About an hour away from Colombo en route to Gampaha, motorists are bound to do a double take at the life-sized bronze elephant standing on the side of the road. A closer look and you see it’s made entirely of cogwheels from children’s bicycles- a trademark sign that you have entered Prageeth Manohansa’s territory.
Bust of the 20 foot tall peacock at the Mattala airport. Pix by Indika Handuwala
For those unfamiliar with this local artist who has been creating waves since the early 2000s, a quick peep at the famous “bicycle tree” in the lobby of Colombo Courtyard, the metal horse atop the Saskia Fernando Gallery down Horton Place and the 20 foot tall structure of a peacock at the Mattala airport may jog their memory.
Much like his soft spoken, humble demeanor Prageeth’s workplace seems to be a true replication of his personality. His garden is his “workshop”; an open space, typically someone’s front yard. A chandelier of green and yellow screwdrivers swings gently to and fro while stag busts, life-like down to their dewy Bambi eyes and soft fur stare back at visitors from the wall. A bullock sculptured entirely out of paper, horses’ heads and half done animals lie scattered around with neat piles of scrap metal lending a typically chaotic yet artistic flavour to the place.