Spreading vibrant Sri Lankan art

13 Strokes, a collaborative exhibition of 13 professional painters of different styles and mediums ends today

Kala Pola is known as one of the few places where the common man is able to buy and view art on a grand scale. Many artists feel that there should be other platforms for them to display their art and also for people to go and experience art in Sri Lanka. To this end 13 artists decided to organise an exhibition where they could collaborate and display their art together.

What began as Anura Srinath’s idea was then communicated to a few artists who work in different mediums who then suggested other artists, all of whom the group felt were at the top of their specific style. Thus began 13 Strokes – A collaboration of 13 professional painters of different styles who came together with the goal of spreading the vibrance of Sri Lankan art outside of Kala Pola. Their exhibition is currently on at the Lionel Wendt Gallery.

The artists are Gunasiri Kolambage, Gamini Abeykoon, Sudath Abeysekara, Anura Srinath, Basil Anton Cooray, Sanjeewee Senevirathna, Anton B. Perera, Tiddy Abeysuriya, Kanivumathiy, Hemantha Warakapitiya, Anupa Indika Perera, Susil Jayashantha Perera and Rohan Dassanayaka. Their specialities cover water colours, line drawing, classical realist painting to charcoal drawings etc, while the artists themselves range in age from 23-75.

Tiddy Abeysuriya feels that the exhibition is a chance for people to come and witness art without worrying that they will be wasting their time. “When people come and view an exhibition sometimes they feel that they have wasted their time because they dislike the art on display. This exhibition is different purely because anyone who loves art will definitely have something which they will like to see because there is so much diversity,” he says. They also feel that the support each artist has received from the rest of the group has been invaluable as all the artists have considered each other peers regardless of age or years of experience. The group aspires to exhibit their work in other parts of the island so that people can experience a collection of work even out of Colombo in the future.

The opening ceremony of 13 Strokes was held on June 23 and the exhibition is open to the public today from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Lionel Wendt. All 13 artists warmly invite all art lovers and wellwishers to visit.