Kavan Balasuriya (b. 1992, Colombo, Sri Lanka) is an artist working with drawing and
engraving. His practice explores light and shadow, surface and depth, and abstraction and realism. Inspired by emergence within complex systems, he composes geometric and gestural abstractions. His process creates intricate fields of pattern and form, the sum of which is greater than its parts. Kavan works between the tangible and intangible - between what's felt and what's known.
The artist uses aluminium foil to examine movement and stillness. Here, he makes
connections and contentions that challenge the experience of perception. He etches and engraves the foil, resulting in visual effects and optical illusions. Kavan draws from architecture in using the 'site' of foil as a 'field' to generate compositions. He traces its folds and textures to form the basis of his images. These actions turn the medium into a pattern generator, where each repetition differs. Kavan uses it to explore the nuance and animateness between space, matter, and the human mind.
Kavan earned a B.A. in Fine Art (2014) and a Foundation Diploma in Art & Design (2010) at Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, University of the Arts London, UK.