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Home Archive Feeds Contact Us Feeds Editorials Times Online NEWS COLUMNS EDITORIAL SUNDAY TIMES 2 PLUS SPORTS BUSINESS TIMES MAGAZINE FUNDAY TIMES MEDISCENE ADVERTISE Archive Feeds Contact Us Sunday, March 15, 2015 Other Plus Articles Lanka’s moment of crystal glory Letters View(s): 67 My friend Vajira is 83 today! Richard Boyle uncovers the little known saga of how George Keyt and L.T.P. Manjusri figured in a major international exhibition in 1956 in a medium unfamiliar to them Slavery in our own backyard After many years I encountered a copy of the beautifully illustrated exhibition catalogue, Asian Artists in Crystal: Designs by Contemporary Asian Artists Engraved on Steuben Crystal, published by Steuben Glass, New York (1956). It is of significance in Lankan makes waves at John Lennon songwriting the history of Sri Lanka’s visual arts because George Keyt and L.T.P. Manjusri each contributed one design for this, to them, contest unknown medium: Keyt later experimented with a design for stained glass. Exploring social realities through temple drawings In the catalogue these memorable artists are profiled in a full page, and the work which represents their art in the exhibition is reproduced on the facing page. This catalogue is Be a part of the passion of French food handsomely presented, with decorative endpapers and culturally representative drawings that divide the 36 artists into regions of Far East (China, Japan, Korea, Philippines), For the first time, a week of conducting and vocal Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand, Burma), India and Ceylon, the Middle East workshops (Pakistan, Iraq, Iran), and the Near East (Syria, Turkey, Egypt). I remembered this catalogue well, as I had used it for research purposes in writing the CFW hits the ramp script for the documentary George Keyt’s Life of the Buddha (1987), directed by Sharmini Boyle, with the painter and art historian Albert Dharmasiri as production consultant. In the Appreciations film, Keyt explains his renowned murals at the Gothami Vihara, Borella. Elegance in lace and batik The Introduction to the catalogue reveals that from January 18 to February 19, 1956, an exhibition created by the American company, Steuben Glass, titled “Asian Artists in Crystal”, was held first at the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and subsequently at University mate dons robes the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, from March 9 to April 8. The exhibition was also held at the Corning Museum of Glass from May 30 to September 23, 1956. 21st AGM of the CIMA Students’ Society A portrayal of the exhibition I found online is a black-and-white 17-minute film titled Asian Artists in Crystal, produced by the Thomas Craven Film Corporation for the United States Association of Sri Lankan Neurologists AGM Information Service (USIS) in 1956. There are brief explanations of the designs, but no mention of the artists. George Keyt’s ‘The Bodhisattva Two-day Yoga workshop Vessantara gives away his wife’ and “Great traditions (inset) the artist as portrayed in the carried forward” catalogue of the exhibition, ‘Asian Book launch: ‘Sixty Four Days in India’ Artists in Crystal: Designs by The Metropolitan Museum of Art produced a leaflet in addition to the catalogue in which Contemporary Asian Artists Engraved ‘Sri Lanka – The Way Ahead’: Lecture by British High the president of Steuben Glass wrote of the exhibition’s primary purpose: “To exhibit on Steuben Crystal’ Commissioner publicly, to the people of the world, examples of the creative art of modern Asia as appreciated and interpreted by America. WNPS lecture on majestic Sri Lankan elephant “For too long the West has tended to judge Asian art chiefly by its magnificent historical manifestations. It is inspiring to know that great traditions are being carried forward by contemporary artists, working in more modern style and more modern media. This present manifestation of Asian culture is coincident with national independence and progress. The drawings that these Asian artists have prepared for Steuben Glass show, in the radiant medium of glass, an astonishing variety of themes and styles. “Glassmaking is a collaborative effort. In each completed piece are incorporated the decorative drawing of the artist, the subtle shape devised by the glass designer, and the skill of the glass blower and the glass engraver. All who have worked together on this project can share a common pride.” From June 25, 1957, to June 10, 1958, the exhibition toured the home countries of the participating artists under the auspices of the USIS, opening in Seoul and ending in Cairo, with Colombo in-between. For this tour additional editions of the catalogue were issued in Arabic (Beirut), and English/Arabic (Egypt, by USIS Cairo, on behalf of the Société des Amis de l’Art). Copies of the original catalogue were available for the exhibition in Colombo. Steuben Glass was an art glass manufacturer founded in 1903 in Corning, New York, by Frederick Carder, an experienced glass designer, and Thomas Hawkes, owner of the cut-glass firm, Corning Glass Works. Steuben produced glass in 7,000 shapes and 140 colours until World War One. But wartime restrictions made it impossible for Steuben to acquire the materials needed to continue manufacture and the company was consequently sold to Corning Glass Works. A major change in management occurred in 1932 as the Great Depression hampered the sale of Steuben and there occurred a dwindling interest in coloured glass. So Steuben started to produce colourless art glass and the artistic direction shifted towards modern forms. In addition, the company developed a clear glass that had a very high refraction index (how light spreads through the medium), which enhanced the fluid designs. The project “Asian Artists in Crystal” began in 1954, when, searching for new production designs, Steuben sent Karl Kup, the curator of prints at the New York Public Library, on a two-year trip throughout Asia. His task was to commission a single drawing from artists of his choice. When complete, the 36 drawings were transposed to a variety of glass objects and engraved by American craftsmen. The drawings, later presented to the New York Public Library where they remain, were included in the exhibition. Rejected drawings, which may be of interest, are also housed at the library. L.T.P. Manjusri’s ‘The Goddess Tara’ and (inset above) the artist as portrayed in the catalogue of A duplicate set of the drawings was shown at the Corning Glass Center; the the exhibition, ‘Asian Artists in Crystal: Designs Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Marshall Field and Co., Chicago; by Contemporary Asian Artists Engraved on Gump’s in San Francisco; and other stores carrying Steuben Glass. Thus Keyt Steuben Crystal’ and Manjusri received lengthy exposure of their work in America, though limited in content. “The art of the East and the craftsmanship of the West” In the catalogue’s Foreword, David Finley, Director, National Gallery of Art, and James Rorimer, Director, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, state: “The collection Asian Artists in Crystal is a felicitous combination of the art of the East and the craftsmanship of the West. Here is yet another proof that art knows no boundaries and that culture is one of the strongest links between civilized men.” According to Finley and Rorimer, “Friendly understanding and common interest completed this unique project.” In the introductory “The Drawings”, Karl Kup relates how he received messages of support before he began his quest: “’The war brought great stress to the arts in Korea, but our artists have never stopped painting and sketching,’ read a message from Seoul; and Colombo assured us that an art festival, coinciding with the visit [either in 1954 or ’55], should not only produce drawings of significance but open arms of welcome to the Steuben project.” Which art festival Kup refers to is uncertain, but this period was when the 43 Group was at the height of its fame and popularity, and Keyt and Manjusri were both members of it, so perhaps the festival was related to this leading post- Second World War, post-colonial art movement. Kup asserts that Eastern artistic The artist Manjusri (far left) with Minister Kalugalle (centre) and Prime Minister SWRD convention, though inspired, has Bandaranaike (right) admiring the works blinkered cosmopolitan awareness: “Steeped in the tradition of their own countries and beliefs, most Asian artists have but little (centre)The artist and PrimeManjusriadmiring Minister (far left) theSWRD with works MinisterBandaranaike Kalugalle (right) knowledge and understanding of the arts of the West. Their paintings, their drawings, their sculpture quite naturally follow established cycles of subject matter; their manner of rendering is indigenous, almost intuitive.” “It may suggest the murals of Ajanta and Sigiriya” “As I proceeded towards Thailand, Burma, India and Ceylon, I found religion, Buddhist and Hindu, to be the mainspring of inspiration.” This was true regarding both designs from Ceylon. Keyt’s “The Bodhisattva Vishvantara Gives Away His Wife”, reproduced on a stunning narrow, elliptical vase, 17 inches (43cm) tall, was declared by Kup to be “drawn in bold and liquid lines, monumental in its sparseness of detail. It may suggest the murals of Ajanta and Sigiriya and the lessons taught by Cézanne and Picasso, but the student of American craftsmen work on the vases, faithfully following the Buddhism in Ceylon will recognize the artist’s intention of artists’ designs (above and below) keeping his brush free from outside influence. “Aware of the decaying past, urged by humanist aspirations, George Keyt has developed technique after technique, and has now become one of the giants of Asia. Speaking of his design for glass engraving, he said: ‘An artist is a true member of society only if he can adapt his art to the need of his fellow man.’” In Religions of South Asia: An Introduction (2006), edited by Sushil Mittal and Gene Thursby, the actions of the Bodhisattva Vishvantara are explained: “One of the most well-known Jataka tales, at least in Sinhala tradition, tells the story of the Bodhisattva in his penultimate life, when he was born a prince destined to become a king.