Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka

Now on view

‘Total Landscaping’

12 September 2024–29 May 2025

‘Total Landscaping’ explores the broad, dramatic, and stirring ways in which land has been transformed in Sri Lanka. The exhibition brings together 29 contemporary artists whose works go beyond traditional illustrations of landscapes. Instead, their works register the different ways in which perceptions of land have been constructed and contested.
‘Total Landscaping’ unfolds as a sequence of changing displays that elicit
an all-out renegotiation of our relationships to land.

Rotation 1
12 September–1 December 2024

Anomaa Rajakaruna
Arulraj Ulaganathan
Barbara Sansoni
Chandraguptha Thenuwara
Danushka Marasinghe
Dominic Sansoni
Hanusha Somasundaram
Jagath Weerasinghe
Jasmine Nilani Joseph
Jesper Nordahl
Pradeep Thalawatta
Sebastian Posingis
Stephen Champion
Suntharam Anojan
Thavarasa Thajendran
Thisath Thoradeniya

Rotation 2
15 December 2024–2 March 2025

Abdul Halik Azeez
Chandraguptha Thenuwara
Danushka Marasinghe
Dominic Sansoni
Jasmine Nilani Joseph
Koralegedara Pushpakumara
Pala Pothupitiya
Pradeep Thalawatta
T. Shanaathanan

Rotation 3
15 March–29 May 2025

Bandu Manamperi
Danushka Marasinghe
Laki Senanayake
M. Vijitharan
Muhanned Cader
Ruvin de Silva
Sakina Aliakbar
Senaka Senanayke
Sri Walpola
Sundaram Anojan
Tashiya de Mel

Curated by Sandev Handy and Thinal Sajeewa

Exhibition Design by Jonathan Edward assisted by Raeesah Samsudeen

Exhibition Identity by Nia Thandapani

Exhibition Production by Malshani Delgahapitiya

Editorial by Kaumadi Jayaweera

Translations by Ambikai Forman, Kaumadi Alawathugoda, Miriam Naveendran, Pirintha Kulasingam, Raeesha Ikram, Ravihari Ravendrakumar, Saambavi Sivaji, and Shiyalni Janarthanan

We would like to thank all the artists, lenders, funders, and our Founding Patrons for the generous support in making this exhibition possible.

Additional thanks and gratitude to:

A. Ragunathan
Abdul Majeed Ajhar
Akesh Fernando
Anoja Seneviratne
Aruna Sanjaya
Bilesha Fernando
Crescat Management, Maintenance, and Security
Dinesha Pinnagoda
Dinindu Jagoda
Dinuk Senanayake
Dinuki Panditharatne
Ferial Ashraff
Field researchers and members of SEDR, NAFSO,
OPEN, MWDF, CHRD, FIRM, RWF
Jeyanithy Jenithan
Jeyanithy Ranjithavathany
M. Chandrakumara
Kalpa Munasinghe
Kamal Sanjeewa
Kanil Dias Abeygunawardene
Lahiru Udara Rabel
Mahinda Abeysinghe
Neeta Suvarna
G. D. Dilrukshi
W. Chandrasiri
Parish Priests in Mannar and Vavuniya
Parents, siblings, mentors, and friends of
Jasmine Nilani Joseph
Piyadasa Muthubandara Malini
Priyan Shanaka
Priyantha Wickramaratna
R. Rishanthan
R. Thanaraj
Rohana Bandara Herath
Rahul Ratnayake
Rasika Silva
Saman Alvitigala
Samanthi Udagedara
Sandya Kulathunga
Shathis Perera
Shreen Abdul Saroor
Staff and directing members of Mannar and Vavuniya Mediation Boards
Suminda Janaka
Suresh Nadeshan
P. G. Amarajeewa
T. Pushparani
Teachers in Cheddikulam, Mannar, and Vavuniya
The people and community leaders of Pallimunai, Chilawathurai, Mullikkulam, Chettikulam, Vavuniya, and Nedunkeni
Three-Wheeler drivers, bus drivers and conductors, and co-passengers in public transport in Mannar and Vavuniya
Veerasingam Chandrakumar
Velautham Jeyanithy
Veerasingam Chandrakumar
Velautham Jeyanithy
Women development officers in Cheddikulam

The Museum gratefully recognises the immense support of its Major Benefactor and the Founding Patrons 2024

Major Benefactor

John Keells Foundation

Founding Patrons 2024

The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka is a non-profit organisation that receives annual financial support from a group of Founding Patrons. We proudly recognise and thank the following Founding Patrons for working with us to build a museum of modern and contemporary art in Sri Lanka.

Abbas and Alnaas Esufally
Ajit and Chandani Gunewardene
Amitha, Arshia, and Shasthi Silva
Angeline Ondaatjie
Anila and Romesh Bandaranaike
Christoph Feyen
The Fitch Family
Kumar and Ranmali Mirchandani
Leena Hirdaramani
Niloufer Esufally Anverally
Roshni and Sheran Fernando
Samantha de Silva
Sharmila and Akram Cassim
Sheamalee Wickramasingha and
Mahen Weerasekera
Shivanthi Atukorale and Ravin Basnayake
Suresh Dominic

‘Total Landscaping’ exhibition is generously supported by

SEDR Sri Lanka

Main Exhibition Sponsor

Advent Projects Private Limited

Additional support provided by

Foto Design

Lego International (Pvt) Ltd.

Radio Partner

Yes FM

Calendar

October 2024

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The Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Sri Lanka is a new education-led initiative that aims to establish a public museum dedicated to the display, research, collection and conservation of Sri Lankan modern and contemporary art.

Our priority is to create a museum that is compelling, inclusive and relevant to the art histories that are unique to the contexts of Sri Lanka.

In the coming years, the museum will be defined through a process of exploration into what a museum of the future can be, who it will serve and how it will function. Through a process of reflecting aloud and in collaboration with different audiences, we hope this initiative will provide the opportunity to think about the space of a museum in different ways.

How can we approach language, class and socio-economic barriers to ensure that we are more inclusive and reflective of the contexts in which we are located? What can we learn and adapt from museums around the world? How will we contribute to the changing role of museums today? We will continue to pose these questions and those like them, in the belief that the museum it gives rise to will be better because of it.

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