Ameresh Pereira (b.1977)
“Kandy artist Amaresh Perera has elements of Freudian philosophy and fluid movements of martial art embedded in his paintings. His pieces, such as ‘Enlive,’ depict a juxtaposition of light and dark, much like most of his portfolio of work.
His knowledge and experience with low country drumming and martial arts find expression in his fluid brush strokes. Exposing a homogenous colour palette, Amaresh passionately states that art is ‘a medium through which he can communicate his ideas’.” Tarini Pilapitiya
Ameresh Pereira is a distinctive figure in contemporary Sri Lankan art. Influenced early on by Mahinda Somasiri during his school years at Trinity College, Pereira was later mentored by the esteemed academic and critic Prof. Ashley Halpe, who helped refine his conceptual and aesthetic approach. Pereira also cites a wide spectrum of influences, from religious ritual and rural life to traditional Sri Lankan storytelling and moral symbolism. These inspirations converge in his paintings, where animals, mythical forms, and human figures are often portrayed as vessels of deeper emotional or philosophical meaning. His more recent work is influenced by his understanding of low country drumming and Asian martial arts.
His canvases are characterized by rich, overlapping brushstrokes and dense layers of colour that create depth and emotional tension. Pereira’s use of oils (his preferred medium) allows him to manipulate texture and contrast with precision, giving his work a dramatic and almost sculptural quality. Light is not just a compositional tool in his paintings; it becomes a thematic device symbolizing revelation, consciousness, and transformation.
Pereira’s exhibition history reflects both local acclaim and a steady artistic evolution. His first solo exhibitions were held in 2000 and 2001 at Alliance Française in Kandy, where his bold, energetic paintings quickly garnered attention. In 2005, he mounted a significant exhibition at the Barefoot Gallery in Colombo, which critics lauded for its atmospheric power and emotional immediacy. Described as “mesmerising” by viewers and reviewers alike, these shows demonstrated his ability to balance technical mastery with thematic weight, offering work that was both visually arresting and intellectually rich.
He has used exhibitions as platforms for cultural dialogue and reconciliation. Notably, in 2005, he curated an exhibition at the University of Jaffna aimed at bridging the north-south divide during a time of civil conflict. Through this initiative, he positioned art as a means of mutual understanding. His passion for art has also led him into academia, lecturing at the University of Peradeniya’s Engineering Faculty and teaching at Gateway International School in Kandy, while continuing to produce works in watercolour and oil.
Solo Exhibitions
Year | Exhibition | Venue |
2005 |
| Barefoot Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2001 |
| Alliance Française, Kandy, Sri Lanka |
2000 |
| Alliance Française, Kandy, Sri Lanka |
Group Exhibitions
Year | Exhibition | Venue |
2017 | Exhibition of Drawings and Paintings | JDA Perera Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2015 | Artist Soiree | Royal Mall, Kandy, Sri Lanka |
2014 | Saptha | Villa 82, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2013 | Kala Pola 2013 | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2013 | Sri Lankan Art – Organized by the George Keyt Foundation | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2012 | State Art and Sculpture Exhibition | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2012 | Kandy District Provincial Art and Sculpture Exhibition | Kandy, Sri Lanka |
2007 | Exhibition for the 25th Year of Law & Society Trust and the Death Anniversary of Neelan Thiruchelvam | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2005 | Nawa Kalakaruwo – Organized by the George Keyt Foundation | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2001 | National Art Festival | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2001 | Nawa Kalakaruwo – Organized by the George Keyt Foundation | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2001 | Painters and Sculptors – Organized by the George Keyt Foundation | Colombo, Sri Lanka
|
2001 | Young Contemporaries – Organized by the George Keyt Foundation | Colombo, Sri Lanka |
Publications
Year | Publication |
2017 | A Collage Beyond Definition. Sunday Times, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23rd April 2017. |
2017 | Exhibition of Drawings and Paintings. Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 14th March 2017. |
2017 | Five Experienced Artists to Exhibit Their Work. Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23rd February 2017. |
2017 | Await a Feast for Your Eyes. Sunday Times, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 19th February 2017. |
2015 | South Asian Symposium on Literature to Commemorate Professor Chelva Kanaganayak. (Cover art designer) |
2014 | Expressions of Seven Artists. Ceylon Today, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 16th February 2014. |
2014 | A Canvas of 7 Different Strokes. Sunday Times, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 16th February 2014. |
2012 | Shimmering Colours, Subdued Fiery Emotions. Sunday Observer, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 14th October 2012. |
2009 | The Important Response on Art and Cultural Traumas. Written by Aparna Halpe. (Academic paper) |
2007 | Kandy’s Remarkable Artists. Sunday Leader, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 25th February 2007. |
2006 | Amaresh – ‘Art is My Life’. Sunday Leader, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 25th June 2006. |
2005 | Floating in an Imagery that Pours out of Him. Adoh! Magazine. July 2005. |
2005 | Mesmerising Brush Strokes. Sunday Observer, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 31st July 2005. |
2005 | Building a Bridge of Brotherhood. Sunday Observer, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 18th September 2005. |
2005 | Eye Dancing Dreams. Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 12th July 2005. |
2005 | Strokes of Confidence. Sunday Times, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 10th July 2005. |
2004 | He Does it His Way. Daily News, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 14th July 2004. |
2004 | Evolutions in Art. Sunday Times, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 22nd August 2004. |
2001 | Dense Strokes Bring out Deep Emotion., The Sunday Times, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 7th August 2001. |
2001 | Unnerving, Explosive and Full of Originality. The Island, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 7th July 2001. |
2000 | Art of India: From Prehistory to Present. Chapter 18. Written by Ashley Halpe. Published by Encyclopedia Britannica. (Book chapter) |
2000 | There’s Rage and Outrage. Sunday Times, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23rd January 2000. |
2000 | Exhibition and Sale of Paintings. Sunday Observer, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 30th January 2000. |
Ref :AP 22
Title :Portrait of a Violinist: Aparna Halpe
Signed :Lower Right
Year :1997
Measurements in Cms :55 x 38
Material Used :Pastel/Water Color on Paper
Ref :AP 23
Title :Burning Tears
Signed :Lower Right
Year :1997
Measurements in Cms :28 x(75.5 x 2)
Material Used :Watercolor/Oil Pastel on Paper
Ref :AP 14
Title :Martin Luther King Jr
Signed :Lower Right
Year :1999
Measurements in Cms :38 x 27.5
Material Used :Charcoal on Paper
Ref :AP 24
Title :Within the Darkest Hour
Signed :Lower Mid
Year :1999
Measurements in Cms :95 x 111.5
Material Used :Oil on Grey Cloth
Ref :AP 70
Title :Hope 1997
Signed :Lower Right
Year :1999
Measurements in Cms :88 x 41.5
Material Used :Oil on Canvass
Ref :AP 1
Title :Mesmerize
Signed :Lower Right
Year :2003
Measurements in Cms :91 x 57.5
Material Used :Oil on Grey Cloth
Ref :AP 4
Title :Eye Dancing
Signed :Lower Right
Year :2003
Measurements in Cms :106 x 81
Material Used :Oil on Canvas
Ref :AP 5
Title :Know who is Master
Signed :Lower Right
Year :2004
Measurements in Cms :120 x 91
Material Used :Oil on Canvas
Ref :AP 6
Title :Lankathilaka: The Conscious – Enlightening
Signed :Lower Right
Year :2004
Measurements in Cms :119 x 121
Material Used :Oil on Canvas
Ref :AP 25
Title :The Silent Critic
Signed :Lower Right
Year :2004
Measurements in Cms :115.5 x 78
Material Used :Oil on Grey Cloth
Ref :AP 30
Title :The Dawul Drummer
Signed :Lower Right
Year :2006
Measurements in Cms :57 x 40.5
Material Used :Oil on Canvas-Paper
Education
Year | Qualification | Institute |
1996 | Secondary Education | Trinity College, Kandy, Sri Lanka |
