The symbolism of life

By Saskia Fernando

Rohan Amarasinghe first exhibited his work shortly after an uprising of the Sri Lankan youth and the beginning of turmoil in Sri Lanka. Soon after his exhibition in 1978, Amarasinghe joined the advertising industry and moved away from the art scene until his exhibition in 1997. This long withdrawal allowed Amarasinghe to develop as a graphic designer, the traits of which can be viewed in the conceptualisation and minimalism of his canvases.

A first glance of his work and portfolio, an immediate assumption of the politically conceptual presents itself. While Amarasinghe makes no secret of his views on the local political and social environment, the strong presence of symbolism in his work presents a relevance to Buddhism and ancestry.

On one canvas, the image of the grey skull immediately implies death. A candy pink painted canvas, white lotuses and a butterfly flying overhead contrast this symbol. It is this relationship between symbols, suggesting the subjects of ‘life and death’ that embody Amarasinghe’s oeuvre.

His works all carry a strong contrast with the use of symbolism. The artist describes the relation of the Naga (snake) to hydraulic heritage (it is a symbol that appears in stone near ancient waterways of the country) as he also discusses the snake in the context of Sri Lanka’s turbulent past; a time when many waterways were cut of by the LTTE. The snake in connection to water thereby represents fertility, its dearth and abundance.

Amarasinghe is one of many Sri Lankans who have experienced the war firsthand, and as he shows us pictures of blinded soldiers who risked their lives to open up the waterways for the people, he exudes empathy for the lives damaged and lost in Sri Lanka over a period of 30 years.

The symbols in Amarasinghe’s work carry his own stories while they also evoke one’s own personal emotions. In order to comprehend this artist and his work one must recognise the symbolism, appreciate the contrast and translate them, the result, a deeper understanding of one’s self.

‘Life,’ an exhibition of new work by Rohan Amarasinghe, opens at SF Gallery on 10 May 2012. The exhibition will remain open until 24 May 2012. For further information or an e-catalogue contact [email protected]. The gallery is open to the public daily.