On View
‘Encounters’
11 February 202219 March 2023
Does a chance encounter between one thing and another alter how something familiar or commonplace is otherwise seen? Can two artworks placed side by side reveal something new about each of them?
This exhibition is structured as a sequence of changing displays which bring together six encounters between artworks from the 1950s to the present.
Each display revolves around and responds to a specially chosen painting drawn from the John Keells Holdings or the George Keyt Foundation art collections. The six encounters propose playful and at times contentious comparisons between the familiar and unexpected.
Visitors are invited to return to Encounters over the course of three rotations:
Rotation 1
11 February–22 May 2022
Abdul Halik Azeez
Afro-Asian Writers’ Bureau
Aubrey Collette
Martin Wickramasinghe
Permanent Bureau of Afro-Asian Writers
Senaka Senanayake
George Keyt
Pradeep Thalawatta
Asai Rasiah
George Keyt
Richard Gabriel
Susiman Nirmalavasan
Rotation 2
22 June–13 November 2022
Abdul Halik Azeez
Afro-Asian Writers’ Bureau
Aubrey Collette
Martin Wickramasinghe
Permanent Bureau of Afro-Asian Writers
Senaka Senanayake
Firi Rahman
Gamini Ratnavira
Ismeth Raheem
Laki Senanayake
Rotation 3
8 December 2022–19 March 2023
Abdul Halik Azeez
Afro-Asian Writers’ Bureau
Aubrey Collette
Martin Wickramasinghe
Permanent Bureau of Afro-Asian Writers
Senaka Senanayake
A. Mark
George Keyt
Nelun Harasgama
George Keyt
Janani Cooray
Encounters is curated by Sharmini Pereira, Chief Curator and Sandev Handy, Assistant Curator.
Exhibition and Graphic Design by Studio M: Emile Molin with Jonathan Edward assisted by Ruth Perera and Keshini Wewegama.
Translations by Kaumadi Jayaweera, Kirubalini Stephen, Miriam Naveendran, Phusathi Liyanaarachchi, Saambavi Sivaji, and Shiyalni Janarthanan.
We would like to thank all the artists, funders, and lenders for their }
generous support in making this exhibition possible.
Additional thanks to:
Afzal Farook
Anoja De J Seneviratne
Aravinda Dharmathilaka
C. Anjalendran
David Janszé Jr.
Dilko Samaranayake
Emile Molin
Jennifer Senanayake
Jithain Hathiramani
Jonathan Edward
Murfad Shariff
Niroshi Jayasekera
Padma Bandaranayake
Pathmanesan Prasanth
Prof. Hala Halim
Prof. Tariq Mehmood Ali
Prof. T. Sanathanan
Prof. Virinder S. Kalra
Rasika Silva
Ruvini Ekanayake and team at Crescat Boulevard
Shawnerine Abraham
Shayari de Silva
Stefan Winkler
Thisath Thoradeniya
Udaya Hewawasam
‘Encounters’ is generously supported by
Nations Trust Bank
Additional support provided by
Asian Hotels and Properties PLC
European Union
Fairfirst Insurance
Foundation for Arts Initiatives
Goethe Institut Sri Lanka
John Keells Foundation
MICD Associates
Studio M – CMB (Pvt) Ltd
Gallery 1
Home, Land, Survey, Country
1Fig. 1 90° 18’ 43.057 N 80° 47’ 11.726, E (2014)
Cassie Machado (b. 1982)
2Barrelism Tourist Map (1997)
Chandraguptha Thenuwara (b. 1960)
3GPS Drawing: Jaffna to Delft, 9.30 am to 10.30 am, Boat, 10 Feb 2015 (2015)
Muhanned Cader (b. 1966)
4GPS Drawing: Jaffna Hostel (Kalviyankadu) to Ramanathan Academy (Maruthanarmadam), Three-wheeler, 12 km, 26 April 2012 (2012)
Muhanned Cader (b. 1966)
5GPS Drawings, England 2011, Oxford to Paddington, Train, 1.01 pm to 2 pm, 2011 (2011)
Muhanned Cader (b. 1966)
6GPS drawing: Killinochi to Vavuniya, Train, 2011 (2011)
Muhanned Cader (b. 1966)
7GPS Drawing: Kudirimale to Wilpattu National Park Gate, 53km, 1.40 pm to 5.40 pm, Jeep, 7 October 2017 (2017)
Muhanned Cader (b. 1966)
8GPS Drawing: Fuengirola to Córdoba, 8.30 am to 11.18 am, Bus, 9 August 2017 (2017)
Muhanned Cader (b. 1966)
9GPS Drawing: Babaragasthalawa to Kumana campsite, 10 km, 1.15 hr, Jeep Toyota 4×4, June 2011 (2011)
Muhanned Cader (b. 1966)
10Independence Day Colombo 1991 (1991)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
11St Peter’s Old Boys Reunion, Colombo (1991)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
12Private Lessons, Colombo (1991)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
13Rosie’s Deportment Class, Colombo (1989)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
14Tourist, Ahungalla (1991)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
15Spoken English, Balangoda (1988)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
16If You Boycott the Elections the Penalty Is Death, PRRA, Peoples Revolutionary Red Army, Galle (1989)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
17Corridors of Power: Drawing and Modelling Sri Lanka’s Tryst with Democracy (2015)
Channa Daswatte (b. 1965), Sanjana Hattotuwa (b. 1977), Asanga Welikala (b. 1976)
18Andare of Sri Lanka (1978)
Tilak Samarawickrema (b. 1943)
19Andare of Sri Lanka (1978)
Tilak Samarawickrema (b. 1943)
20Ceylon Since Soulbury Part I: A History in Cartoons by Collette (1948)
Aubrey Collette (1920–1992)
21Sinhala English Dictionary in a Steel Jail (2007)
Kingsley Gunatillake (b. 1951)
22The One Year Drawing Project: May 2005–October 2007 (2008)
Muhanned Cader (b. 1966) , T. Shanaathanan (b. 1969), Chandraguptha Thenuwara (b. 1960), Jagath Weerasinghe (b. 1954)
23Purification Ritual in the Manik Ganga, Kataragama, Ceylon (1957)
Reg van Cuylenburg (1926–1988)
24Hindu Penitent with Kavadi, Kataragama, Ceylon (1957)
Reg van Cuylenburg (1926–1988)
25Hindu Penitent, Kataragama, Ceylon (1957)
Reg van Cuylenburg (1926–1988)
26Nowhere Is Now Here (1985)
Laki Senanayake (b. 1937)
Gallery 2
Gaze, Self, Portrait
27Me, Myself and I (2010)
Arjuna Gunarathne (b. 1976)
28Masked JVP Supporter, Tangalle (1987)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
29Female Searching, Checkpoint at Pallai (2007)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
30–33Untitled (c. 1930s)
W. J. G. Beling (1907–1992)
34Do Not Measure Me (2001)
T. P. G. Amarajeewa (b. 1972)
35I Let My Hair Loose: Protest Series II (2010)
Anoli Perera (b. 1962)
36I Let My Hair Loose: Protest Series I (2010)
Anoli Perera (b. 1962)
37I Let My Hair Loose: Protest Series IV (2010)
Anoli Perera (b. 1962)
38Living Sculpture (2004)
Sujeewa Kumari (b. 1971)
39Broken Hands (1998/1999)
Pradeep Chandrasiri (b.1968)
40Somewhere Between Truth and Its Telling (2007/2012)
Ruhanie Perera (b. 1979)
41Somewhere Between Truth and Its Telling (2007/2012)
Ruhanie Perera (b. 1979)
42Broken Palmyrah (1999)
Godwin R. Constantine (b. 1964)
43Safety Pin (2009)
Manori Jayasinghe (b. 1972)
44Lionel Wendt Caricature (c. 1940s)
Aubrey Collette (b. 1920–1992)
Gallery 3
Landscape / Landscapes, Territory
45–59Nightscapes (1999)
Muhanned Cader (b. 1966)
60–62Nightscapes (1999)
Muhanned Cader (b. 1966)
63Nightscapes (1999)
Muhanned Cader (b. 1966)
64Ravana (1991)
Nillanthan (b.1965)
65This Is Not a White Flag VII (2012)
Chandraguptha Thenuwara (b. 1960)
66Thorns V (2011)
Chandraguptha Thenuwara (b. 1960)
67Rest (2012)
Manori Jayasinghe (b. 1972)
68Journey I (2015)
G. Samvarthini (b. 1989)
69Journey II (2015)
G. Samvarthini (b. 1989)
70Fence VII (2018)
Nilani Joseph (b. 1990)
71Fence VIII (2018)
Nilani Joseph (b. 1990)
72–106Alai (1975 –1990)
Various authors
107A Song of Ceylon (1985)
Laleen Jayamanne (b. 1947)
108The Song of Ceylon (1934)
Lionel Wendt (1900–1944), Dir. Basil Wright (1907–1987), Prod. John Grierson (1898–1972)
109Yellow Tower (2019)
Tissa De Alwis (b. 1956)
110–117Untitled—various works (1997)
S. H. Sarath (b. 1947)
118View from Layards Road House Window (1969)
W. J. G. Beling (1907–1992)
Gallery 4
Loss, Belief, Mourning
119I have got enough guilt to start my own religion (1992)
Jagath Weerasinghe (b. 1954)
120A Mother in Sri Lanka (1992)
Jagath Weerasinghe (b. 1954)
121Broken Stupa (1992)
Jagath Weerasinghe (b. 1954)
122I have got enough guilt to start my own religion (1992)
Jagath Weerasinghe (b. 1954)
123I have got enough guilt to start my own religion (1992)
Jagath Weerasinghe (b. 1954)
124Instant Nirvana PVT LTD (2000)
Bandu Manamperi (b. 1972)
125Bullets (2007)
Kusal Gunasekara (b. 1974)
126War Text (2007)
Kingsley Gunatillake (b. 1951)
127Portuguese Slave Trader (2019)
Tissa De Alwis (b. 1956)
128Mazari Chieftain with Young Girl (2019)
Tissa De Alwis (b. 1956)
129Paper (2011)
Kannan Arunasalam (b. 1972)
130Kerosene (2011)
Kannan Arunasalam (b. 1972)
131’83 (2016)
Sumudu Athukorala (b. 1979), Sumedha Kelegama (b. 1988), Irushi Tennekoon (b. 1989)
132Glitch V (2016)
Chandraguptha Thenuwara (b. 1960)
133J.R on TV, Colombo (1989)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
134Monks on TV, Colombo (2007)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
135Prosthetic Feet, Jaffna (1987)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
136No Glory (1998)
Sarath Kumarasiri (b. 1968)
137Artefacts from Jaffna (2013)
T. Krishnapriya (b. 1987)
138Missing (1995)
T. Shanaathanan (b. 1969)
139Study for Kannagi (c. 1963–72)
Tissa Ranasinghe (1925–2019)
140Displacement (2015)
M. Vijitharan (b. 1985)
141Refugees Returning to Talaimannar (1991)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
142Tyre
Pradeep Chandrasiri (b.1968)
143Disappearing and Reappearing Landscape (2012)
Pradeep Thalawatta (b. 1979)
144Raja Theatre Halt (2012)
Pradeep Thalawatta (b. 1979)
145Tissa’s Plasticine Models, Colombo (1989)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
146New Dagoba, Near Mutur (2012)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
147Baby in Sari, Maskeliya (1989)
Stephen Champion (b. 1959)
148Cradle (2012)
Manori Jayasinghe (b. 1972)
149Cabinet of Resistance No. 2 (2016)
T. Shanaathanan (b. 1969)
150Last Supper (1993)
A. Mark (1933–2000)
151Jesus (not dated)
Fareed Uduman (1917–1985)
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