Colombo’s art scene saw a vibrant new addition on 24 April with the opening of the Colombo Art Gallery on Gandhara Street.
The Gallery
Colombo Art Gallery is the result of Dian Gomes’ long-standing passion for art, consisting of his private collection from across the globe with a fine curation of renowned local artists. A treasure trove for art enthusiasts, Colombo Art Gallery is a space created for authentic engagement, enabling community enrichment through a shared space of integrity and collaboration.
Colombo Art Gallery is located down Sri Lanka’s only art street, Gandhara street, the history of which goes back to 2004, and the inception of lifestyle store Gandhara, housing unique pieces of furniture, art, and artefacts. Over the last 15 years, Gandhara Street has become a one-stop destination for retail and cafe culture, with the creation of a horizontal mall of over 30 art, retail, and lifestyle businesses.
Driving representational art
Speaking at the opening, Gandhara Founder Dian Gomes shared that the vision of Gandhara Street was one that he had held dear ever since first opening Gandhara, and that Colombo Art Gallery, being Colombo’s largest gallery in the area, goes a long way towards making this vision a reality. The Colombo Art Gallery was meant to open last year, but this was postponed due to the pandemic.
Close to Gomes and Colombo Art Gallery’s heart is promoting representational art. “Representational art has not been very popular the last 10 years,” Gomes shared. “Abstract is preferred. The whole idea of Colombo Art Gallery is to show representational art, but this doesn’t preclude other artists with different styles from showcasing. Every month, we’re hoping to have exhibitions and have varying artists showcase their talents. As the owner, my job is to promote them all and take the opportunity to show Sri Lankan art and push it to the international arena.”
Odyssey in collaboration with the 2020 Group
The Colombo Art Gallery’s opening exhibition, Odyssey, is held in collaboration with the 2020 Group, a group of 12 illustrious artists who have all trained for years under international and local masters and gained international recognition for their skill, and who have come together to create the 2020 Group, and in so doing, foster a renaissance of sorts of representational art.
The artists of the 2020 Group include veteran artist Kalabooshana Gunasiri Kolambage, renowned master portrait artist Kalabooshana Brindley Jayatunga, painter and sculptor Kalabooshana Nihal Sangabo Dias, champion portrait artist Dr. Shanaka Kulatunga, contemporary classical artist Dillai Joseph, realistic and impressionist artist Sunil Katugampola, hyperrealism artist Anupa Perera, contemporary representational artist Basil Cooray, representational and stylised figurative artist Charita Lay, portrait and figurative artist Senani Senanayake, watercolourist, illustrator, and cartoonist Wasantha Siriwardana, and versatile representational artist Sachith Graham De Silva.
Explaining representational art and what that means, Dillai Joseph of the 2020 Group explained that representational art is what most people consider realism; art that has no abstraction. “Representational art has to represent something of reality; it has to be close to reality. The work by the 2020 Group and its artists is within the framework of representational art,” Joseph said. “It can be different genres like landscape art, figurative, portraits, still life, and so on and in different styles be it stylised, realism, impressionism, idealism, hyperrealism, etc., but it will fit within the spectrum of representational art.”
A reflective respite for art enthusiasts
The Colombo Art Gallery is housed within a bright, airy space that provides a welcome and inspiring respite to art enthusiasts from the hustle and bustle outside. Colombo Art Gallery is an invitation to immerse oneself in this pensive atmosphere along Sri Lanka’s first art street, and soak in the art and culture of the area, with delicious food and over 30 art and lifestyle stores within a stone’s throw of each other.
PHOTOS Pradeep Dambarage
