• Modern art  shaping  discourse at ‘Three Songs of Ceylon’

Modern art can sometimes divide opinion. Whether it be pieces of visual storytelling or auditory images, the role of modern art has been widely discussed in our society. 

In order to explore the fascinating world of modern art, The Daily Morning Brunch visited a curator’s tour of ‘Three Songs of Ceylon’ with Sandev Handy organised by the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art at Park Street Mews. The tour was held on the 8 February while the exhibition will go on till the 11 February. 

Exploring narratives 

Many of us have seen a few examples of storytelling in our lives. Some of them have been magical, the others debatable. The tour gave us a glimpse of one of Sri Lanka’s earliest tea commercials, exploring how the narrative used the growing trend of orientalism to brand Ceylon tea. 

“People were really intrigued by the orientalist culture and far distant lands,” Handy said. “So the commercial, which was shot in the midst of colonialism, really presented Sri Lanka as a land full of devil dances and traditional rituals.” 

Handy noted that as the colonial advertisers controlled narratives on Sri Lanka and its people, they created a sense of trustworthiness to entice western audiences. 

“In order to make audiences in the western world believe that Sri Lanka was the perfect blend of orientalist culture and modernity, they used Lionel Wendt, a Sri Lankan, to narrate the advertisement,” Handy said. 

Handy said that while the initial commercial was problematic, it inspired new takes on what art and filmmaking can do. 

Alternate realities 

While the commercial was filled with colonial messaging, artists were bold enough to reject and even create alternative versions of this piece. One film piece that caught our attention was ‘The state of things’ by Rosalind Nashashibi. 

The piece depicts a Salvation Army jumble sale in Scotland that was filmed in the year 2000. However, the artist subverts expectations by using a grainy black and white filter and an Egyptian song from the 1920s to give the footage an ethnographic feel.

“Many of these film techniques are used to convey a sense of exoticism,” Handy said. “What the artist wanted to do was take the western techniques and use it against a western setting.” 

Many viewers were surprised to learn that the film was shot in a western setting and intrigued by the level of detail and prejudice that was evident. 

“Storytelling techniques can always be changed and used for an alternative story,” Handy said. “It is amazing that these techniques can open our eyes to the narratives of colonialism.” 

Female-centered narratives 

While most narratives have Eurocentric ideas, many stories are often filled with the struggles and triumphs of men. 

“We often see women in movies or tv shows fulfilling a secondary role to men,” Handy said. “A lot of us see a hero’s journey which is supplemented by a woman. 

Handy showed us a piece of film that shows a woman who is on her own physical, emotional and psychological journey through various different moments. 

Yet, what really grabbed our attention was a work titled ‘Mustafa Mustafa’ which was a construction of a bedroom with a vintage television, furniture and a few scripts lying on the bed. The audience was invited to sit on the furniture and interact with the work as if it were their own space, further making us fall in love with the idea. 

“The artists, Sharika Navamani and Imaad Majeed, were captivated by a classical film, Kadhal Desam, which shows two male leads fighting for the love of a woman,” Handy said. “The artist questioned the role of the woman as just a character to cater to a heteronormative culture. The relationship between the two men was far more complicated and complex than the addition of a female love interest.” 

Handy said that telling these alternate stories creates a sense of discourse about what a woman’s role is in art and society. 

Different perspectives 

While the exhibition was filled with opportunities to question and explore our own thoughts and biases, one of these works stood out. 

The tour concluded by a work consisting of two vintage television sets where a newscaster presented the same story in different ways.

“The art represents the bias of different narratives,” Handy said. “Sometimes as seemingly unbiased as news can be represented in a different context by language, color and even clothing so it’s always good to be mindful.” 

Handy said that it is these different stories that shape who we are as a society and a nation. “Art doesn’t just tell stories,” he said. “It challenges the way we think and live in the world.”