The'90s trend' the second significant movement, began primarily in Colombo. Groups of young artists made their way up and are energizing the contemporary art scheme in a dynamic manner. "The aspect that would recognizably describe the 90's trend is its conscious effort to define art as an expression of 'now' and 'right here', art and the art-making process as an expression of being contemporary. In other words, a majority of the contemporary artists show a common conviction in their artistic efforts by necessarily placing themselves and their creative energies within the 'current cultural moment' and its immediate past, and less frequently in distant antecedents. This necessity to be in the 'current cultural moment' states a common idea, consciously or unconsciously held by most of the contemporary artists; that is the refusal of a metaphysical narrative that couches a wish to be universal in a theological and trans-cultural sense"** Most prevalent subject matters of them are the experiences of the urban environments, the consumer culture, and the chaotic social and political environments in their rural villages and home-towns.

Sanjeewa's work is directed towards a new dimension and is not connected very directly with defining the 'present'. However, it does not exclusively portray exotic, primitive, decorative or metaphysical narratives. He finds his motifs in colonialism and post-colonialism, the period between 1555-1977 which contrasts the 'Western' visual aesthetic style with South India traditional art, craft and spiritual art. Colonial expansion is a story of the meeting between European and Asians peoples. Over 450 years of colonization and 30 years of independence this trans-cultural conversation took place. Most significantly and permanent changes because of the complex impact of imperial cultures on native civilizations. His works establish a forum to discuss these issues. Kumara's work redefines western influences on South Asian art; he remodels its absolute archaeological data, values and observations.

Sanjeewa's disciplines include painting, drawing and sculpture. The few recent years he has spent in Europe have given new energy to his work and have changed the viewpoint of contracted ideas, allowing him to reflect objectively on the perspective of 'self'.

He says: "While Rembrandt was commissioned to paint 'The Night Watch' Devaragampola Silwathenna, court painter for King Keerthi Sri Rajasingha at the Kandy Court in Sri Lanka developed a new style of Buddhist temple mural paintings. This new style started to take influence from foreign architecture and art as well as from native art and culture. In Victorian times pictures of the Buddha, Queen Mary and King George were painted in a unified style and placed over the doorways of private homes on the south coast of Sri Lanka. Dutch architecture was also used for major Buddhist temples; the Malwathe Buddhist temple in Kandy, and the Gateway of the Buddhist temple at Kalaniya in Sri Lanka.".

Sanjeewa Kumara is reconstructing and remodeling the classical Western style within the Asian visual style. Kumara's new artwork clearly has youthful energy; whether socially conscious or simply esthetically intriguing, these works manage to be both patriotic and global-minded.

Enschede, 10 June 2003, Sujeewa Kumari-Weerasinghe