Saskia Fernando Gallery

2009, Saskia Fernando Gallery established in Colombo, Sri Lanka

Saskia Fernando Gallery was established with the vision of expanding the discourse on Sri Lankan art and strengthening its presence both regionally and globally. Representing both leading and emerging artists based in or originating from Sri Lanka, the gallery aims to showcase a cross-section of the country’s dynamic modern and contemporary art landscape.

Founded in 2009 by Saskia Fernando, the gallery pioneered the professional representation of contemporary Sri Lankan artists and continues to serve as a leading platform for their critical practices across exhibitions, art fairs, and international collaborations. Through projects in cities including London, Singapore, Dubai, Los Angeles, and New Delhi, the gallery has contributed to positioning Sri Lankan art within a global conversation while building regional networks.
In 2023, Saskia Fernando established KALĀ South Asia, a dynamic platform dedicated to celebrating modern and contemporary South Asian art and amplifying its narratives both locally and across the diaspora. Conceived as a cross-regional initiative, KALĀ has fostered dialogue between artists, curators, and institutions, expanded research and publishing efforts, and created new opportunities for visibility through exhibitions, residencies, and public programming. In 2025 within an expanded framework, KALĀ incorporated the developmental projects previously spearheaded by SFG. The platform now encompasses the A4A Production Grant alongside other artist-focused initiatives including residencies for the Sri Lankan arts community-at-large, strengthening long-term support structures for research, experimentation, and production across South Asia.

With two locations in the heart of Colombo, in Colombo 3 and Colombo 7, the gallery continues to expand public access to art while creating dialogues that connect historical foundations with current artistic practice.
By 2011, the gallery's vision extended internationally with Contemporary Art from Sri Lanka curated Josephine Breese and Sasia Fernando at Asia House in London and with the Drawing Series at Breese Little Gallery in London, introducing new audiences to the island’s evolving practices, while locally the gallery launched the first edition of PechaKucha Night in Colombo to cultivate cross-disciplinary exchange.

In 2013, its regional presence deepened with Temporary Permanence at XVA Gallery in Dubai, further expanding the visibility of Sri Lankan contemporary art and reinforcing the gallery’s role as a conduit between local practice and international platforms. The gallery’s engagement with international audiences continued in 2014 with Decorated and Emergency at Breese Little Gallery in London.

View Catalog: Contemporary Art from Sri Lanka, Asia House , London, UK

View Catalog: Temporary Permanence, XVA Gallery, Dubai, UAE

View Catalog: Decorated and Emergency, Breese Little Gallery, London, UK

View Catalog: Drawing Series, Breese Little Gallery, London, UK
Decorated and Emergency, Breese Little Gallery, London, UK, 2014

In 2016, Saskia Fernando Gallery participated at Art Dubai in Dubai, marking a significant step into the international art fair circuit and expanding its collector and institutional networks.

In 2017, the gallery reinforced its local commitments through a Silent Auction fundraiser supporting The Ceylon School for the Deaf & Blind, demonstrating a sustained investment in community engagement.

2019 saw Crossing Place at Baik Art in Los Angeles, extending the gallery’s reach to the United States. In 2020, amid global uncertainty, the gallery launched the #SupportLocalArt Talk Series to sustain dialogue and visibility for artists, and participated in India Art Fair in New Delhi, reinforcing its longstanding engagement with the South Asian art ecosystem.

View Catalog: Silent Auction fundraiser supporting The Ceylon School for the Deaf & Blind

View Catalog: Crossing Place, Baik Art, Los Angeles, USA
Covert by Chandraguptha Thenuwara, Lionel Wendt Art Centre, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2023

In 2021, Saskia Fernando Gallery established the Artists for Artists (A4A) Production Fund, a long-term initiative designed to directly support the making of ambitious new work and invest in the sustainability of artistic practice in Sri Lanka. The following year marked a significant international moment for artist Chandraguptha Thenuwara, whose Covert Drawings were presented at Frieze London in London, and whose project Covert was included in Personal Structures – Reflections in Venice, expanding the gallery’s presence within key global platforms. In 2023, UK-based the Art South Asia Project joined forces with #SupportLocalArt for a summer talk series, extending regional dialogue,

View Catalog: Covert Drawings, Freize London, UK
Cinnamon Life Public Art Collection, curated by Saskia Fernando, City of Dreams, Colombo, Sri Lanka, 2024

In 2024, Saskia Fernando Gallery expanded its curatorial reach in Colombo, with Saskia Fernando curating the Cinnamon Life Public Art Collection at City of Dreams Sri Lanka in Colombo—a landmark project embedding contemporary art within one of the city’s most ambitious urban developments. Marking a further phase of growth, the gallery also opened a second space at 138 Galle Road, signalling an expanded programme across exhibitions and public engagement.
Persistence of Memory - Chandraguptha Thenuwara and Jagath Weerasinghe, Grosvenor Gallery, London, United Kingdom, 2025

In 2025, Saskia Fernando Gallery extended its presence, participating in Art Mumbai and presenting Persistence of Memory, a collaborative exhibition by Chandraguptha Thenuwara and Jagath Weerasinghe at Grosvenor Gallery in London, highlighting critical contemporary practices from Sri Lanka on an international stage. That year also saw the continuation of public engagement through the Cinnamon Life NUWA Public Art Collection, curated by Saskia Fernando at City of Dreams Sri Lanka. In 2026, the gallery further extended its curatorial influence locally by curating the rotating art collection at HNB The Club, embedding contemporary art within everyday social environments in Colombo.
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