‘PIVOT GLIDE ECHO’ is the current show on display which started on the 10th of February and goes on till the 28th of February. The space is exquisite, clean, spacious and well-lit with divisions in a sort of maze through which one turns a corner and is surprised by the next, unexpectedly brilliant piece of art.

‘PIVOT GLIDE ECHO’ is a combination of many great artists from South Asia, especially Sri Lanka. These historically relevant artists include not only painters but also sculptors, metal works, video and installation artists. It seems surprising that what looks like a small space at the entrance turns into a meandering snake-like adventure through which one is taken into some of the most tasteful examples of South Asian and Sri Lankan art.

A cornucopia of wonderful art from some of the best artists such as David Paynter and Jagath Weeresinghe’s works can be found along with absorbing photographs by Dominic Sansoni and elegant sculptures by Tissa Ranasinghe as well as black and white abstract art by H. A. Karunarathne. A must-see bull sculpture by Laki Senanayake can be stared at for hours as it stands stern and elegant in its silent bronze. A sophisticated batik by Ena de Silva stands alone on one wall while an entire row of colourful photographs occupies another wall. There is an abstract wall with sculptures running all the way up from the floor to the top of the wall. It occupies the entire wall, like a creeping vine, yet is so elegant and subtle that it does not disturb even the white space which holds it up.

There is much more to be seen at ‘PIVOT GLIDE ECHO’.  One could literally spend hours absorbing the variety and the creativity of the above-mentioned as well as all the other artists exhibited. ‘PIVOT GLIDE ECHO’ covers Sri Lankan and South Asian artwork of over a hundred years. Materials from oil on canvas to photographs and letters, and postcards laid on a brick installation; to statues made of bronze or acrylic on metal to a video, art installation are all utilized in this exceptional pick of some of the best artwork made from the early nineteen hundreds to 2024.

‘PIVOT GLIDE ECHO’ includes artwork from H. A. Karunaratne, David Paynter, Tissa Ranasinghe, Jagath Ravindra, Thomtharampillai Shanathanan, Chandraguptha Thenuwara, Tilak Samarawickrema, Priyantha Udegedera, Dominic Sansoni, Laki Senanayake, Ena de Silva, Jagath Weerasinghe, Chandra Bhattacharjee, Seema Sharma Shah, Pakaj Panwar, Rinoshan Susiman, Hema Shironi, Ahmed Javedand and Ahmed Rassel.

In the gracious space, each work of art stands out and proudly displays its own beauty. Each piece is placed exactly where it belongs so as not to overpower another piece. The diversity of each artwork is so strong, yet every piece is hung in its own space so as to show the attractiveness and quality of each. ‘PIVOT GLIDE ECHO’ is well worth a look for any lover of art. 

By Namalee Siriwardhane