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This article looks at Shanaka Kulathunga’s practice and his debut India exhibition Silent Stories at Gallery Silver Scapes, focusing on how his figurative paintings draw from lived experience, memory, and rural life. It highlights the curation by Archana Khare-Ghose and the exhibition’s role in bringing his work to a new audience, framing it as a presentation of personal and cultural narratives shaped through expressive, observation-led painting.
When Sri Lankan artist Shanaka Kulathunga first began his practice, he was told that his art would never provide a future, yet he continued pursuing a career shaped by deep observation and introspection. Born in Sri Lanka in 1981, Shanaka dedicated himself to a practice that navigates the subtle movements of human life and memory. He developed a strong foundation in academic realism and studio discipline through formal training under Chandraguptha Thenuwara, which strengthened his understanding of anatomy and human vulnerability. These elements now form the backbone of his figurative paintings. His work emerges from lived experiences and reflects an empathy for the subjects he portrays, such as teachers, labourers, elders, children, and dancers.
The artist finds inspiration in the people he encounters and the rural landscapes of his childhood. His paintings capture emotions with a sense of immediacy and blend the rhythm of human movement with the fluidity of nature. Shanaka uses rapid and expressive brushwork to bring his compositions to life, exploring themes of identity, affection, and social dynamics by drawing from reality and imagination. Within his oeuvre, motifs like animals, gestures, and specific colours are used as symbols telling stories of struggle, reflection, and the interplay between civilisation and the wild world. Today, he stands among Sri Lanka’s leading contemporary figurative artists.
Shanaka is now preparing to share his work with a new audience as he makes his debut in India with Gallery Silver Scapes, presenting the exhibition titled ‘Silent Stories,’ which serves as a bridge between memory and modernity. This showcase represents a significant step in the gallery's history of introducing diverse artistic practices to Indian viewers since its establishment in 2009. The collection features works in acrylic and oil that explore the intersection of figuration and landscape. These pieces draw from the artist's personal history and the cultural landscapes of Sri Lanka, bringing a slice of his home country to New Delhi. The exhibition highlights how everyday life and personal memories can be transformed into reflective art. Curated by Archana Khare-Ghose, the event also includes the launch of a dedicated publication that documents the artist’s career and practice.
Silent Stories will be on view from May 21 to 28, 2026, at the CCA Building, Bikaner House, New Delhi. The exhibition is open daily from 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with entry open to all.
Follow Shanaka here.
