Under the Tree of Enlightenment Print

Although his father’s wish was to educate his son to be a great practitioner in Ayurvedic medicine, life had a different plan for Aryawansa. He gathers inspiration from researching and exploring Sri Lankan and Buddhist history. His artistic approach intertwines history and the present through his mesmerizing storytelling. He has developed a close kinship with the folklore of his motherland, visualizing her stories beautifully and expressively. The world of war, life, death, victory and defeat of ancient Sri Lanka is depicted in the form of graphically striking images that allow the physicality of nature and history to reveal itself. Aryawansa turned out historical scenes such as the ‘Battle of Mulleriyawa’, the Portuguese destroying the Fort in Jaffna, and the arrival of Prince Vijaya into wonderful masterpieces. Working with oils, watercolors, charcoal and mixed media, Aryawansa employs a rich and fresh color palate that capture the essence of rich history. A great sense of depth and nostalgia is created through his great influence by classical paintings. The paintings highlight the realities of life and are enhanced by his skill and effort at rendering lifelike figures with his sharp eye for manipulating proportion and scale. He uses moderate color combinations and integrates line, figure, contrasting perspectives and space to position a sense of realness to the events that have taken place long ago and connotates its effect and timelessness. Inspired by his upbringing within a village atmosphere, his paintings are deeply rooted in the simple lifestyle and culture of the village. His scribbles of these sceneries with charcoal on the walls of his home as a young boy, was the start of his artistic career. His great talent motivated him to create artwork for Vesak Pandols at a very young age and undertake bigger projects in his adulthood, such as decorating the holiday homes and buildings of the Northern Navy Command in Sri Lanka and the living premises and camps of the Regimental Centers for infantries. The spontaneous gestural brush-strokes and mark-making, leave an impression of expression and emotion, especially that tells a story with depth. The color schemes and texture translate content to stimulate the pride of Sri Lanka and its ancestors. His efforts reflect Sri Lankan culture and the essential harmony within nature, humans and history.