“There is no singular constant in my work. Instead, my life experiences and perspectives shape everything I do, even in the simplest acts, such as dressing myself.”
Chathuranga Gamage’s previous show, Landescape 32, was inspired by the alchemical pursuit of transforming base metals into gold. Using construction site debris, he crafted landscapes from the overlooked and forgotten, uncovering a deeper truth; that true wealth is not something to be acquired but something already present, waiting to be seen.
Now, with Landescape 35, Chathuranga ventures beyond the mental horizon, embracing the philosophy that the essence of humanity is found in being human, rather than merely existing as one. He considers himself a subject of objects, finding expression in simplicity rather than imposing meaning.
At a glance, Chathuranga is easily recognizable as the painter of this collection. On the first day of the opening at Lionel Wendt, he carried a humble yet satisfied demeanor, reminiscent of an author who writes a story for the reader to relate to; a story that no longer belongs to the writer but becomes part of the reader’s imagination. That’s how he views life, humble in sharing his thoughts, yet passionate enough to inspire others while leaving room for them to create their own side of the story. The pieces are absorbing; one could glance at them and move on or spend hours looking into them, realizing the world is full of little worlds.
Please note that the reflections below are solely within the grasp of the writer’s own perspective.
Landscape 0001, Diyawanna Lake - 2023, mixed media on cement bags and corrugated iron sheet pasted on board. The story here depends on the eyes of the beholder; at a glance, it appears as though the snakes are protected by the Diyawanna crocodiles.
Landscape 0003, Terra Cimmeria on Mars - 2022, mixed media on cement bags pasted on canvas. Eridania, a paleolake that existed during the early part of Mars' past, when liquid water was abundant in the southern highlands. Though the water is now gone, valleys and shorelines remain, as well as plenty of sediment rich in various clay minerals. Chathuranga captures the essence of Mars’ beauty and questions how we overuse our surroundings, creating marks that are now permanent.
Landscape 0005, 0006 Watawala Estate - 2023, mixed media and cement bags on construction ruin, wood panel. This piece speaks of the beauty once found in nature, the way life was protected and uplifted in a green paradise. But as time passes, the pulse of life fades, and the green becomes lifeless, unknowingly losing its essence.
Landscape 0018, Harbour Hambantota – 2024, mixed media and cement bags on a 70's calendar. At first, the irony of the 70s calendar caught my attention. A Chinese man stands beneath a large tree that has been manipulated, with the “free” sign implying that the harbor generates less profit.
The dollar sign, signed by Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, raises questions about whether he was trying to win foreign hearts. This piece also references the famous rock that delayed the completion of the Chinese-funded port in the south of Sri Lanka.
Landscape 0019, Ministry of Power and Energy, Sri Lanka: Mixed media and half gas cylinder, life size. The half cylinder symbolizes the incomplete, the part of life that remains unfulfilled. The creatures landing on it, unaware of its half-size, represent our desires, while the adjacent artwork captures the greed that fills us with emptiness, devoid of color and life.
Landscape 0023/1|2|3, A Race That Cannot Be Eradicated – Galvanized steel. Dragonflies, present in almost every painting of Chathuranga’s, symbolize us. With time, we, too, become a race that cannot be eradicated, weighed down by the screws in the corporate world that make us feel heavy, preventing us from flying freely. Like the dragonflies, we are predatory in nature, yet delicate.
In Conversation with Chathuranga Gamage
Your work often transforms overlooked materials into meaningful creations. What rives this philosophy of finding beauty in the mundane?
Dwelling into life and its meaning becomes overwhelming and immense. If we could take a step back and let our senses absorb the generic things that most of us, consider mundane there is a whole world out there that we are missing to feel and experience. It is purely the beauty in the unseen that is right under our noses.
You’ve mentioned that interpretation is left to the viewer. How do you balance your personal expression with allowing the audience to find their own meaning in your work?
As an artist, the time I spend with creating a piece of work, I let myself sink into the abyss of spontaneous thoughts that flicker through every step of the way. It molds meaning to me that may never resonate with anyone beyond that moment of trance I experience. The beauty in having people interpret their own meaning provides a theory that creativity transcends beyond a set guideline. The serenity for people to journey into their own thoughts and interpretations is a moment of realization without one realizing.
Nature seems to play a significant role in your work. How does your relationship with the natural world influence your art?
It may seem a gift or something that cultivated in me over years – the ability to see colour in vast vibrance compared to how most of the world sees gives me immense joy. Nature provides me a source of solitude that cannot be explained. The combinations of colour that I use in my work is me picking shades straight from natures pallet.
What advice would you give to young or aspiring artists who are trying to find their unique voice in the art world?
Being different makes you stand out. Identifying the difference that is where the talent lies.
You often describe your work as “experiences of expression” rather than traditional art. How do you think this distinction changes how your work is perceived?
The expressions of my life are never constant. To have that singular moment of clarity at any given point in time and having to capture it into art and portray my experience of that moment is what I do. How its perceived would come back to how one interprets it in their moment of solidarity with the work.
Each Landescape piece reflects a distinct narrative or mood. Is there one piece from the series that holds a particularly personal meaning to you?
They are all my children. One cannot really pull a favorite from the lot.
Chathuranga hopes people pay close attention to what we’ve lost, not to worry about what we may lose, but to protect what we have now. He believes the present is the best place to be. His mission is to create a teleport of artistry that people can access, bringing lessons to those who are ready to learn.
