‘Divine Thru’ Exhibition at Saskia Fernando Gallery from 28 April

Q: What is the message to be derived from ‘Divine Thru’?

A: I don’t believe in conveying messages through art, especially by making collages. 

If the artist needs a little side note to describe his or her art work, he or she might as well write an essay about the desired topic or make a small power point presentation and present it in front of an audience. However, ‘Divine Thru’ is about accessing the absolute human ecstasy by fulfilling all desires with the excessive use of technology. It’s like we are in a drive thru to our own divine, eager to become our own gods or at least god-like. 

Q: What was the predominant influence behind this title?

A: How they visualised gods in the olden days, especially these gestures, postures you see in Hindu gods, the type of ‘mudras’, the body shapes and sexuality. The most interesting part for me was that, how they portrayed these gods was very luxurious. Gold coins pouring out from their palms, wearing shiny gold jewellery and the bright spherical halo as the focus of the entire composition. These are strictly visual observations and I don’t intend to connect any of the interpretations with Hinduism or any religion directly. 

You don’t see any sort of simplicity or letting go of your desires by obtaining these god portraits visually. Subconsciously it gives you more of a lavish or a rich idea to consume more and more to access divinity. Divine Thru is a rejuvenation of gods and new century-beliefs.

Q: To what extent does your style respond to the social and political context of Sri Lanka?

A: It’s more of a representation than a respond. I have no immediate interest of addressing any social or political context in Sri Lanka. The ideology of my work is always based on my own dystopia where I see myself as an absolute misanthropist. 

My work directly speaks about individualism. 

Q: What is unique with the style of art that you present?

A: Collage gives you the ability to talk in fragments. It has the visual power to give multiple meaning to a single signifier. A shoe is not just foot wear but it has a chance of becoming a head to a human.

Q: Who inspires you the most?

A: Working as a full time filmmaker I get inspired a lot by watching movies. Artists like David Lynch and Harmony Korine are the two main figures I identify as my all time influences. 

Not just their film work also the fact they use different art forms to express their ideas. 

Q: What inspires you the most?

A: The internet culture or the contemporary pop culture. How people imprudently go beyond their limitations to achieve what they call ‘success’ and I’m okay with that. For me that’s the reality of being a human being. It’s always trial and error than the absolute.

Q: Is Divine Thru connected to your previous exhibitions and if so how?

A: Yes it is. This is actually an expansion of The Holy Merchandise (my previous exhibition) but Divine Thru is more focused and precise, where I only talk about common beliefs and political correctness. Visually, The Holy Merchandise had more of a chaotic approach but this time I wanted to use more bright colours and more expressive images of the human body.

Q:  How long does it take you to complete a piece or do you work on several pieces at the same time?

A: I do not work on several pieces at the same. I do not sketch or pre plan any of my collages before the actual process. I just go along with the visual rhythm and my drive towards the concept. It might take four-five hours to finish or might take weeks to finish a collage. It depends how I find my material.

-Pix by Shehan Gunasekara