Third time I saw in Toronto. Promoting our culture to the world
through our Buddhist Photos of Paintings is unique venture. Sri Lankan’s must
be proud of your scholarly works. All the best in your future endeavours too. • Once again, you’ve
have done us Sri Lankans living here as one Nation, proud! The Show you have
put up this time around is even greater and better! But the greatest thing
about your flashing vision is that now it has got wings and there’s a whole
community to help you soar… for the love of the country that have all of us,
you and me, a name and identity! Congratulations and Best Wishes. |