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The series Under the Dark Sky poignantly captures the uncertain and unsettling atmosphere that emerged in the wake of the pandemic. The works in this series reflect not only the social and economic upheavals caused by COVID-19, but also other globally destabilizing forces; the political uprising in Sri Lanka during the economic crisis and the war in Gaza. The sombre palette and discordant brushstrokes essays a pervasive sense of anxiety and discord, as the artist grapples with the turmoil of the past decade. Weerasinghe not only contends with the reckoning that has emerged in the face of mass suffering but also notes the possibility for optimism and change driven by collective action. The series imagines a future in which the people’s struggle causes disruption to the status quo, disrupting existing power structures.
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Discovery of Ceylon : Ruined Stupa 6, 2024
Acrylic on Canvas, 152 x 97 cm
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While the artist's early works were marked by an inability to comprehend the brutal violence and bloodshed that defined Sri Lanka’s post-independence landscape and the guilt of witnessing ethno-nationalist violence unfold, Discovery of Histories shifts focus to the underlying forces that drive such violence. The artist’s gestural language, once dominated by youthful anger and righteous frustration, now captures the disarray and confusion that has characterised his attempt to rationalise the seemingly irreconcilable political and social dilemmas. His works no longer merely reflect disillusionment but evolve into an observation of the systemic issues that perpetuate extremism and violence, offering a critical view of the forces shaping contemporary global conflicts.
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Discovery of Histories | JAGATH WEERASINGHE
Past viewing_room
