Vimukthi Jayasundara
Why do you do, what you do, for Art?
 

Vimukthi Jayasundara, Film Director, in conversation with Azara Jaleel.
 

Why do you love art?
There is no tomorrow without Art, because tomorrow is in your imagination and it is Art that facilitates imagination.

What is your role as a Film Director?
Imagining the worst and the most beautiful occurrences in life so that the viewers are ready to face any situations.
 
Why did you choose to work with moving images and not another form of Art?
Everything in this world involves movement, so I also wanted to work with a medium that embraced this feature.

What aspect would you like to see develop/be introduced in the Sri Lankan short film scene?
Increased amounts of film exhibitions/screenings – only then will people be more aware of the medium and expand ways to express their thoughts and emotions.
 
Who is you favourite Lankan artist and why?
Lakshman Joseph De Saram – because he thinks through music; identifies rhythms in films, music in visual art, and what I realised was that one cannot take the musician out of him at any point!

What do you think is the coolest art space in Lanka and why?
The Galle Fort for its potential to grow as a complete and natural gallery.

Why should someone who doesn't care about art develop an interest for it?
You may not care about Art, but Art takes care of you – like I said before, tomorrow is in your imagination and imagination is art.

What do you think are the roles of film festivals?
Film festivals take care of the viewers from the point they start to the point they end, unlike other sources of information, films don’t dictate – they expand your knowledge without prejudice.

If you could be a famous artist, deceased or alive, for a day, who would you be and why?
Someday, I would like to reach the potential of Stanley Kubrick, the American film director.
 
In your perspective, is it more advantageous or disadvantageous to commercialise Art and why?
I have no objections in commercialising art as long as the content is not compromised.

 

Azara Jaleel is the Editor of ARTRA Magazine, Sri Lanka’s Art Magazine

 

Vimukthi Jayasundara
Why do you do, what you do, for Art?
 

Vimukthi Jayasundara, Film Director, in conversation with Azara Jaleel.
 

Why do you love art?
There is no tomorrow without Art, because tomorrow is in your imagination and it is Art that facilitates imagination.

What is your role as a Film Director?
Imagining the worst and the most beautiful occurrences in life so that the viewers are ready to face any situations.
 
Why did you choose to work with moving images and not another form of Art?
Everything in this world involves movement, so I also wanted to work with a medium that embraced this feature.

What aspect would you like to see develop/be introduced in the Sri Lankan short film scene?
Increased amounts of film exhibitions/screenings – only then will people be more aware of the medium and expand ways to express their thoughts and emotions.
 
Who is you favourite Lankan artist and why?
Lakshman Joseph De Saram – because he thinks through music; identifies rhythms in films, music in visual art, and what I realised was that one cannot take the musician out of him at any point!

What do you think is the coolest art space in Lanka and why?
The Galle Fort for its potential to grow as a complete and natural gallery.

Why should someone who doesn't care about art develop an interest for it?
You may not care about Art, but Art takes care of you – like I said before, tomorrow is in your imagination and imagination is art.

What do you think are the roles of film festivals?
Film festivals take care of the viewers from the point they start to the point they end, unlike other sources of information, films don’t dictate – they expand your knowledge without prejudice.

If you could be a famous artist, deceased or alive, for a day, who would you be and why?
Someday, I would like to reach the potential of Stanley Kubrick, the American film director.
 
In your perspective, is it more advantageous or disadvantageous to commercialise Art and why?
I have no objections in commercialising art as long as the content is not compromised.

 

Azara Jaleel is the Editor of ARTRA Magazine, Sri Lanka’s Art Magazine