Where local skills take shape
From the Sigirya fresco to the rock carvings in the ancient cities of Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura to the intricate temple paintings at Dambulla, Sri Lankans have well preserved historic proof of the multi –faceted talents of local artists. The task of ensuring that the present generations are given the opportunity to hone their skills in such forms of art lies primarily with several government institutions.
One such place is the Faculty of Visual Arts of the University of Visual and Performing Arts which has over the years embraced with enthusiasm talented young men and women who gain entrance to the Faculty. Many have since gone onto become well established artists and sculptors, learning to use various mediums to enhance their artistic abilities.
“The Government spends more per student during the four year period he/she studies at our Faculty than on a medical student. This includes the costs of providing raw materials to each student be it canvases, paints, tools for sculpture etc.,” Dr. Sarath Gunnasiri Maldeniya, the Dean of the Faculty said.
His association with the Faculty goes back more than 30 years and for him it is a rewarding experience to watch the students bloom under the guidance of their teachers and go onto master their skills.
Gaining entrance to the University of Visual and Performing Arts is highly competitive. More than 680 students had applied for enrolment to the Faulty in 2010 but only 70 students were selected. “We have restrictions on space as well as finances and we have to limit the number of intakes. Our courses have proven to produce 100 percent employable persons at the end of the four years and we have to ensure that the standards are maintained,” Dr.maldeniya said.
The origins of the Faculty of Visual Arts go as far back as 1893 with the establishment of the Ceylon Technical College where the first course was taught in drawing and painting. In 1949 it moved to the Heywood Building at Horton Place and was made a fullfledged university in 2005.
A walk through the Faculty premises is a treat in itself to see the students engaged in their various activities. The high standards of the stone and wooden carvings as well as paintings are ample proof that the artistic talent of these students surfaces when exposed to the right environment.
The Faculty also affords the unique opportunity of painting live models as part of their training in the final year.
“We hire live models to enable the students to learn how to draw the human figure. There are certain cultural and value based sensitivities in this sort of art in our country but we go about it as best as we can,” the Dean explained.
Despite the successes, the Faculty is heavily dependent on state funding which often falls short of the needs of the students, Dr. Maldeniya said. “There are many students who find it difficult to afford their own paints and canvas. We do our best to provide whatever they need but it is always not possible to meet their demands,” he said. The Faculty also largely depends on visiting lecturers to train the students. “We have been asked to recruit permanent lecturers but again the shortage of funds is an obstacle,” he added. He is hopeful the private sector would step in to assist with the needs of the students so that they would be able to realize their full potential.
It is a far cry from what it was awhile ago – not only have the buildings been improved but the mindset of the staff has also changed.
Where once there was stigma and adverse information with regard to the Angoda Mental Hospital, with its evolution as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an all-round development has taken place, the Sunday Times learns.
“Now this is not just a hospital which is treating people suffering from mental illness,” says Director Dr. Jayan Mendis, who has been instrumental in expanding services in different aspects to make it a true institute.
The NIMH works as an umbrella for four types of services, explains Dr. Mendis who has been associated with Angoda since he was a “podiyan” (junior doctor) in 1986.
The services at this largest tertiary care hospital in the country dealing with mental health include clinical care, specialized care, training and mental health research, it is understood. Daily more than 800 patients receive “in” treatment here while a similar number receives follow-up care from the outpatient clinics.
While clinical care is provided to anyone seeking help at the outpatients department and also those who need admission for psychiatric issues, the NIMH also extends specialized care ranging from forensic psychiatry to peri-natal psychiatry to geriatric psychiatry and those who have learning disabilities.
Recent additions are the Centre for the Prevention of Gender-based Violence and the Media Unit for Mental Health, says Dr. Mendis.
The other two aspects that the NIMH deals with are training and mental health research.
Doctors, nurses, occupational therapists, social workers, teachers, police officers and counsellors are being trained in mental health while the NIMH has also embarked on mental health research to deal with questions such as: What is psychiatric illness? What is its epidemiology? What is the incidence? How do we handle it?
A good research foundation would go a long way, stresses Dr. Mendis.
He takes a look at the past and points out how in those days rest-