Contemporary art in Sri Lanka – past, present and possible futures? A dialogue with art writer and curator Pramodha Weerasekera

This interview (2024–2025) with Pramodha Weerasekera examines and records various important developments in Sri Lanka’s contemporary art landscape (after the end of the long civil war, 1983–2009) as seen and experienced by the writer and curator. The conversation attempts to unpack the thought process, ways of working, themes in the work of contemporary art practitioners, creation of new spaces and initiatives and challenges faced by contemporary art practitioners working in a country dealing with economic crises amidst a host of other pressing issues. From avenues of art education to the impact of Aragalaya (2022 Sri Lankan protests) to the election of a new Leftist President, Weerasekera discusses various important landmarks and their possible consequences on the production and dissemination of art in contemporary Sri Lanka. While there’s a lot of interest in Sri Lankan contemporary art, global art publishing seems to have paid it scanty attention. This interview attempts to highlight and document the work of important stakeholders in the contemporary art scene in Sri Lanka and hopefully facilitate future research networks and artistic collaborations based on the information available here.