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JAGATH WEERASINGHE
Jagath Weerasinghe Sri Lanka, b. 1954
Dambulla VII, 2013Acrylic on paper24 x 24 cm
9 1/2 x 9 1/2 inCopyright The ArtistDambulla is of autobiographical relevance to the artist, as it sits at the cusp of his aspirations as a young conservationist and his love for the homeland. It marks his...Dambulla is of autobiographical relevance to the artist, as it sits at the cusp of his aspirations as a young conservationist and his love for the homeland. It marks his return from the conservation site in 1983 to witness the violence unfolding in the city – of burning vehicles and people. The artist, for a moment, thought the violence was justified. But this is also the moment that made him instantly aware of the nationalistic tendencies within him and filled him with deep remorse.
Dambulla thus becomes a metaphor for the accompanying sense of disillusionment – about his self, beliefs and the island that was his home. The artist identifies this moment as a turning point when his ideals were shattered.1of 2
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