An upcoming art exhibition titled “Talento”—featuring works by 40 young artists—will be held from December 1–3 at the Lionel Wendt Art Gallery in Colombo. The event marks the 10th anniversary of the art academy founded by Rev. Fr. Samantha Thushara Perera, a priest of the Archdiocese of Colombo.
His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, will serve as the Chief Guest at the opening ceremony.
Fr. Samantha, currently the Assistant Parish Priest of Holy Cross Church, Gampaha, said the goal of the exhibition is to highlight the artistic gifts of children and encourage them to discover their creative vocation.
“Our God is the Great Creator,” he said, noting that helping young people develop their artistic talents is a way of participating in God’s creative work.
A Priest Formed in the Visual Arts
Fr. Samantha’s commitment to art began when he was encouraged by his superiors to pursue further studies. After initial discernment, he realized that his strengths lay in the visual arts rather than in academic fields such as philosophy or theology. He first undertook foundational art studies in Sri Lanka before enrolling at the Vibhavi School of Art in Colombo, where he studied under noted artist Chandra Gupta Thenuwara.
During this period, he contributed to mural work depicting the history of the Sri Lankan Church at the National Basilica, where he encountered the work of Prof. Sarathchandra Jeeva. This experience fostered a deep interest in sculpture, leading him to pursue formal training under Prof. Jeeva.
With permission from his superiors, Fr. Samantha later travelled to Italy for advanced studies. He spent five years at the Bel’Arti Academy of Fine Arts – University of Michelangelo in Florence, further refining his skills in painting and sculpture.
Recent Exhibition
Earlier this year, in April, Fr. Samantha marked his 25th anniversary of priesthood with a special exhibition at the Harold Peiris Gallery, Lionel Wendt, Colombo 3. Titled “The Nonconformist – Men and Women Who Changed and Enlightened the World,” the exhibition showcased paintings and sculptures of historical and faith figures whose lives broke through conventional expectations.
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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