KALĀ x ASAP: Insights into Contemporary Practice in Sri Lanka

January 31, 2024

In an intimate dialogue, artists Mahen Perera and Liz Fernando will be in conversation with Mala Yamey, Head of Programs at ASAP. The talk will focus on the ideas around their contributions to the exhibition Pivot. Echo. Glide. As the two artists share a close friendship, the conversation will delve into their perspectives on the contemporary and offer insights into their distinct approaches towards materiality.

Ideas around framing “the contemporary” in Sri Lankan art are constantly evolving. With the art history of the island focussing largely on numbered groups including the ‘43 Group and the 90s group, what does it mean to be working in a contemporary manner in Sri Lanka and as a diasporic practitioner outside of this numbering scheme? Mahen Perera and Liz Fernando are two of the artists for the exhibition ‘Pivot Glide Echo’ and their works form part of the contemporary element of the intergenerational dialogue with Lionel Wendt’s legacy.

The KALĀ x ASAP series is supported by the Faizal & Shabana Foundation.