Walk with an Architect.

It is an interesting connection between art and architecture. There is a long history connected with these two things. In my early time I was interesting in art but I did not have the knowledge to understand architecture. I was around several types of buildings and I interested to live within but I didn’t capture the relationship between us. The same time my art education also had some limitations to study the history of architecture.  In my first year at the university I got a chance to study for a week under the guidance of an architect called Shayan Kumarathas. As a project in the last lesson he suggested to design an artwork for a specific architectural space. All the students including me made a sample design and did a presentation. It was a good experience to learn how to make an artwork based on the medium, concept, space, time and the atmosphere of architecture. Accordingly I studied the history of architecture through the lectures of my professors and spent more time to read the history of Sri Lankan architecture and specially wondered about the huge collections of Geoferry Bawa. In the end I raised with knowledge to read and write about architecture. The same time we have a space in Jaffna is called Sri Lanka Archive of Contemporary Art Architecture and Design (SLAAAD) where I take part a lot of talk and discussions ofartists, architects and historians. It is a good place to learn contemporary art and architecture.

 Last days I met a new friend, she was an architect student from Mumbai had come to see the places in Jaffna. It was a good time for me to visit all the architectural places with her. The crowd bus travels, long hustle walks in the streets we did in the ‘too’ hot daylight but all the time we didn’t stop talking. Jaffna has a long history of architecture of Hindu temples, courtyard houses; catholic churches an also connected with the background of colonial and civil war issues. Most of the visual evidences are disappeared by the civil war and the development.  But by chance still there are some old architectural spaces. Especially Jaffna fort is one of the famous visual elements and it is carrying the essence of whole history of Jaffna. The public library is also seen as a historical element by the historians. Our journey started from the fort and finally it finished with the Nalloor temple. The temple is well known as a ritual and traditional space. Through the walks we could see old buildings which were demolished in the civil war period and also visited to the archaeological museum.

 I could understand that we had different perspective but we shared our thoughts in a way of discussion. I interested to read the form, structure and the changing visual effect of the structure in different atmosphere. The same time I explained about my personal relationship with some specific spaces and told some stories behind it. I remembered my drawings which I did related with them. Mostly her thoughts were questionable and they were based on the background of social and cultural issues of that architecture. We shared a lot of thoughts about all these places and I knew more interesting things about the people, culture and the architectural structures of her state.

 So it is an important thing we meet new people who comes with new ideas and different perspective. It will always give good benefits to learn and understand several type of culture and lifestyle of people and it will make us to think in a new direction. And we will get believe to become stronger in thinking.

                                                         Images of Jaffna fort