“Shaanea Mendis D’Silva is a Sri Lankan born Visual Artist, and is currently based in Copenhagen, Denmark
(2022). She graduated with a BA (Hons) degree from The Lasalle College of The Arts, Singapore (2007)
and has exhibited her work in Singapore, Sri Lanka and Mumbai. Her solo features to date have been held
at the Bombay Art Society (Mumbai), Barefoot Gallery (Colombo), the Galle Fort Hotel, Kopi Kade, The
Lionel Wendt and Harold Pieris’ Galleries (Colombo). Since moving back to Colombo from Mumbai in 2018
for the birth of her second child, and being based out of Sri Lanka for the period of 2018-2021, she has
been included in the Art Trail of the Galle Literary Festival 2019, and participated in numerous workshops
supported by Colomboscope, Pro Helvetia, EUNIC, The British Council, The North South Network, The
Alliance Francaise, Theertha Artist’s Collective and invited by the Geoffrey Bawa Trust to conduct the gold
leafing work shop, the first of the workshop series held at De Saram House. She also engaged in research
as a short-term consultant (2020-2021) for The World Bank Group, for ‘Creative Cities’, involving
engagement with The Tokyo Development Learning Center, and renowned Japanese Art Director Fram
Kitagawa and Art Front Gallery team, Japan.
Shaanea is currently represented by the Saskia Fernando Gallery in Colombo. Her art practice engages in a
meditative process, contemplating intricate biological patterns and textures from nature that are used as
metaphors to communicate subtle political and social commentary. The use of oxidized iron/ rust stains,
gold leaf and verdigris feature prominently along with delicate pen and ink and watercolour renderings.
Her digital artwork ‘The Helmet man’ went viral on social media as a symbol of protest, in light of recent
events surrounding the ongoing economic crisis in Sri Lanka.