Colour: An Art Exhibition by S. H. Sarath

The exhibition, titled ‘Colour’, will showcase S. H. Sarath’s most recent works

Step into an oasis of bright colours, shapes and transcendent depictions at the 2025 exhibition hosted by renowned artist, S. H. Sarath. The exhibition, titled ‘Colour’, will showcase his most recent works. The exhibition will run from April 3 to April 6, from 10 am to 6 pm. It will be held at Sarath Gallery, located in 18A, Sarasavi Garden Road, Nawala Road, Nugegoda. This is your chance to get your hands on the celebrated works of this illustrious artist, whose paintings are currently being showcased at Sri Lanka’s National Gallery, Bandaranaike International Airport, UNICEF and United Nations, Geneva, to name a few. He is also the winner of the 2017 Kalasoori Presidential Award.

The beauty of Sarath’s works is that they depict the raw truths of life, including love, lust, spirituality, human struggle and the abjection of sins, in non-concrete ways. There are many possible interpretations of each painting, making them special to the individual who beholds them. While the interpretation is subjective, it is still wonderful to have the artist’s perspective on their own work. I have therefore discussed Sarath’s favourite work of the exhibition with him. It is called Lovers, and it combines Kandyan art and costume with Picasso’s cubism. The flowers represent the happiness of the couple depicted in the portrait, and the love blossoming in their hearts. The lotus flower blooming in the male partner’s hand is a specific representation of his pure and undiluted love. Sarath has made use of many shades of colour, depicting the dream-like state created by the ecstasy of a perfect relationship. The message of this painting is that love is eternal and the one thing we should all strive for, no matter our age or social station.

Sarath was born in Weligama and was inspired by the Kandyan mural paintings that adorned the walls of the local temples, as well as the seascapes and coastal forests of his village, and even the colourful shopping bags found at the local market. His academic development of his artistry began at the Government College of Fine Arts in Colombo, where he specialised in painting and sculpture between 1968 and 1973. He attended Silpakorn University in Bangkok, Thailand from 1979 to 1980 under a UNESCO Fellowship to study Thai and Sri Lankan art. Lastly, he studied visual arts and printmaking at the University of South Australia in Adelaide in 1995 and 1996. His main artistic mediums are oil paint and ink, but the confluence of his varied education is evident in the wide tapestry of his visual and textural palette.

Sarath has also lent his touch to makeup and costume design for the cinema and has had a hand in stage sets for musical and dramatic performances. However, his paintings are his most revered accomplishment, as his style of art is something that cannot be learned, but a unique amalgamation of his intellect, perception and ability to pull apart a subject and put it back together using a combination of traditional Sri Lankan and Western artistic elements. So why not drop by and gaze upon these paintings? You may just discover something about the world around you, or even about yourself reflected within the brush strokes.

The writer has a PhD in Humanities from the University of New South Wales, Australia.