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| Artists by alphabetical order |
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Sujith Rathnayake |
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Climate
of his new paintings, its metaphysical fiction marks, its
restlessness and anxiety, its disillusionment and
confusion as in the recent past he has experienced
shocking echoes in his life situation. |
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Name |
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Sujith Rathnayake |
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Born On |
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1971 |
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Born In |
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Sri Lanka |
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Education |
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Bachelor of Fine Arts, Institute of
Aesthetic Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka |
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Commenting or writing on a practicing painter s in Sri Lanka, is
an impossible task. It is certainly not a thing like writing a
phase on the Egypt or scribes who manipulated the canons on art
and their holy snakes, because we know that they could not charm
us nor can snakes bite us any more. Very specially commenting on
modern art movements which have taken place at recent past is an
impossible task.
In fact that the idea of modern art in Sri Lanka, was conceived
in the forties, was due in part to the establishment of the 43
group and its annual exhibitions, and to a large extent as a
more deep seated reasons. After that, the most of so called
modern movements, which was merely a surface stimulus, to the
situation of the Sri Lankan painting in general.
In sixties, after the arrival of H.A. Karunarathne, it was
evidenced that the most of young painters, especially the
students at Heywood, have turned themselves in to the realm of
Non figurative abstract art, without any deep seated
intellectual basis. Since then it was very clear that the field
of painting was dominated with rather cult beliefs and
monotonous practices in the means of thematic
and technical aspects. In general it was a state that not an
exception to the developments of nineties and more of surface
stimulus to
a modern art movements proper.
The significance of Sujith Rathnayake is not only in himself, if
agonizing, breakaway from the monotonous cult practices of so
called IAS nineties, and pursuit of personal idioms to a some
extent; more, he is also a in a point of departure in many of
his thematic contents, liberating its creative impulses, Among,
Sujith's paintings of 2005 "cult story" has some interesting
point of his departure from previous practices. In visual
essaying and experience to his personal crisis I would say it is
not only a self expression but rather a self immolation of odd
obsessions experienced by him.
Climate of his new paintings, its metaphysical fiction marks,
its restlessness and anxiety, its disillusionment and confusion
as in the recent past he has experienced shocking echoes in his
life situation. It is clear that most of his previous
connoisseurs left him and ridiculed him. Due to mental
depression he had had to refuge in the ward 9 of the mental
hospital, he suffered immensely tsunami waves in the coastal
town of Tangalle, not only he lost all his paintings sketches he
had done over a period of three years. But as a courageous man
Sujith is not left alone, he has collected many life experiences
and enriched his visual literacy and pictorial
vocabulary.
It is no doubt Sujith journey is not yet over and only the
beginning, indeed winds blew, made through a new avenue of
creativity for
him.
Sarath Surasena - Ward 9 (Lionel Wendt Gallery, 2005) |
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Selected Solo
Exhibitions |
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1999 |
First Solo Exhibition Lionel Wendt Art Gallery (Presented
by The Serendib Gallery) |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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2000 |
Paradise Road Art Galleries |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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2002 |
"The Dark Passage", Lionel Wendt Art Gallery |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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2004 |
"Ka Ga Ja"
Studio@HWarchitects |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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2005 |
"Ward 9" Exhibition
of Paintings,
Lionel Wendt Art Gallery (Presented by bayvon.com) [Online
Exhibition] |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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Selected Group Exhibitions |
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1995 |
Youth Award Festival National Youth Centre (Organised by
the National Youth Council Service) |
Maharagama, Sri Lanka |
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1995 |
Annual Art Exhibition National Art Gallery (Presented by
the Sri Lanka Arts Society) |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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1996 |
Art Festival Exhibition University of Moratuwa (Presented
by the Students' Art Society) |
Moratuwa, Sri Lanka |
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1998 |
"New Direction" (by 10 artists) Mount Castle Gallery(Artists
presentation) |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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1999 |
Two Artists Exhibition Kandalama Hotel(Presented by the
Kandalama Hotel) |
Kandalama, Sri Lanka |
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1999 |
"New Artists" Exhibition National Art Gallery (Presented by
the George Keyt Foundation) |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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1999 |
Young Contemporary Artists Exhibition National Art Gallery
(Presented by the George Keyt Foundation) |
Colombo Sri Lanka |
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1999 |
3rd International Artists Exhibition National Art Gallery (Organised
by Geothe Institut, George Keyt
Foundation, British Council, Alliance Française, Indian Cultural
Centre, Norwegian
Embassy & Vibhavi Academy) |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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1999 |
State Art Festival National Art Gallery (Presented by
Painting and Sculpture Sub-committee,
Sri Kanan Arts Council) |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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1999 |
'The Sculpture of Contemporary Sri Lanka' National Art
Gallery (Presented by the George Keyt foundation) |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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1999 |
9th Asian Art Bi Annual Gallery of Silpakala Academy Dhaka,
Bangladesh
2000 Four Artists Exhibition Lionel Wendt Gallery |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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2000 |
An Art Exhibition for Peace and Reconciliation Gallery 706
Art Gallery (Organised by International
Centre for Ethnic Studies, Law and Society Trust and
Thiruchelvam Academy of
Fine Arts) |
Colombo, Sri Lanka |
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Awards |
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1995 |
"Merit Award" National Youth Award Festival, National
Youth Council Services |
Sri Lanka |
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1999 |
"Artist of the Year Award" – Young Contemporary Artists
Exhibition, George Keyt
Foundation |
Sri Lanka
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1999 |
"Merit Award" – State Arts Festival – Arts Council of Sri
Lanka |
Sri Lanka |
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Workshops and Residencies |
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1998 |
3rd International Artists Camp Coral Garden Hotel (Organised
by Goethe Institut, George Keyt Foundation,
British Council, Alliance Française, Indian Cultural Centre,
Norwegian Embassy & Vibhavi Academy) |
Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka |
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1998 |
'Basic Art Method' Mahanaga Mandiraya (Organised by
cooperation of the District Cultural Board) |
Hambantota, Sri Lanka |
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1999 |
Workshop with Fiona Hall Geoffrey Bawa's Lunuganga Gardens
|
Beruwala, Sri Lanka |
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