Self-taught freelance photographer Chinthaka Thenuwara’s photographs are predominantly conceptual and deploy multiple levels of symbolism and layers of meaning.

His desire to create something photographically new drives him to experiment with techniques to achieve painterly effects and thus to explore the relationship between photography and painting or drawing.

Thenuwara teaches photography for private and university students. In addition to photography, his art practice includes sculpture, installation art and interactive art.

Thenuwara has obtained a licentiate membership in the Institute of Sri Lankan Photography, a Higher National Diploma in photography from the Photographic Art Society, Sri Lanka affiliate to FIAP and a Higher National Diploma in Interior design from the Academy of Design Sri Lanka. 

He is also a founding member of the Collective of Contemporary Artists (CoCA). He has exhibited widely in Sri Lanka, and his works have won many awards, here and across geographical boundaries in parts of Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

How does art influence you?

I’m into experimental art. If something’s new and extraordinary, even if it is from nature, it influences me to create pieces that will in turn influence people.

What inspires you?

I’d say it depends a lot on my mood… But I am particularly inspired and challenged moreover, by anything around me that has a lot of detail. I create my own version of whatever I am inspired by.

What would you say defines your work?

I did a lot of realistic drawing and then moved on to photography. I’d say the genre of 3D interactive art which I’ve used to create three pieces for this year’s Biennale, in itself defines my work.

Describe your creative process.

I am fascinated by machinery. Based on my mood and what I’m inspired by at that moment, I expand ideas to build a concept and then work around it.

Why and how did you get involved in the Art Biennale?

I was a part of the Biennale last year and was a part of a group that collectively put together works of art. This year, I wanted to explore my skills as an individual artist and hence, CAB 2014.

What impact do you intend to create through your work? Is your work a mode of expression, a stimulus to reaction or both?

The emotional aspect to my work is minimal – I try to make it fun and interactive. However, I create emotion through photography by bringing life to something that is dead. It is therefore a stimulus to reaction considering the fact that it my work is interactive.

What media do you use when painting? What are some of the challenges you face when using particular media?

I use metal, wood, cardboard and a lot of other material for structures. Being a perfectionist, one of the greatest challenges is to get them to work together to bring to life the concept built in my mind…

If you were to take someone on a tour of Sri Lankan art at its best what places would your tour include?
I’d say the cultural triangle which includes the ancient cities of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and heritage sites such as Sigiriya.





By Sapthika Jacob

Self-taught freelance photographer Chinthaka Thenuwara’s photographs are predominantly conceptual and deploy multiple levels of symbolism and layers of meaning.

His desire to create something photographically new drives him to experiment with techniques to achieve painterly effects and thus to explore the relationship between photography and painting or drawing.

Thenuwara teaches photography for private and university students. In addition to photography, his art practice includes sculpture, installation art and interactive art.

Thenuwara has obtained a licentiate membership in the Institute of Sri Lankan Photography, a Higher National Diploma in photography from the Photographic Art Society, Sri Lanka affiliate to FIAP and a Higher National Diploma in Interior design from the Academy of Design Sri Lanka. 

He is also a founding member of the Collective of Contemporary Artists (CoCA). He has exhibited widely in Sri Lanka, and his works have won many awards, here and across geographical boundaries in parts of Asia, Europe and the Middle East.

How does art influence you?

I’m into experimental art. If something’s new and extraordinary, even if it is from nature, it influences me to create pieces that will in turn influence people.

What inspires you?

I’d say it depends a lot on my mood… But I am particularly inspired and challenged moreover, by anything around me that has a lot of detail. I create my own version of whatever I am inspired by.

What would you say defines your work?

I did a lot of realistic drawing and then moved on to photography. I’d say the genre of 3D interactive art which I’ve used to create three pieces for this year’s Biennale, in itself defines my work.

Describe your creative process.

I am fascinated by machinery. Based on my mood and what I’m inspired by at that moment, I expand ideas to build a concept and then work around it.

Why and how did you get involved in the Art Biennale?

I was a part of the Biennale last year and was a part of a group that collectively put together works of art. This year, I wanted to explore my skills as an individual artist and hence, CAB 2014.

What impact do you intend to create through your work? Is your work a mode of expression, a stimulus to reaction or both?

The emotional aspect to my work is minimal – I try to make it fun and interactive. However, I create emotion through photography by bringing life to something that is dead. It is therefore a stimulus to reaction considering the fact that it my work is interactive.

What media do you use when painting? What are some of the challenges you face when using particular media?

I use metal, wood, cardboard and a lot of other material for structures. Being a perfectionist, one of the greatest challenges is to get them to work together to bring to life the concept built in my mind…

If you were to take someone on a tour of Sri Lankan art at its best what places would your tour include?
I’d say the cultural triangle which includes the ancient cities of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and heritage sites such as Sigiriya.





By Sapthika Jacob