Peek and breathe in the hedonistic life of self-declared and self-taught artist Bevis Bawa and enjoy his former fairy tale garden and mansion. Bevis, whose brother Geoffrey was one of the most important Sri Lankan architect, did not have a regular Sri Lankan life-style; first, he never had to care about money, he had a rich papa who bought for example the estate under discussion. Second, he was gay, a hardcore crime according to (former) Ceylonese culture. Third, he smoked 50 cigarettes a day, drank whiskey excessively and organised his own sex orgies in his beautifully designed garden. During his life time dozens of artists stayed at his estate and benefited from the inspiring atmosphere on this former rubber plantation. The Australian artist Donald Friend supposedly stayed five years even though he wanted to stay one week only. Not only shared these two men the passion for art, but also their beds or at least there passion for adolescent boys. All the above life information about Bevis Bawa will help you to interpret and understand the kind of statues placed in the different corners of the garden and the villa.
The road to the Brief Garden leads you through jungle-like forest. Two statues which are made by Bevis Bawa boarder the main gate.
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| Brief Garden, Main Gate, June 2013 |
Once you rang the bell at a closed iron door, the friendly, English speaking caretaker of the estate welcomes you. Enter the garden and get bitten. Mosquitoes will outnumber you, no matter how large your group is. Discover the secluded sitting places with benches and tables, the numerous stairs whose flights are all different in size, and the dozens of little statues all elaborated with love for the detail. Listen to the voices of birds and monkeys and marvel at the many plants that seem to be larger than...hmm...average.
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| Brief Garden, June 2013 |
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| Brief Garden, June 2013 |
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| Brief Garden, June 2013 |
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| Brief Garden, June 2013 |
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| Brief Garden, June 2013 |
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| Brief Garden, Sculpture, June 2013 |
After visiting the garden, walk up to the villa and let you guide through the house of Bevis Bawa and its backyard. Inside the house you find pieces of art differing in size, production method, value, obscenity and authorship. In the backyard a fishpond, a small veranda, an open, beautifully ornate bathing place and a round passing gate awaits you. All in all, the most disturbing piece of art to me - not because it is the only female object here - were the female genitals carved out of a double-grown coconut. Check it out by yourself. No photography of this subject will be displayed here.
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| Brief Garden, Backyard, June 2013 |
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| Brief Garden, Open Bathing Place, Backyard, June 2013 |
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| Brief Garden, Backyard, June 2013 |
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| Brief Garden, Statue, June 2013 |
The Caretaker of the Garden will not only guide you through the house, but also offer you a pot of tea. An offer you should not refuse. It is excellent tea and the view from the veranda is worth staying a while longer in this little oasis before you head back to the bustle of Aluthgama or Bentota town.
Facts about the location:
Entry Fee (guided tour through the house inclusive): 1000 Rupees.
Three-Wheeler from Aluthgama and back (waiting time inclusive): 1000 Rupees.
Tea and Biscuits on the Veranda of the Mansion: Price up to you!
Brief Garden - Why this name? Through a fantastic legal BRIEF, Bevis papa got the estate in 1929. Done!
G-Map:
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