The Red Lotus Organisation for Humanitarian Assistance steps in again
At the time I began my ‘search’ (July 1993), few people seemed to be interested in what Wendt had collected, but some, at least, were interested in his photographs. This ‘some’ needs emphasis because it was, in fact, surprising to see how little interest there was, at this stage, in Wendt’s photography. It was encouraging, however, to find that most of the original photo-prints reproduced in Lionel Wendt’s Ceylon were well-preserved by the Fund, together with a number of other ‘original’ photo-prints.
But apart from this collection of photographs, there is, or was until recently, another major collection of Wendt’s work in Sri Lanka – the largest perhaps, anywhere in the world. I was invited to view it in 1993, and realizing how difficult it was for the owners to continue to look after it, I tried hard to find a person or institution in Sri Lanka to buy it and preserve it ‘for the country’ – but failed. At the time I was also innocent of the origins of these photographs. I have subsequently come to learn that they had in fact been stored for years in a commercial firm while building work was underway at the LWMF. The current ‘owner’ had found them and appropriated them instead of returning them to the Fund. An opportunity to see something of this magnificent but contentious collection came two years after the 1994 exhibition, when a selection was displayed and sold at Gallery 706 in Colombo. Two years later a number of works were exhibited for sale by Paradise Road Gallery. From this time on, the buying and selling of original Lionel Wendt prints and the drain abroad began, what can only described as the re-discovery of his commercial value. One has to ask if in Sri Lanka, as usual, we seem to be as eager to get rid of what we have, as people abroad are eager to relieve us of it.
The tragic outcome of this commercial interest can be evidenced in the marketing of Wendt’s work by Dutch gallery owner Ton Peek who mounted several exhibitions in the late 1990s. In 1999 he exhibited forty ‘vintage silver prints’ ( sic) in the Paris Photo Fair 99 held by the International European Salon of Photography, in the Louvre. These were described as ‘mostly collage-portraits of Ceylon men’. Peek’s notes say, ‘Wendt had rarely left Ceylon, at that time a Dutch possession’ ( sic).
Arguments for keeping and safeguarding our cultural heritage and preventing its export have been made ad nauseam. I am reminded of the image of a leaning signpost in Ceylon which Wendt titled: The Point Beyond Which Everything Repeats Itself. I wonder if those of us who share this point of view will look like desolate leaning signposts to future generations. It is perhaps symbolic that the editors of Lionel Wendt’s Ceylon retitled the picture: Invaded… Desolate.
I know of one other small but very precious and revealing collection of photographs by Lionel Wendt owned by a descendant of the person to whom Wendt gave them. I had the privilege of seeing them in a rush encounter with the owner sitting in a railway station café – we had each come from separate parts of the country for the meeting. The photographs make up a book and say as much about the photographer as they do about his subject; they show a Wendt very different from the image many have of him. I have longed to be allowed to have copies and have waited nigh on 20 years for this. Without some part of them, any book I wrote would be incomplete.
(December 2000) (A version of this article was published in
December 17, 2000 under the title
‘Lionel Wendt: Disappearance and
Discovery’.)
The Galle Face Hotel
The Galle Face Hotel is celebrating Father’s Day with a special offer for dads. Bring your father to The Verandah this Sunday, June 18 between 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. to treat him – and yourself – to a mouth-watering brunch and he can enjoy his meal for free.
The brunch buffet has a
Senior Consultant Paediatrician Dr. Ramya de Silva has been elected for an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health of the United Kingdom in recognition of her outstanding contribution to children.
The Honorary Fellowship was presented to Dr. de Silva at the 21st anniversary celebrations of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health held at the International Conference Centre, Birmingham on May 25.
Dr. de Silva has been working as a Consultant Paediatrician for the past 27 years including 16 years at the Lady Ridgeway Hospital for Children, Colombo. She is the Immediate Past President of the Sri Lanka College of Paediatricians (SLCP).
Her most significant contribution has been the establishment of the Neonatal Transport Service, which she initiated as a pilot project in collaboration with the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford in 2012 when she was the President of the Perinatal Society of Sri Lanka.
Dr. de Silva established this service as almost 80% tantalizing array of dishes from artisan breads, an array of meats, pastas, and a wellrounded selection of Sri Lankan rice and curries. There is also a bagel counter, a live egg station and a free flow Bloody Mary station.
For a sweet end to the meal, the Traveller’s Bar features an individual dessert bar, a tropical food counter and ice cream stand. The dessert bar will have cakes, Danish pastries, panacotta, croissants and mousses.
The brunch is priced at Rs. 3990 nett per person. For reservations contact the special events desk on (+94) 77 232 7740 or via e-mail restaurants@gallefacehotel.net of the deaths under the age of one year occur during the first month of life. Of these deaths, one-third is due to prematurity and lowbirth weight. These babies need special care during transportation to a hospital where facilities are available for neonatal intensive care. As such the Neonatal Transport Service provides the facilities of a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit during transportation.
Following the pilot project, Dr. de Silva worked tirelessly to bring the Neonatal Transport Service to the national level. Sri Lanka is the first country in South Asia to establish it as such, with the Health
The Hilton Colombo
The Hilton Colombo is inviting families to bring their super dad over to the Graze Kitchen on June 18 from 12 noon to 3 p.m. to celebrate Father’s Day with a scrumptious brunch, unlimited brew along with a fabulous backdrop with four superheroes to take photos. There will also be a Ministry taking up this measure to improve the quality of care provided to newborns to prevent neonatal morbidity and mortality.
Dr. de Silva is on many Technical Advisory Committees of the ministry including the National Council for Accreditation and the committee that developed the clinical indicators to monitor healthcare quality and patient safety.
She is the President of the Neonatal Transport Forum of Sri Lanka, the Neonatal and Paediatric Simulation Council of Sri Lanka and the SLCP’s Adolescent Healthcare Forum. surprise visit from a legendary superhero!
The brunch buffet promises a treat with a great selection of fine food from the honey comb corner to the giant tuna, succulent meats on the rotisserie, a la minute pasta, the cabinet, dad’s big pan of kabsa rice with lemon roast chicken,
The Red Lotus Organisation for Humanitarian Assistance formed immediately after the tsunami in December 2004 became active again last week in Kalutara. Red Lotus donated aid to the people who were affected by the floods in the Kithulawa, Nagoda, Kularton areas, in Kalutara.
The bharatha natya arangetram of Pradyotha Cabraal will take place on June 24 at 6 p.m. at Buddhist Cultural Centre auditorium, Colombo 5. Dr. Anjali Misra, head of the Department of Indian and Asian dances, University of Visual and Performing Arts, Colombo 7 will be the Chief Guest and Dilmi Ratnayake, the Asian pod and everyone’s favourite sweet surprises!
The brunch buffet is priced at Rs. 4,888 nett per person.
For reservations, please contact the GRAZE KITCHEN at 2492 492 or visit their website at www. hiltoncolombo1.com
Immediate needs such as food and clothes were distributed among 100 families. As was done on earlier occasions, needy school children are now being identified with the help of the three grama niladharis. The selected children will be awarded scholarships to continue their studies up to university level. Directress, Lyceum International School Wattala will be the Guest of Honour.
Pradyotha is a student of Dr. Subashini Pathmanathan, Directress of Vimalothya Classical Bharatha Natya Kendra Colombo. She is the daughter of Ravi and Sagunthala Cabraal of Kiribathgoda.