Martin Wickramasinghe Trust lecture series concludes

Friday, 1 May 2026 04:49 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Martin Wickramasinghe Trust concluded its long-running lecture series with a presentation at Sapumal Foundation in Colombo on 31 March 2026. Titled “Ways of Looking” and conducted by Uditha Devapriya, the lecture probed into Wickramasinghe’s views on art, culture, and art history.

The event was attended by historians, scholars, students, journalists, and heads of cultural institutions. Examining how Wickramasinghe looked at the culture and society of his time, it unearthed new insights into how he thought about these issues when Sri Lanka was facing tremendous social transformation.

Opening remarks were delivered by Avishka Senewiratne while closing remarks were delivered by Hasini Haputhanthri. Senewiratne spoke in depth about the many portraits of Wickramasinghe which were done by several modern painters, including Harry Pieris, David Paynter, and Richard Gabriel. Haputhanthri reflected on Wickramasinghe’s valorisation of folk culture and contrasted it with the prevailing scholarship of his time which valorised classical literature and art.

Following the presentation, Devapriya engaged with members of the audience in in a discussion. Reflecting on the lecture, Professor Sandagomi Coperahewa raised the point that Wickramasinghe’s Sinhala writings include many references to art and culture. Professor Rajiva Wijesinha followed this up on with a question as to whether Wickramasinghe’s fiction, including his Koggala Trilogy, make such references. Other points were raised by Senewiratne and Haputhanthri.

“Ways of Looking” marked the seventh and last in a long lecture series which began last November with a webinar at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) UK and a lecture at the India International Centre in New Delhi. Conducted by Uditha Devapriya these have looked at Wickramasinghe’s life, work, and thought from diverse angles and perspectives.

The lecture series will be followed by other interventions, including a short film on Wickramasinghe and his connection with the literature and culture of France on 29 April at the Alliance Francaise. These interventions will culmination with the publication of a comprehensive study by Devapriya on his life, work, and thought. The book is currently being written and drafted.

- Pic by PIXMA Studios via Yaswan Dissanayak