KALĀ x UVAP
In its second edition, KALĀ amplifies Sri Lankan art on the global stage, coinciding with the 75th anniversary of UVPA Colombo. Showcasing the legacy of Sri Lanka’s pioneering Heywood Masters alongside contemporary responses and through the KALĀ COMMUNE residency programme, we foster cross-border collaborations and meaningful cultural exchange, driving creative change across the region. KALĀ COMMUNE, the South Asian Residency, in collaboration with the University of Visual and Performing Arts (UVPA) Colombo, celebrates the institution’s 75th anniversary. Aligned with KALĀ’s goal of engaging with the South Asian arts community and fostering the local arts ecosystem, KALĀ COMMUNE, a South Asian residency program inviting regional practitioners to Sri Lanka, will also take place at the University of Visual and Performing Arts. The residency will conclude with the first open studio at the university alongside the KALĀ COMMUNE Open Studio Exhibition. The Open Studio Exhibition will feature Artists-in-Residence: Ahmed Rasel (Bangladesh), Chandra Bhattacharjee (India), Pankaj Panwar (India), Ahmed Javed (Pakistan), Seema Sharma Shah (Nepal), Rinoshan Susiman (Sri Lanka) and Hema Shironi (Sri Lanka).
Seven artists from across the region collaborate with Sri Lanka’s oldest art institution during this residency. Participants will engage in open studios, workshops, and projects, fostering cultural immersion and the exchange of artistic practices.
KALĀ COMMUNE is an immersive South Asian Residency Open Studios & Exhibition. The residency programme runs over 4 weeks at the University of Visual & Performing Arts Colombo. Seven artists to share their experience and practice and help deepen our commitment through collaboration, pedagogy, and meaningful engagement.
Residency Artists:
Ahmed Javed –
Pakistan | Ahmed Rasel – Bangladesh
Chandra Bhattacharjee –
India | Hema Shironi – Sri Lanka
Pankaj Panwar –
India | Rinoshan Susiman – Sri Lanka
Seema Sharma Shah –
Nepal
Assistant Curator –
Mandira Ranathunga
Programming Advisor –
GoodLifeX
KALĀ exhibitions have been curated under the guidance of our Curatorial Advisor Sandhini Poddar (Adjunct Curator at Large, Guggenheim Abu Dhabi Project).
PIVOT GLIDE ECHO
In 2024, PIVOT GLIDE ECHO unfolded as an intergenerational dialogue across eight decades with Lionel Wendt serving as a catalyst. It continues from its first iteration, evolving into an aspiration to trace different strands in artistic imagination that shape Sri Lankan art history.
Guided by a similar ethos, this edition expands on an engagement with experimental image-making, while situating the history of visual art in the cultural and socio-political moment of its creation. With the University of Visual and Performing Arts (UVPA), Colombo at its epicentre, the exhibition examines the practice of its luminaries, featuring artworks by Ena de Silva, H.A. Karunaratne, David Paynter, Pala Pothupitiya, Tissa Ranasinghe, Jagath Ravindra, Thamotharampillai Shanaathanan, Chandraguptha Thenuwara, Tilak Samarawickrema, Priyantha Udagedara, Dominic Sansoni, Laki Senanayake, and Jagath Weerasinghe.
PIVOT GLIDE ECHO‘s second edition explores Sri Lanka’s rich artistic heritage, connecting modern and contemporary voices to honour shared themes and histories. The second edition of PIVOT GLIDE ECHO is supported by The Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust.
PIVOT GLIDE ECHO’s second edition delves deeper into the narratives of Sri Lankan art, highlighting the shared themes, social concerns, and creative explorations that connect the works of modern and contemporary artists, honouring the profound influence of these pioneers on the country’s art history and to the artistic heritage of the region.
Celebrating Sri Lanka’s vibrant artistic legacy and its ongoing influence in the South Asian art scene at the Heywood Gallery at the Faculty of Visual Arts. This exhibition is supported by The Rukmini Tissanayagam Trust.
Featured Artists:
J.D.A. Perera | David Paynter | Stanley Abeysinghe | H.A. Karunaratne | Tissa Ranasinghe | Chandraguptha Thenuwara | Dominic Sansoni | Ena De Silva | Jagath Ravindra | Jagath Weerasinghe | Laki Senanayake | Pala Pothupitiye | Priyantha Udagedara | Tilak Samarawickrema | T.Shanaathanan
KALĀ 2025 is proud to collaborate with esteemed organisations to enrich its programming, including Art South Asia Project (ASAP). ASAP, a UK-based arts education and development non-profit, is committed to creating initiatives that serve South Asia and its diasporas. Following the success of last year’s KALĀ x ASAP series of talks and workshops, we are delighted to partner with them once again for the second edition of KALĀ.
The 2025 KALĀ x ASAP programme includes public talks and private workshops that highlight the vital relationships artists build within the art ecosystem—whether with patrons, commercial galleries, or through their own peers. This series aims to provide invaluable insights and specialised perspectives for the artistic community in Sri Lanka and beyond. KALĀ x ASAP programming is supported by
Faizal & Shabana Foundation and QissaGoi.
Asia Society is a global non-profit institution, headquartered in the US, with a network of centres across the world. With a focus on creating a deeper understanding of Asia for global audiences, and building networks and connections between Asia and the world, Asia Society curates strategic initiatives and programmes across the arts, business, policy, geopolitics, health, technology and education.
Established in 2006, the India Centre is committed to spotlighting South Asia through its work, focusing on the collective and individual histories of the region; contemporary challenges affecting society; and the trends and ideas that will shape the subcontinent’s future. Within the arts, the organisation has a long-standing commitment to promoting public engagement with culture, supporting artistic excellence and creative leadership, developing cross-border networks between individuals and cultural institutions, and building awareness about contemporary and vernacular artistic traditions in South Asia.
In its second edition KALĀ expands its reach through the South Asian residency programme KALĀ COMMUNE, led by Assistant Curator Mandira Ranathunga and Programming Advisor Good Life X, deepening our commitment to collaboration, pedagogy, and meaningful engagement by bringing together seven practitioners within the region, nurturing emerging talent and fostering cross-border connections.
GOOD LIFE X, a catalyst in regenerative futures, will shape the residency programme and public events. Drawing on their local expertise and industry insights, they will collaborate with KALĀ as advisors to ensure the programming reflects both the Sri Lankan context and wider South Asian perspectives.
The 2025 KALĀ x ASAP programme includes public talks and private workshops that highlight the vital relationships artists build within the art ecosystem—whether with patrons, commercial galleries, or through their own peers. This series aims to provide invaluable insights and specialised perspectives for the artistic community in Sri Lanka and beyond. KALĀ x ASAP programming is supported by
Faizal & Shabana Foundation and QissaGoi.
2025 Artists
2025 Stories
2025 Partners
TWO WEEKS TO APPLY
Open Call 🎨✨ Artists working in the nexus of art and craft based in Sri Lanka are invited to send in their applications for the third edition of the A4A Production Fund!
This initiative is designed to encourage interdisciplinary thinking and experiment with innovative approaches to art making.
We welcome all young and aspiring artists and designers based in Sri Lanka to apply! 🙌
Selected young artists will receive financial support to work on their proposed project, receive mentorship during the course of the project and be provided a location to exhibit their work 🖼️
📅 Application Deadline: 31 July 2025
🔗 Apply with the link in bio
Open Call 🎨✨ Artists working in the nexus of art and craft based in Sri Lanka are invited to send in their applications for the third edition of the A4A Production Fund! This initiative is designed to encourage interdisciplinary thinking and experiment with innovative approaches to art making.
We welcome all young and aspiring artists and designers based in Sri Lanka to apply! 🙌
Selected young artists will receive financial support to work on their proposed project, receive mentorship during the course of the project and be provided a location to exhibit their work 🖼️
📅 Application Deadline: 31 July 2025
🔗 Link to further information and the Google Form application in bio!
We are thrilled to announce Prasad Hettiarachchi as the first recipient of the KALĀ x Hampi Art Labs Artist Residency programme at Hampi Art Labs, taking place between July - August 2025, in Vijayanagar, Karnataka, India.
Prasad Hettiarachchi (b. 1975, Colombo) lived and worked in Rajagiriya, Colombo before moving to Bentota in early 2018.
He obtained certification in Mural Painting Conservation and Archaeology at the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, University of Kelaniya, and after a brief stint in the advertising world in 2010, he decided to dedicate himself entirely to art. Hettiarachchi is represented by Barefoot Gallery, Sri Lanka.
KALĀ, in collaboration with Hampi Art Labs, provides Sri Lankan artists with the opportunity to participate in the Hampi Art Labs residency programme. This initiative engages both the local community and international visitors with contemporary art in various forms. Through a rich array of workshops and learning activities, including programmes developed for local schools, Hampi Art Labs fosters cultural exchange and artistic growth.
#kala #kalasouthasia #hampiartlabs #southasia #southasiavisualart #southasiaresidency #artistresidency #srilanka #hampi #barefootgallery
And that`s a wrap on KALA 2025! ✨
This edition we welcomed over 6,385 visitors as we celebrated the Modern and Contemporary Art of the region like never before—featuring 17 insightful panels, 12 portfolio reviews, and participation from 25 schools and 6 universities. From engaging discussions to memorable showcases, KALA 2025 made its mark on art, design, and heritage in the region.
A huge thank you to everyone who made this event unforgettable. See you next year! #KALA2025
#KALASouthAsia #KALA2025 #SouthAsianArt
#SriLankanArt #UVPA75 #artplatform #contemporaryart #artsouthasiaproject #srilankaart #colomboevents #exploresrilanka
We would like to thank all our partners who support our vision:
@cinnamonlifecolombo @af_colombo @artsouthasiaproject @artalivegallery @artgallerysiddhartha @asiasocietyic @atlas.srilanka @authenticitiessrilanka @balmondstudio @barefootgallery @daily_ft @dailymirrorlk @deptofcoffee.lk @drinkclouds @duluxlk @echelon_mag
@faizalshabanafoundation @qissagoi.ae @films.and.stills @franceincolombo @glx_hub @godfathercobra @goetheinstitut @hi_online_lk @hampiartlabs @hnbsrilanka @ilotcolombo @indiaartfair @kolamba.ldn @lankadeepa @magic.
@unbounders @peterharrisdoornberg1712 @pickmelk @prsfgsrilanka @qissagoi.ae @sirasafm.lk @softwavegroup @uncles_colombo @yesfm100.8101srilanka
Open Call
Residency Dates: 7 July to 27 September
KALĀ x Hampi Art Labs announces our first open call for visual artists of Sri Lankan origin (based in Sri Lanka) to apply.
Submission Deadline: 10 April 2025
Our residency exchange provides Sri Lankan artists with the opportunity to participate in the Hampi Art Labs residency programme. This initiative engages both the local community and international visitors with contemporary art in various forms. Through a rich array of workshops and learning activities, including programmes developed for local schools, Hampi Art Labs fosters cultural exchange and artistic growth.
Together, KALĀ and Hampi Art Labs aim to create meaningful connections across the Global South by supporting residencies, programming, and collaborations with like-minded institutions and organisations.
Apply via the link in our bio🔗
