Dream Through Art
By Anushka Saelen
Layla Gonaduwa opened her third art exhibition entitled ‘Dream Weawer’ on September 4 at the Barefoot Gallery.
Her pieces in this exhibition are created through the method of enamelling which she is self taught in, and the fact that she is given the freedom to express herself without constrictions. This freedom suits her theme of dreaming as she can demonstrate through her work what she dreams for Sri Lanka to be like. Enamelling is the fusion of glass on to metals such as silver, copper, gold and high carbon steel. Miss Gonaduwa considers this exhibition to be an extension of her work that she created for the Colombo Art Biennale which was held earlier this year. The link between her pieces for both exhibits can be labeled as her personal dream of what she hopes Sri Lanka to become now that its in a post war stage. This particular exhibition showcases organic shapes, illustrating the sense of movement, expansion and connection, which depicts the process in which dreams are created from ones sub consciousness into reality.
“Some might call a dream an illusion. I like to think of it as a seed that consciously or unconsciously takes hold and weaves its roots in a web, guiding our actions to its eventuality.” Her personal definition of the word dream, explains the five different themes as they describe the different stages involved in turning one’s dream to reality. Dream catcher: These pieces are 3D shaped wall installations using glass on copper, zinc sheets and wire. The significance of each piece is to represent a dream catcher waiting to capture our dreams.
Dream Seed: These circular shaped plaques is to signify the dreams being in the form of a seed and taking root.
Dreamling: At this stage the dreams are slowly turning into reality.
Dreamweawer: These pieces demonstrate the dreams becoming tangible.
Emanate: These paintings illustrate how someone’s hopes or dreams can be brought out even through times of darkness.
The exhibition is open to the public from September 4 to 16.
This exhibition showcases organic shapes, illustrating the sense of movement, expansion and connection, which depicts the process in which dreams are created from one’s sub consciousness into reality
