Artistic Journeys by Sumadhu Weerar
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What does the viewer seek from art?', is not the question to ask. It would raise many an eyebrow (bushy or finely pencilled as the case may be) within the 'appreciative' circles. And there could be no greater stultifier to artistic flights of, certainly nothing as mundane as fancy but creativity like an ignorant viewer asking that he be allowed to understand what it all means. To take away the facade of obscuration is to strip the work of its soul, to reduce it to mere replication.
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Robert Sedgley is an artist, an Englishman hibernating in Sri Lanka. He draws structures - very architectural, very correctly detailed structures - to describe his work in bare terms. But is that all? Certainly not. His work is a wonderful contrast of the substantiality of the man made structures and the etherial quality of the light that plays on the surface. He captures with skill the midday sun bearing down on a solid structure of stone, or an evening sun casting ripples on a surface. the play of light and colour - gentle and delicate - is what is most noticeable about the watercolours. In his work there is a sense of liquifaction of the structures, melting under the beating of a gentle and persistent sun.
His work bears an analogy with the physical sciences, where at a given a particle is both wave and particle, in effect interchangeable. At first glance he brings out the contrast between the buildings and the light, the former substantive in relation to the latter. however on further study, one can see what were originally precise lines merging into the background, as the interaction between light and colour dominates. This gives the lie to the first impression of the work, that is the substantive quality of the man made structures. It diffuses with the colour, and becomes part of the landscape. Upon further study, one can almost see the structures reassume their geometric shapes. So there is an interchangeable quality. There is an illusory quality to what is perceived as having substance, a capturing of the 'maaya' in relation to all material construct.
His eye for distances, depth and detail is wonderful. This he says due to rigorous training as a professional poster painter (calligraphy artist) where the distance between letters is very important. And his interest in buildings stems from from his first ambition of becoming an architect. The exhibition will have 40-45 paintings, primarily of buildings in Sri Lanka, Uganda, Spain and France. Sri Lankan structures range from the ancient to the colonial. Modern structures he has left well alone. The inclusion of figures in some of his paintings gives a sense of narrative. However, the paintings fail to convey the mood of that particular setting. They all have a medative quality, that is reflective of the inner peace that emanates from the artist - soft spoken and gentle. There are semi-abstract renditions of journeys to the country's heartland. Here he has effectively captured a sense of journey, of snaking through the countryside. ''Art to me is a journey'' he says.
Sedgley was born in Birmingham and trained in fine art at Birmingham and Exeter Colleges of Art. He taught at various schools in England for 20 years and [now] devotes all his energy to painting and sculpture. He discovered the translucence of watercolour while conducting holiday art courses for amateurs.
The current exhibition - 'Holy Sites and Humble Dwellings' - is the second in Sri Lanka. It opened yesterday at the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects at 120/7 Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 7 and continues till 24.
Sedgley's work the viewer understands and its soulful quality he feels. Representational art is certainly not mere replication - it is as Sedgley says ''a journey for the artist and as he makes marks on the paper the life of the work reveals itself and works in partnership with its creator to fulfill its own destiny.''
His work bears an analogy with the physical sciences, where at a given a particle is both wave and particle, in effect interchangeable. At first glance he brings out the contrast between the buildings and the light, the former substantive in relation to the latter. however on further study, one can see what were originally precise lines merging into the background, as the interaction between light and colour dominates. This gives the lie to the first impression of the work, that is the substantive quality of the man made structures. It diffuses with the colour, and becomes part of the landscape. Upon further study, one can almost see the structures reassume their geometric shapes. So there is an interchangeable quality. There is an illusory quality to what is perceived as having substance, a capturing of the 'maaya' in relation to all material construct.
His eye for distances, depth and detail is wonderful. This he says due to rigorous training as a professional poster painter (calligraphy artist) where the distance between letters is very important. And his interest in buildings stems from from his first ambition of becoming an architect. The exhibition will have 40-45 paintings, primarily of buildings in Sri Lanka, Uganda, Spain and France. Sri Lankan structures range from the ancient to the colonial. Modern structures he has left well alone. The inclusion of figures in some of his paintings gives a sense of narrative. However, the paintings fail to convey the mood of that particular setting. They all have a medative quality, that is reflective of the inner peace that emanates from the artist - soft spoken and gentle. There are semi-abstract renditions of journeys to the country's heartland. Here he has effectively captured a sense of journey, of snaking through the countryside. ''Art to me is a journey'' he says.
Sedgley was born in Birmingham and trained in fine art at Birmingham and Exeter Colleges of Art. He taught at various schools in England for 20 years and [now] devotes all his energy to painting and sculpture. He discovered the translucence of watercolour while conducting holiday art courses for amateurs.
The current exhibition - 'Holy Sites and Humble Dwellings' - is the second in Sri Lanka. It opened yesterday at the Sri Lanka Institute of Architects at 120/7 Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 7 and continues till 24.
Sedgley's work the viewer understands and its soulful quality he feels. Representational art is certainly not mere replication - it is as Sedgley says ''a journey for the artist and as he makes marks on the paper the life of the work reveals itself and works in partnership with its creator to fulfill its own destiny.''