Maze - by Bandu Manemperi and G.R.Constantine

2006-11-18T10:08:00.000-08:00

The exhibition had only one large installation and one performance collaboratively done by both artists. An audio cd The Anthem of The Maze was also played along with videos of news broadcast of social conflicts.

"Ours is an anesthetized society. We are oblivious to other's pain. We have lost our capabilities of either empathizing or sympathizing.

The weapons of "mass instruction" give us the view of a distant theatre. Our living rooms become the safe pavilions for watching far away wars, and killings. We are the cheering spectators.

We have found psychological mechanisms to justify our collective amnesias, and have anesthetized ourselves to block out traumatic experience of the society.

Once we are in this world of decadence, we loose all rationality, where priorities get misplaced, and extreme emotions govern the order of the day. This is the maze we have entered into."

An exhibition of performance art and installation- Maze by Bandu Manemperi and G.R.Constantine was held at the Lionel Wendt Gallery from November 2 nd to November 4th 2006. The exhibition was sponsored by Theertha International Artists Collective.

2006-11-18T10:04:00.001-08:00

Paricipating artists G.R.Constantine and Bandu Manamperi seated in the middle of their sigle installation

2006-11-18T10:04:00.000-08:00

Both artists have started to work on the concept six months ago

2006-11-18T10:03:00.001-08:00

"War is like a cricket match. Everyone is very interested in the number. All are keen to know how many were killed in both sides, when there is a war. Cricket fans want to know the score of both teams, when there is a cricket match. The impact of a war is not felt by the politicians. Only innocent civilians get affected. War is glorified, and, the national flower of Sri Lanka "Mahanel Mal" (Nymphese Stelleta) is used for this purpose.Once we enter the Maze, it's very difficult to come out" says G.R. Constantine

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"The installation reflects the reality.It's very emotional. We do not think about it very deeply, but we all pay the price of war" say the art lovers

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"Although I have not witnessed the war directly, I know the impact of a war. I was victimized in the 1989 violence in the South. I still feel the pain in my heart. It's unforgettable. I can show an injury on my body, but I can't show my injury in my heart. An injury in the heart is more painful than an injury on the body. Some have suffered during the war, and have injuries on their bodies.And we all have injuries in our hearts, because of the bitter experience due to war. We can heal an injury on the body, but we cannot heal the injury in the heart" says Bandu Manamperi

2006-11-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

Both artists believe that, a collaborative work is better than an individual work