Conversation (live): Chandraguptha Thenuwara

Susan Baik sits down with Chandraguptha Thenuwara, an artist turn activist whose body of work is dedicated to exposing political corruption in Sri Lanka. In 1997 the artist began presenting his self-curated memorial exhibitions, presented on 23 July every year to commemorate ‘Black July’. The exhibitions began with a series of work titled Barrelism, his response to the change in the cityscape of Colombo during the war. A multidisciplinary artist, Thenuwara’s works connect painting, drawing, sculpture and installation made up of the juxtaposition of objects and witty paronomasias. His works  metmorphose to represent  current affairs using symbolism and themes approaching the subjects of conflict and adversity.