Meaning lies in the eye of the viewer

By Tahnee Hopman

The double-headed hybrid animals in strange bright colours, a human body growing out of a six-legged elephant, initially strike the viewer as uncanny. But this is only a first impression.

In Sanjeewa Kumara’s world, questions burn brighter than answers; riddles are not there to be solved but to be considered, revised and slowly committed to memory. In fact, this could be the reason for the absence of a title for his upcoming exhibition. “ In an exhibition, the viewer also plays an important role; there is a lot to be interpreted in the works on exhibit. I was averse to the idea of giving the exhibition a title, because that could set a limitation on the audience, as how to interpret what they see.”

Having painted since the time he could hold a brush, Sanjeewa studied art in the Netherlands and has been exhibiting widely since. His upcoming exhibition will be open to the public from April 25 to May 14 from 10 a.m. to midnight daily at the Paradise Road.

For Sanjeewa, art is something of a release- a means to freedom. “It also rejuvenates and helps me express myself comfortably in my own language,” he says, adding that his extensive travel has opened his eyes to many cultures. And this is the effect he hopes to create for his audience. Apart from the vibrant colours of the paintings, many western and non-western elements help create a link between cultures, he says.