Art and Music

Jagath Weerasinghe is a contemporary artist and archeologist who expresses his ideas through his creative paintings. As an artist, he had begun his initial education in visual arts at the Institute of Aesthetics Studies from the University of Kelaniya. He also holds a Master of Fine Arts from the American University in Washington DC. Having received many recognitions at Sri Lankan and international platforms throughout the years, he hosts another exhibition in November, which will feature a collection of his unique paintings. The exhibits in this show, as usual, are about social calamities and personal pains. Currently, the world is experiencing a major civilisation crisis played out as mass migration and millions of people are forced to leave behind their 'lives' and 'memories'. His paintings are trying to take on an intimate engagement with the suffering–ontological anxieties of the individual caught in a crisis that is global and local at the same time. For everyone that has left a place, there are so many others who are left behind. The combination of his work as an artist and an archeologist is visible on paper for the observers. He presents his idea through the medium of acralyic on canvas and oil paintings. 

Expressive features reflect from the canvas paintings of artist Jayantha Silva, whose realistic figurative drawings and portraits showcase numerous human expressions and emotions. Jayantha has masterfully captured small moments of time that resonate within the viewer. Astute use of charcoal, acrylic and soft pastels breathes life into the subjects that range from the young to old. "As a child I was always interested in figures and portraits. It is mostly from my memory and imagination, observing what is around me. I look at things and I remember things", says Jayantha. The paintings are inspired by Jayantha Silva's imagination and the power of his eidetic memory, which subconsciously remembers features that he later may draw on the canvas. The title 'Expressions' aptly describes the theme Jayantha bases his work on. 

A group exhibition by 11 artists including Janaki Perera, Indrani Kariyawasam, Chantal Dissanayake and Khaalisha Ilham. A mix of acrylics and oil on canvas, focusing on different themes and techniques will be on display. 

Artist Hiranthi Jayasundara's exhibition expresses her style, with figurative, landscape and abstract elements. Her unique collection of paintings with acrylic paint on canvas is aesthetically pleasing. 

An exhibition will feature Chinese Calligraphy, Painting and Photography by Zhongshan City of Canton province, China; Wang Ping, Gao Kalihong, Hu Xiaomin, and Ma Xiaojia and three Sri Lankan artists: J A S P Aravindana, Champani Devika Vevaraja, and K M D N Shanaka.