A sculptor at work

One Vice Chancellor sculpts another Vice Chancellor! A most rare occurrence indeed. Recently the statue that the Vice Chancellor of the University of the Visual and Performing Arts Sarath Chandrajiva did of the founder Vice Chancellor of the University of Ceylon Sir Ivor Jennings was unveiled.

“This is my first sculpture after becoming Vice Chancellor. A wonderful experience,” Sarath C told me. A few years back, he sculpted the first Vice Chancellor of the Sri Jayawardenapura University, Venerable Welivitiye Sorata Nayaka Thera. Then he was a senior lecturer. 

He gave details about Sir Ivor’s statue. “The medium of the sculpture is bronze. Lost wax process was used for casting. Height of the figure is nine feet and it is mounted on a three-foot granite pedestal.”

How did it all start? When it was decides to do the statue as part of commemorative events to mark the 75th anniversary of the University of Ceylon, he was selected by the Council of the University of Peradeniya on the recommendation of Professor K.N.O. Dharmadasa.  

It was tough job. Sarath C had never met or seen Sir Ivor. He was not even born at the time Sir Ivor left Sri Lanka. It was only in mid-1955 that he was born. Sir Ivor left in December 1954.

How did he set about the task? “I read a lot of articles written about him. I referred publications on the internet. The book ‘The Road to Peradeniya’ written by him was very useful. There were other books which came in handy,” he said.

Sarath C also interviewed a few persons. Among them were a former Vice Chancellor, Prof. B.L. Padithratne, who was an undergraduate during Sir Ivor’s time, Prof. K.N.O. Dharmadasa, and veteran journalist Edwin Ariyadasa, a student in the university’s early days.

“I collected photographs of him and studied his anatomy, height, proportions, special features in his body language, and facial expressions,” Sarath C said. 

The next step was to do sketches based on the information he had gathered. “I did several sketches and a 3D Marquette with a height of 18 inches and made a visual presentation to the Vice Chancellor and the relevant committee members.” After getting their approval he started work on the actual figure at his studio in Wennappuwa.

Sarath C had interesting things to say about doing the final product. “The movement of the sculpture was taken from his walk at the University Convocation procession. Through interviews and articles I got to know that he was a chain smoker. His second and third fingers of the left hand shows the gesture of holding a cigarette and with the right hand he is holding his cloak tight – a gesture to illustrate the standard of the Sri Lankan degrees.”

When work was completed, the Vice Chancellor, several professors including Prof. K.N.O. Dharmadasa and Prof. Panditharathne along some other university staff members came to the studio to inspect the sculpture. 

How was the location to erect the statue decided? Sarath says as the sculptor he selected the place which he felt was the most suitable after touring the Peradeniya campus. “When you come through the university from the Galaha Junction the monument is found on the landscape area at the entrance to the Senate building. It is located at a place where the public too can view it easily.”

Sarath C was assisted by Purna Ranmuthugala in the project.  

The master-sculptor is quite happy with the final outcome and was personally present at the unveiling ceremony on 6 December by Sir Ivor’s granddaughter, Rebecca Caine, a professional vocalist in England.

Sararh Chandrajiva has produced yet another masterpiece.