The '43 Group Sri Lanka
Sri Lankan musician , photographer, literature collector,critic, and cinematographer Lionel Wendt's artistic life climax was coming up with the design of the '43 Group. It is an association of independent painters.[1] There was a strong friendship between Harold Peiris and Lionel Wendt. Harry Wendt who brother of Lionel Wendt had maintained a good relationship with Harold since their days together at Cambridge and Royal College Colombo. According to E. F. C. Ludowyk, Lionel Wendt was a many-sided genius who he described as being an unusual character. Wendt had a magnetic and compelling personality with very high standards of excellence and integrity in art.[2] Lionel Wendt was the chief organizer and the Harold Pieris was the Secretary. The '43 Group was combined by independent, non-academic, free expression artists. The Group was maintained high aesthetic standards and limited to few members. It was a platform for outstanding painters and gained an international reputation for painting in Sri Lanka. The '43 Group has gained the reputation of having the most significant expressions of mid-century modernism in Asian art.[3]
The '43 Group was a formation of a creative pictorial tradition with Sri Lankan identity. The first exhibition group were Harry Pieris, J.F. Pieris Daraniyagala, George Keyt, Ivan Peries, W. J. G. Beling, Manjusri Thero (later L.T.P. Manjusri), A.C. Collette, R.D. Gabriel, Walter Witharne, Y.J. Thuring, George and R.D. Claessen. The '43 Group's first exhibition was held in Colombo in November 1943. Martin Russell, then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, bought all the works by George Keyt and continued to collect Sri Lankan paintings.[4]
References
- ^ "Pictorial ends..." island. Retrieved 09 12 2000.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ "My father HAROLD". sundaytimes accessdate=0107 2005.
{{cite web}}: Missing pipe in:|publisher=(help) - ^ "43 Group - Modern Art In Sri Lanka". lankanewspapers. 2003.
{{cite web}}: Text "2003-12-07" ignored (help) - ^ "Martin Russell". telegraph. 2004. Retrieved 09 Mar 2004.
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