AR 77 BRAMMAM: Cultural event remembering artist Asai Rasiah on 19 and 20 Aug. in Jaffna

AR 77 BRAMMAM, a special commemoration cultural event that connects the North with the South through the work and memory of Jaffna based artist and former Royal College teacher of Art, Asai Rasiah will be held on 19 and 20 August at the Thanthai Chelva Auditorium in Jaffna. 

Commencing from 9 a.m. onwards, the event which is the 77th birth anniversary of the artist will be open to especially youth artists from across Sri Lanka to learn about the life and work of an artist who was instrumental in portraying the typical Jaffna of yesteryear memory that included landscape and its people. 

The event is organised by his daughter, Gayathri Rasiah, with the support of key institutions and personalities of Jaffna. 

Gayathri Rasiah is a Bharathanatyam dancer and Jaffna cultural department officer. The key components of the event will include the following; a dance performance on the divine connection between Yoga and Bharathanatyam by Gayathri and Rahavi, the memories of artistic discourse and friendship with Asai Rasiah by Jaffna’s most recognised and veteran poet, S. Pathmanathan (So. Pa), launch of book on Yoga and artistic life authored by Jaffna University Hindu Civilisation Faculty senior lecturer and Yoga instructor, S. Ramanarajah, the unveiling of the statue of artist Asai Rasiah sculpted by Prof. Sarath Chandrajeewa, recollections of being a student of Asai Rasiah by P. Prasanth, lecturer of the Ramanathan Academy of Fine Arts of Jaffna University and the narration of the artist’s biography through dance by dancer S. Srikannan.  The Chief Guest at the event is Professor Chandraguptha Thenuwara of the University of Visual and Performing Arts in Colombo who will make the keynote address. Also attending will be several senior South based artists who interacted closely with Asai Rasiah and promoted his work in the South.

Asked why she used the term Brammam for the event Gayathri says; “Brammah is the creator in Hindu religion. His duty is to create humans and animals. So my view is that my Appa is also a creator ... because he created art and re-created humanity through art.”

The Harmony page will provide special coverage of the event.

All university youth, academics and those interested in art as a form of human connection/communication and wish to attend the event can contact Gayathri Rasiah for further details on 0772184384.

In a bid to support young YouTubers who do meaningful cultural coverages, we publish below, with due permission, the link for the Tamil language medium YouTube channel Yarlvasal tv of Suntharampillai Rajeskaran which has the Tamil language explanation of the event by Gayathri Rasiah.

https://youtu.be/MNyBtIcXjPY