Indian High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay and Secretary to the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious, and Cultural Affairs Somaratne Vidanapathirana inaugurated Chitralekha – the first art exhibition of Sri Lankan artists studied in India at JDA Perera Art Gallery, Colombo on Tuesday.
The exhibition features seven legendary master artists of Sri Lanka: Ananda Samarakoon, Somabandu Vidyapathi, Ven. L.T.P. Manjusri Thera, George Keyt, Harry Pieris, Upasena Gunawardena and Bernard Lokuge, who had a close connection with Indian art traditions. Five masterpieces were provided by the National Art Gallery of the Department of Cultural Affairs and others were collected from the collections of the families and the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre.
Twenty-six contemporary artists from Sri Lanka studied in different universities of India including Winnie Hettigoda, Sarath Gunasiri Perera, S. Sivaruban, Susiripala Malimbada, Ramyawardena Podinilame, Rinuja Sivasangar and Dr. Manoranjana Herath. Most of them availed the scholarships of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations for their studies in India. About 150 paintings are on display at the art exhibition, which is curated by Prof. Jagath Ravindra and Asanka Jayasinghe.
The cultural arm of the High Commission of India in Colombo, Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre organised the exhibition commemorating the Year of India Alumni being celebrated by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and to mark 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and Sri Lanka and 25 years of establishment of the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre in Sri Lanka.
