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Artist Sanjeewa Kumara’s work now on display at the Paradise Road Galleries can be categorised as surrealist.

Sanjeewa, who is influenced by the famed psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan’s theory of the ‘Mirror Stage’, says, “I wait for the painting itself to speak to me. I do not project my beliefs, sentiments and anxieties on to the canvas. Instead I maintain a constant dialogue with my art work; it has its own life. The painting always wins.”

As a result of this somewhat arbitrary technique, his vivid pictures are a gradual progression, taking weeks, months and even years to evolve. Oil is his medium of choice because it offers a richness and vibrancy. His art has a universal appeal, intriguing children as well as adults.

After completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree specialising in painting at the Institute of Aesthetic Studies in the University of Kelaniya, Sanjeewa pursued a Diploma in Painting at the AKI Academy of Fine Arts and a Masters of Fine Arts at the Dutch Art Institute, both in Enschede in the Netherlands.

Living in Europe, the artist’s perceptions changed. He questioned his notions of home and belonging, and observed the reality of hybridity. This hybrid sentiment is portrayed in his paintings through subtle yet clever representations. For instance, a vase contains a harmonious arrangement of typically Sri Lankan flora such as coconut trees and cashew plants along with sunflowers and tulips, which are viewed as Western blossoms. Sanjeewa strongly believes it is imperative to see the commonalities and blending in today’s globalised world rather than the differences.

“I don’t want my work to be classified as Sri Lankan or Asian or Eastern art. It has an international and cosmopolitan flavour,” Sanjeewa says. His exhibition continues at the Paradise Road Galleries in Colombo until May 30.