SRI LANKA, UNTAMED: THE “UNTAMED PALETTE” ART EXHIBITION BY DR JAYAINDRA FERNANDO
Dr Jayaindra w Thivanshi
The nature of Sri Lanka is filled with a multitude of natural masterpieces that are often ignored by most. Here, at the Untamed Palette Art Exhibition, Dr Jayaindra Fernando invites us to re-explore the hidden marvels of our country more closely, once again, as these overlooked details are given a space of their own. Their story? Told through the use of acrylics on a canvas. As I walked into the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery on the beautiful evening of the 8th of October, I found myself entering a world that felt familiar yet completely new. I was immediately engulfed in a variety of flowers, fruits, and trees that all belonged to the Sri Lankan experience, yet each seemed to possess an authentic personality at the same time.
Taking A Closer Look
As I examined one painting after the other, I noticed that they moved between different scales of nature. Some of the art drew my eyes towards the grandeur of the trees and the expansive landscapes, while the others brought my attention to the delicate structure of the flowers, leaves, and the fruits that quietly rested amongst the branches. The effect was almost as if I had stepped into a forest and allowed my eyes to adjust, as I gradually started to discover minuscule details of nature that I had not seen before. I found myself lingering over a single leaf, particularly one that Dr Jayaindra brought to life using several different shades of green. Other paintings showed fruit and leaves that were partially eaten, suggesting that an insect passed through it, leaving its mark. I found these details to be wonderfully understated, as they act as a tiny reminder that nature is not stagnant. It is its own living, breathing world in which even the smallest of creatures leave traces of their existence. Elsewhere, the safari vehicles and muddy trails subtly hint at his journeys through the wilderness, while the hidden caves and shadows show that there is always something beyond what immediately meets the eye. Some of the paintings were monochrome, while others embraced vibrant colour, allowing all sorts of elements such as contrast, form and atmosphere to take center stage here. When combined, the art creates a visual experience that felt less like simply looking at pictures of nature and more like encountering it through emotion and memory, as Dr Jayaindra had intended.
The Genius Behind the Art
When asked about why he chose the name “Untamed Palette”, Dr Jayaindra says that “Palette” signifies what the artist would use to carry out their work, and “Untamed” stems from the concept of the whole exhibition, which was a beautiful 35-painting display – fully acrylic. One particularly meaningful detail of this exhibition is that it is where Dr Jayaindra’s first exhibition also took place, in the year 1984. Returning to that exact space, more than four decades later, proves that there is quiet continuity in his art. The young undergraduate who once displayed his work returned yet again with another collection, shaped by years of personal journeys, professional experience, and an ever-evolving relationship with art.
Dr Jayaindra
After the pandemic, he began to move away from watercolours, which were featured prominently throughout his previous work, and began experimenting with acrylics, an art form that he wanted to pursue for quite a while. He says that career and family commitments meant that exhibitions became less frequent, with subsequent shows being held in 2001, 2016, and now, 2026.
What makes his journey even more fascinating is that his art exists alongside a demanding professional life as well. As a surgeon, he works in a field that requires a great amount of discipline, precision, and concentration. When asked about how he manages to balance his artistic and professional life, he offers a wonderfully simple observation: “Time is elastic. You can stretch it as long as you manage what you do within a given time.” His inspiration for the artwork stems from travelling across the country with his wife, Thivanshi. He says that although these journeys are not necessarily organised around painting, they allow him to encounter whatever happens to catch his attention. A flower in bloom, an unusual-looking tree branch, or a fleeting arrangement of light might be the birth of a new idea. He sketches these observations outdoors and brings them home to develop these sketches into finished paintings. When asked about a time that he finds particularly memorable, he describes a journey that he and his wife took to Horton Plains to see the Nelu flowers in bloom. Despite being unwell due to a viral illness, he persevered and continued with the trip, sketching what he encountered along the way. That single journey alone inspired five of his paintings in this collection. This gives us a small yet revealing glimpse into the dedication behind the work, showing us that despite the circumstances being less than perfect, he made the right decision to follow his curiosity.
Learning To See Again
Perhaps the greatest achievement of the “Untamed Palette” Art Exhibition was that it not only provided us with intricately beautiful flora to look at but also reminded viewers to reconsider their relationship with Sri Lanka’s natural beauty. The exhibition invited us to pay attention to the details that most people tend to overlook and allowed us to recognize that the simple ordinary can grow into something extraordinary when we give it enough time to bloom. To examine a leaf or to notice the shadow beneath a branch teaches us to practice the art of being present and allows Sri Lanka to exist beyond her usefulness to us. Our motherland’s natural beauty has always been there, growing, changing, and flourishing in her own natural, mystical way. Some of us may have forgotten that. Dr Jayaindra Fernando’s exhibition was the reminder.
