Jagath Weerasinghe is pivotal to the exposure of contemporary Sri Lankan art, and has been a significant driving force in its development since the early 1990s.  Recognising the need for a cohesive framework for his peers at this time, Weerasinghe coined the phrase the ‘90s Trend’ to describe artistic activity.  He co-founded the Theerta International Artists Collective in 2000, which continues to foster new artists and initiatives.  According to his understanding of the 21st century, artists are currently living in an era of ‘para-modernism’ in Sri Lanka.

Weerasinghe’s own art, mostly as a painter and draughtsman, is deeply informed by his society’s actions.  His work examines and critiques Sri Lankan anxieties, responding to collective attitudes – as he identifies them – and taking themes such as nationhood, religion, identity and confrontation for commentary.  The artist’s work reflects his unresolved dialogue with his subjects, as shown through a number of series on recurrent themes.  For example, different approaches to the Dances of the Hindu god Shiva have appeared regularly in Weerasinghe’s work over the last two years.  Dense acrylic and watercolour consume his picture planes in a whirl of feet and legs, stamping out evil in a fury of yellow, orange and black.  These intense depictions allow Weerasinghe to explore the troubling contradiction of religious violence and the flaws of institutionalised devotion.   

Weerasinghe was educated in the visual arts at the University of Kelaniya and the American University, Washington D.C.  He has exhibited extensively and is presently Director of the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, University of Kelaniya.  Weerasinghe’s contribution as a critical and theoretical voice in the roles of artist, teacher and critic continues to nurture and encourage artistic output in Sri Lanka.

Education

1991    M.F.A. Degree in Painting, American University, Washington D.C.        1988    Conservation of Rock Art, Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles, USA       
1985    Conservation of Wall Paintings, International Center for the Scientific Study  and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM)               
1981    B.F.A. Honors in Painting (Second Class Upper Pass) Minor: Sculpture, Institute of Aesthetic Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka