Sudath Abeysekara’s first installation art exhibition was held at the Lionel Wentka Gallery in Sri Lanka.
David and Hero – 2002
Installation art compelled me to expand my scope of work and I was able to venture into the arena of installation art in Sri Lanka with my first installation art exhibition, ‘David and Hero’ in 2002.
My specialty, as I believe, is that I never believe in the so called identity of an individual. I have done various experiments in art, going beyond the accepted traditions to make the expression more intense without highlighting my identity. For example, in 2002, at my exhibition titled ‘David and Hero’ a huge glass was shattered at the exhibition hall as a performance art to give the live experience to those who were present. The act was presented by the performance artist Amaradasa Heenukwewa.
This symbolized the event related to the famous sculpture ‘David’ by Michelangelo. In the contemporary society the ‘Davids’ or the radical youth rebel against powerful ‘Goliaths. ‘David and Hero’ was an attempt to express my views on this.