Super Artist H.A. Karunaratna’s creative expression, evolved over a long period, monumenting a variegated series of fluctuating inner states. In the course of one of his passing phases, his art reflected serenity and a subdued tranquility that almost totally effaced already defined forms. At one point in his creative career, he nearly discarded his faithful brush and palette, when his mind began to preoccupy itself, once again, with solid form. During this spell, he tended to resort to the seemingly harsh mechanism of metallic sculpture. He gave this unyielding medium a surprising pliability and worked the metal as if it were malleable clay.
In his current creative effort, displayed in a series of beguiling canvases, H.A. Karunaratna registers the meditative distance he has traveled, leaving the past far behind. In his relentless search for a telling idiom, to capture the yearnings that agitate the depths of his inner being. He emerges with a cycle of creative works that unmistakably form a collective scream, as it were, issuing from the subconscious. His latest works are strangely replete with streaks, flashes, blobs, abstract shapes, linear whimsicalities, that seem to share one common element, their aggressive visual impact. A high and eye retaining pigmentation, makes most of these new canvases. Several collages form part of the current series of works. With the exception of single canvas which depicts a landscape, bathed in a bluish aura that may hint either at dawn or dusk, all the other creations come within the domain of the abstract. H.A Karunaratna’s works not at all helpful to those souls, who needs a “meaning” to cling comfortably to. Each piece in this new collection is only an aid to exploration. They are mere sign-posts that lead to whatever perception the viewer prefers to acquire. Personally for myself, in recent years, I have never come upon an offering like H.A. Karunaratna’s latest collection, which makes you wrestle within yourself for an articulate sense of direction. The artist leaves the spectator to puzzle out the enigma, in whatever way he wants. This technique, drives home quite effectively, the folly of viewing a canvas casually, without making an effort to go beyond the routine “title” given to a piece. Viewing the latest series of canvases presented by Artist H.A Karunaratna, is very much a sentimental education. For purposes of viewing and recording convenience, a piece of painting has to be given a “name”. But, the true experience that an outstanding piece of art yields is the sustained and largely silent dialogue a spectator enters into, when viewing a work of art. One cannot help but arrive at the conclusion, that, whatever may be the significance of each individual piece, these works, in their totality communicate a troubling sense of turmoil and agitation. This display vividly makes H.A. Karunaratna’s return to a bright palette. To my mind, this depicts an unswerving conformation, on the part of the artist; with issues he may have wanted to overlook or brush aside. The apparent “boldness of expression” that comes through his present work, is clear evidence of the Artist being bent on reassessing his reaction to the inner atmosphere of his experiences. Those who view H.A. Karunaratna’s new display of works may get easily tempted to categorize these works either as “negative” or “positive”. But, all those creations have to looked at, as facets of a single mind or a single soul – if you like. Given such a context, the spectator has to look at the works for what they are worth. The most compelling outcome of H.A. Karunaratna’s display of works is that it imposes a discipline on the viewer. These works instinct the spectators not merely to look at a canvas but to reflect and mediate upon it. All told, the new works of Artist H.A. Karunaratna is very much about being awhirl, creatively. Artist H.A. Karunaratne never stands still. He is always moving towards still higher reaches of perception, converting them into visual forms that compel viewers too, towards a like experience.
