Interview

• IR : V.P.Vasuhan, could you first introduce yourself to our visitors ?

VPV : My name is V.P.Vasuhan, I was born and brought up in Alaveddy North, and grew up in Colombo, Sri Lanka. I lived in Cyprus (Nicosia, Ayia napa, Larnaca) and then I moved to France (Paris).
   I am the eldest child and have two sisters Sathyabama and Niththila. My father’s name is Mr.Velupillai Poopalasingham, and my mother Thevhi.
   I studied at Mahajena College, Thelipalai - Colombo Hindu College, Sri Lanka, and I finished my studies in the Center of Higher Studies (Casa college) , Nicosia , Cyprus.
   I have always participated in art events and exhibitions throughout my studies. My first show on large canvas, was in 1997 - at the Melina Mercuri Hall, Nicosia, Cyprus, with five Cypriot and one British artists. I also worked as an Assistant for my art teacher Mr.Glyn Hughes. My first Solo exhibition was in 2004 - Bayadere, Paris, France.
   I am still on my path with colours...

• IR : Being a young boy, did you already feel you would become an artist ? When did you begin to paint ?

VPV : I am currently involved in many different artistic experiences; acting, photography, music (DJ), dance and poetry, but these all came as later experiences, whereas I have always painted. Since I was a small child, I have always been interested in painting, especially in colour. Even now, if I sometimes forget drawing and colour, they won’t let me forget them. As soon as I was attracted to colours, I felt that I had to draw, I started with my father, Mr. V. Poopalasingham, who also bought me good materials to start with. I continued at kindergarten with Mrs. Indra, then at the Mahajana College, with my first art teacher Thiyagaraja Master, and later in Colombo at the Hindu College with my art teachers Lalitha Nadaraja and Mr. Thayabaran. Under their guidance, I participated in all art exhibitions and events organised during my school years. I continued my higher studies in Cyprus, where I fortunately met Mr Glyn Hughes, with whom I took part in my first group exhibition in November 1997. Working with him made me feel like an artist for the first time, even though I was quite scared about being an artist at first. I held my first solo exhibition in Paris, in June 2004, the second one in the same year, and since then I have held one show every year with new material. I am still continuing today.
   My friends started calling me an artist, I didn’t really feel like an artist at first, but I liked showing my work to my friends, and now I feel that I can call myself an artist, even if I still need to keep on working. Time will give me the answer whether I am truly an artist.

• IR : Did you have training, did you take lessons ?

VPV : Yes, and all my teachers taught me many things, but the most valuable training for me was especially my time with Mr Glyn Hughes, working with him in his own studio for nearly four years.

• IR : Which painters do you admire ?

VPV : Like everyone, I really love nature, which has always been my first admiration. I can’t say that I admire a painter, it depends more on the theme of their painting than on the individual person. Of course I love the great landscape painters, Van Gogh, Monet...

 

• IR : Where do you take your inspiration from ? Is your country an inspiration for you ?

VPV : I take my inspiration from nature, which is everywhere, and from my friends, which are everywhere. I have lived in three countries, with different atmospheres, languages and cultures in each one, which give me new ideas for my paintings, but of course I can’t forget my country, my motherland, with its green nature. I still work on many paintings with that in my mind. Cyprus, to me, is a blue island, with the sea always around you. Paris has given me the chance to see many great masterpieces and France also has a lot of inspiring atmospheres.

• IR : Looking deep inside yourself, can you say why you paint ? What does it bring to you ?

VPV : As I said, I love colours and painting, and I have to paint whenever I get the feeling to do it. After I finish working, it feel like I have given birth to a child. I am mostly really attracted to nature; landscapes, birds, butterflies, fish, animals,... After growing up, I realised that even when I am angry I love to throw colours on canvas to calm down. Some paintings I work on deal with the problems in the world and how people are fighting to survive, like the civil war in Sri Lanka. I am especially affected by the suffering of students and of orphan children.

• IR : Why did you decide to move to Europe ?

VPV : After studying in Cyprus, I went back home and I wanted to find a country where I could best continue my career, so I deeply thought about which country would be the better place to continue my painting

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http://www.indereunion.net/actu/vasuhan/interVasueng.htm