Professor Chandraguptha Thenuwara (b. 1960)
“Thenu, as an artist working in a community, confronts us with images, motifs from our everyday, sometimes before we have identified them ourselves. His work challenges the status quo, the narrative; he subverts the power of the motifs and complicates the narrative, sometimes to the point of mockery.
In this way, he has contributed to an artistic vocabulary, something that is not limited to one artist or one practice but influences the way other artists and artistic communities start communicating.” Jake Oorloff
Chandraguptha Thenuwara, born in Galle, Sri Lanka, is a distinguished artist and activist renowned for his profound engagement with the socio-political landscape of his homeland. His interdisciplinary practice encompasses painting, drawing, sculpture, installation, and public monuments, all serving as vehicles to confront and critique the politics of memory and violence in Sri Lanka. Over the years, his art has sparked conversations about war, corruption, and the impact of political structures on ordinary citizens, ensuring that his message reaches beyond gallery spaces into the public consciousness.
A pivotal moment in Thenuwara’s life was witnessing the Black July pogrom in 1983. This traumatic event profoundly influenced his artistic trajectory, steering him towards a path where art becomes a medium for protest and societal reflection. Soon afterwards, Thenuwara’s time at the Moscow State Art Institute, where he completed his Master of Fine Arts with honours between 1985 and 1992, honed his technical skills and exposed him to diverse artistic ideologies, enriching his conceptual framework. Upon returning to Sri Lanka, he identified a gap in contemporary art education and founded the Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts (VAFA), an artist-run school dedicated to nurturing the burgeoning Sri Lankan contemporary art scene. Through VAFA, Thenuwara has played a crucial role in mentoring a new generation of artists and fostering a culture of critical engagement and innovation.
A hallmark of Thenuwara’s oeuvre is his development of Barrelism, which emerged in response to the militarized landscape of Colombo during the Sri Lankan civil war. The sight of repurposed tar barrels, originally used for roadwork, becoming omnipresent barricades in urban spaces inspired him to use them as a recurring motif in his work. These barrels, painted in camouflage patterns and placed strategically across the city, became stark symbols of both state control and restricted movement, representing the everyday reality of living under military surveillance. In his art, Thenuwara deconstructed these objects, transforming them into sculptures, paintings, and installations that critically examined the normalization of militarization in Sri Lankan society.
Over time, his Barrelism concept evolved through distinct phases: Barrelism (1997-2006), which highlighted the overwhelming presence of militarized objects in public spaces; Neo-Barrelism (2007-2009), which introduced more direct references to state power and post-war authoritarianism; and Post-Barrelism (2009-2014), which reflected on the aftermath of war, the persistence of power structures, and their continued impact on civilian life. Through this evolving visual language, Thenuwara not only captured the socio-political landscape of Sri Lanka but also offered a broader commentary on how war and political narratives shape public consciousness. His work remains a powerful reminder of the way ordinary objects can be transformed into instruments of control—and, conversely, into symbols of resistance.
His works have been exhibited internationally, including notable showcases at the European Cultural Centre in Venice and Frieze London in 2022, where his ‘Covert Drawings’ series and a two-meter-tall welded metal sculpture were featured. These pieces continue his exploration of socio-political themes, intertwining intricate line drawings with symbolic motifs to challenge and engage audiences globally. Through his commitment to art as a form of activism, Thenuwara not only documents the historical and political milieu of Sri Lanka but also invites critical discourse on the universal themes of memory, violence, and resilience.
Solo Exhibitions
Year | Exhibition | Venue |
2024 | Meta-Real | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2023 | Covert | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2023 | Delusion | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2022 | Ecce Homo | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2021 | Blinds | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2020 | Atmosphere At/Most/Fear | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2019 | M.O.B | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2018 | Executive Demon | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2017 | Glitch+ | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2016 | Glitch | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2015 | Electric Chair for Sale | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2015 | Chandraguptha Thenuwara | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2014 | Drawing Series | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2014 | Monotony | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2013 | Beautification | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2012 | The Monument and Other Works | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2012 | Thorn & Other Images | Hivos, 16 Raamweg, Den Haag, Netherlands |
2011 | The Wall and Other Works | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2010 | Vigil and Other Works | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2010 | Black Paintings & Other Works | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2009 | Post-Barrelism: Erasing Camouflage | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2009 | A Restrospective | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2008 | Dhammapada & Other Works | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2007 | Neo-Barrelism | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2006 | Wall of Death & Other Works. | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2006 | Barrelism: Camouflage | Maroondah Gallery, Victoria, Australia |
2004 | Camouflage and other works | VAFA Gallery, Ethul Kotte, Sri Lanka |
2001 | Recent Paintings | Paradise Road Galleries, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
1999 | Camouflage | VAFA Gallery, Ethul Kotte, Sri Lanka |
1998 | Barrelism & Recent Works | The Heritage Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
1997 | Barrelism & Other Works | The Heritage Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
1995 | In Spacetime | The National Art Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
1995 | In Spacetime | The British Council, Kandy, Sri Lanka |
1995 | Drawings | The Union Gallery, Izhevsk City, Republic of Udmurtia, Russia |
1992 | Moscow Paintings | The National Art Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
1991 | Retrospective of Paintings
| Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
1983 | Paintings & Drawings
| Soviet Cultural House, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
1978 | First Exhibition | Samudra Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
Group Exhibitions
Year | Exhibition | Venue |
2022 | 59th Venice Biennale | European Cultural Centre, Venice, Italy |
2022 | Frieze London 2022 | Regent’s Park, London, UK |
2021 | The Gift | Geoffrey Bawa Garden, Lunuganga, Sri Lanka |
2020 | One Hundred Thousand Small Tales | Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2020 | Art in Curfew | Virtual |
2020 | 12th India Art Fair | New Delhi, India |
2019 | A Cross Section– Sri Lankan Contemporary Art | Jaleh Gallery, Tehran, Iran |
2019 | Crossing Place | Baik Art Gallery, Los Angeles, USA |
2018 | Seven Plus One: 25th Anniversary Show of VAFA | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2018 | Riot: Slow Cancellation of the Future | ifa Gallery, Berlin and Stuttgart, Germany |
2016 | Sculpture Faculty Show. Organised by the Department of Sculpture, Faculty of Visual Arts | JDA Perera Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2016 | Disambiguation | Art Dubai 2016, Saskia Fernando Gallery, Dubai, UAE |
2015 | UVPA 10th Anniversary Show | JDA Perera Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2015 | Shadow Scenes, Colomboscope – Curated by Natasha Ginwala & Menika Van Der Poorten | The Rio Complex, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2012 | Drawings by Chandraguptha Thenuwara & Jagath Weerasinghe | Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2012 | Drawings by Chandraguptha Thenuwara & Jagath Weerasinghe
| Breeze Little Gallery, London, UK |
2012 | Becoming. Colombo Art Biennale | JDA Perera Gallery and Other Venues, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2011 | Contemporary Art from Sri Lanka | Asia House, London, UK |
2010 | Visual Responses During the War: Selected Artists Works | Lionel Wendt Gallery & Harold Peiris Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2009 | Imagining Peace | Colombo Art Biennale, Park Street Mews, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2009 | One Year Drawing Project | Devi Foundation, New Delhi, India |
2009 | One Year Drawing Project | SAVAC (South Asian Visual Arts Centre), UTAC (University of Toronto Art Centre), University of Toronto, Canada |
2008 | Big in Falkirk | Scotland National Street Arts Festival, Falkirk, UK |
2003 | Un-commemorative Commemoration | VAFA Gallery, Kotte, Sri Lanka |
2003 | Artists for Peace | Charles Hall, Batticaloa, Eastern Province, Sri Lanka |
2002 | Art Peace | Lionel Wendt Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2001 | Theertha International Artists Workshop | Barefoot Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
2000 | Art Exhibition for Peace & Reconciliation | Neelan Thiruchelvam Commemorative Program, 706 Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
1999 | 1st Asian ArtTriennale (The 5th Asian ArtShow) | Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan |
1999 – 2000 | Cities on the Move | KIASMA, Museum of Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland |
1999- 1998 | Cities on the Move | Hayward Gallery, London, UK/PS1 Gallery, New York, US |
1999 – 1998 | Cities on the Move
| Louisiana Museum, Denmark/Caps Musee, Musee D’art Contemporain de Bordeaux, France / Vienna Secession, Austria / Khoj Artists Workshop Exhibition, Modinagar, New Delhi, India |
1998 | In Dependence | Lionel Wendt Art Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
1997 | The 1st Annual Exhibition of VAFA | The National Art Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
1996 | Women in Art | The Mount Castle Gallery, Colombo, Sri Lanka |
1995 | 7th Asia Pacific Biennale | Dhaka, Bangladesh |
1992 | International Symposium Open-air Sculpture | Izhevsk City, Russia |
Publications
Year | Publication |
2024 | Memorialising History through Art: Chandraguptha Thenuwara. The Morning, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 28th July 2024. |
2024 | Chandraguptha Thenuwara’s Annual Memorial Exhibition ‘Meta-Real’ at Saskia Fernando Gallery. DailyFT, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 27th July 2024. |
2023 | Never Again 83: Thenuwara’s Yearly Artistic Ritual. The Sunday Times, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23rd July 2023. |
2022 | NYT spotlight on Thenuwara at Frieze London. The Sunday Times, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 16th October 2022. |
2022 | Sri Lankan Activist Art by Chandraguptha Thenuwara to be Shown at Frieze London. The Art Newspaper, London, United Kingdom. 18th July 2022. |
2022 | Taking Sri Lankan Art to the World. Hi Magazine, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 20th Dec 2022. |
2022 | Chandraguptha Thenuwara’s New Exhibition: Ecce Homo. Groundviews, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23rd July 2022. (Author) |
2021 | Chandraguptha Thenuwara’s “Blinds” – Seeing and Not Seeing. Groundviews, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 23rd July 2021. |
2020 | Re-Looking at Riots in Contemporary Sri Lanka. Chapter in Nights of the Dispossessed: Riots Unbound. Colombia Books, New York. (Contributor) |
2020 | Remembering Victims of Enforced Disappearances: Looking Back at Thenuwara’s Exhibition. Groundviews, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 29th August 2020. |
2020 | Thenuwara’s At/Most/Fear: A Virtual Testament in Times of a Pandemic. Groundviews, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 24th July 2020. |
2019 | The A To Z Of Conflict. With T. Shanathanan and Muhanned Cader, Arjuna Gunarathna et al. Raking Leaves. (Contributor) |
2019 | ‘M.O.B.’ by Chandraguptha Thenuwara at Saskia Fernando Gallery. DailyFT, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 3rd August 2019. |
2018 | Executive Demon and Other Works: Thenuwara’s Exhibition From Tuesday. Sunday Times, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 22nd July 2018. |
2017 | ‘Glitch +’ by Chandraguptha Thenuwara at Saskia Fernando Gallery. DailyFT, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 21st July 2017. |
2017 | Comparison of Artistic features of Kandyan and Southern schools. Vidyodaya: Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, Volume 4, Issue 2, University of Sri Jayawardenepura. (Author) |
2016 | Chandraguptha Thenuwara: The End of Fear. Open The Magazine, Gurgaon, India. 20th July 2016. |
2016 | Drushyamana: Encyclopaedic Series of Glossary of Visual Art. In 3 parts. Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts, Kotte. (Author) |
2015 | Alternative Art Teaching Manual for Art Teachers. With Kingsley Gunatillake & Udaya Hewawasam. Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts, Kotte. (Author) |
2015 | My Perception about Urban Planning and the Recent Post-war. South Asia Urban Forum, International Conference, Colombo. (Author) |
2013 | Chandraguptha Thenuwara’s ‘Beautification’. Groundviews, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 8th February 2013. |
2008 | One Year Drawing Project. With Jagath Weerasinghe, T. Shanathanan and Muhanned Cader. Raking Leaves. (Contributor) |
2005 | Barrelism: A Response to the Militarization of Urban Space. Presented at the Gendering Urban Space in the Middle East, South Asia and Africa Workshop, Co-organized by the Institute for Gender and Women Studies, American University in Cairo & the Shehr Network. (Author) |
1999 | On Barrelism. pp 82-87, in Civic Dialogue Journal. (Author) |
Ref :T 15
Title :Still Life
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Year :1986
Measurements in Cms :47 x 34.5
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Measurements in Cms :92 x 72.5
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Title :Three Women Dance
Signed :On Reverse
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Measurements in Cms :69.5 x 89
Material Used :Oil on Canvas
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Title :Abstract
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Title :On Reverse
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Measurements in Cms :148.5 x 99.5
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Title :Untitled
Signed :Reverse
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Measurements in Cms :100 x 149
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Title :Untitled
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Measurements in Cms :69.5 x 89.5
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Title :The Origin of Barralism
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Measurements in Cms :88 x 68
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Title :Untitled
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Title :Untitled
Signed :Lower Right
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Measurements in Cms :149.5 x 99.5
Material Used :Acrylic on Canvas
Ref :T 1
Title :Abstract
Signed :On Reverse
Measurements in Cms :89 x 69
Material Used :Oil on Canvas
Education
Year | Qualification | Institute |
2006 | MPhil. | Post Graduate Institute of Archaeology (PGIAR), University of Kelaniya |
1992 | MFA | Surikov State Art Institute, Moscow, Russia |
1981 | BFA | Institute of Aesthetic Studies, University of Kelaniya |
