TV Times

TV Times

Painter monk from Bangladesh
By Susitha R. Fernando
‘Sithru Sithuwam Mangallya’, first one-man painting exhibition by the Bangladeshi monk, Ven. Sangamiththa Thera’s will be held at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery today (Sunday, May 16).

Ordained in 1988 in Bangladesh the Thera, came to Sri Lanka in 1998 and took up painting as a subject at the Advanced Level exam. Though keen on pursuing painting as a subject he was faced with a legal snag in entering the University of Fine Arts.

In order to fulfil his ambition the Thera joined the Sekara Academy of Arts in Piliyandala and became the first monk to obtain a diploma from the National Design Centre after following the subject of painting for three years.

Being resident at the Sumanaramaya in Mount Lavinia he is now reading for the External Degree in Arts at the University of Jayawardenapura. Earlier the monk had collaborated in holding several exhibitions with other painters and ‘Sithru Sithuwam Mangalya’ is the first one-man exhibition of his own paintings.

What is unique in this exhibition of 40 odd paintings is that many of the paintings are done in the Mogul painting tradition. The Thera having lived in Sri Lanka for sixteen years has himself done the frames and banners for the exhibition.

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