A PRIVATE ART COLLECTION NOT TO BE MISSED ON AT PARADISE ROAD GALLERIES
Shanth Fernando, owner of Paradise Road Galleries on Alfred House Gardens is an avid if not obsessive art collector and he takes pride in this. A part of his private art collection that has been on display at the venue has been very well received. It is certainly a rare to find collection of paintings that has been tastefully chosen to hang in the quaint backdrop at Paradise Road Café.
Shanth Fernando has been a passionate collector of art for nearly the past 25 years. His ten years in Australia are part of this and his thorough acquaintance with Australian artists has contributed immensely to the collection. Australian Donald Friend’s paintings compose a considerable portion of the collection of eleven paintings, while Pakistani Ali Kazim, and Indian artists Chandra Bhattacharjee and Suman Gupta are the other artists whose work is being showcased.
Donald Friend, renowned caricaturist and draftsman was in Sri Lanka during the late 1950’s to early 1960’s and was a dear associate of Geoffrey Bawa and his brother. His time in Sri Lanka is known to be the best of his career .This is reflected in his murals of the Induruwa temple in Bentota and in the particularly intriguing sketch (referred to as the “cartoon”) for this mural that is said to even outdo the mural itself! While Friend’s exquisite murals add poise and charm to the collection, his other paintings include an exclusive one of movement, given that he usually paints still life. A survivor of the Tsunami in 2004, the painting titled, “Figures Leaping and Running” captures entwined activity and distorted motion and becomes a tell-tale painting unsurprisingly.
The painting titled, “Girl hidden in Leaves and Flowers” is unique in that it comes with the witty Friend’s caption about the power of dreams in addition to being an exceptional creation in itself. As a whole the aura evinced by Donald’s work is surprisingly refreshing in its own peculiar and even risqué way. To make a long story short, it’s not an assortment that ardent enthusiasts can afford to miss! A puppet of Brahma that is on display is a masterpiece that has been created from an atypical viewpoint. In the meantime, Ali Kazim’s paintings have an intrinsic soothing and tranquilizing ambience and the colour palette comes as a great facility to procure this effect.
Paradise Road Galleries was incepted fifteen years ago, in what was then Geoffrey Bawa’s office. It is reputed to be the most successful private gallery in Sri Lanka and the first one to operate on a commercial level. Shanth Fernando remarks, “Discerning visitors visit to look at paintings in this café. This is a place where lots of ex-pats visit. And they learn that Sri Lanka also has collections worthwhile. Nevertheless local artists need that exposure to foreign art as well.” Shanth was an acclaimed artist during his schoolboy days at S. Thomas’ College, Mount Lavinia, however
gave up painting later on and became a canvas himself, as he’d have it said. “Designing and collecting is what my life has been all about ever since. The saying is that every picture tells a story. But in the case of my collection, every picture has its own story.” He explains that these pictures all have a tremendous sentimental value to him and are virtually a part of him. All in all, the collection on display at Paradise Road Galleries is rare and valuable in its own right and a must-see for all those keen. The exhibition will be on till Wednesday, 7th November.
PIX BY SUSANTHA LIYANAWATTE