Modern Artists Ⅲ　
The Gaze of Modernity:
Photographs by Lionel Wendt

The Fukuoka Asian Art Museum holds the photograph exhibition by Lionel Wendt (1900-1944), a founder of the “’43 Group”, the first Sri Lankan modern art movement, as the third exhibition of the “Modern Artists” series that introduces a historically significant artist or group who developed a path to original modern art in each Asian country.

Lionel Wendt who was stimulated with the cutting-edge culture of that time during his study in Europe, produced experimental photographs influenced by Surrealism and Constructivism, from early of 1930’s. He made full use of formative ways of Modernism such as making a bold frame and angle that can be made only through a lens, or surrealistic images with special print techniques. On the other hand, his photographs of Sri Lankan daily scenery and customs are full of love for the traditional cultures and tropical nature of his homeland. Especially, through his male nude photographs, we get a strong impression and see Wendt’s unique gaze. In fact, in his photographs we can see an interesting relation involved with universal aspect of Modernism, that is exploration of new visions, and regional and individual aspects.

In this exhibition, we exhibit around 60 photographs by Wendt along with showing of a documentary film, Song of Ceylon of which Wendt supported the composition and narration.