Sri Lanka’s south coast is known for its beaches and surfing, but its capital city in the west also has a great art scene. Not only will each gallery immerse you in the work of Sri Lankan artists, but many of these spaces double up as architectural tours – from early-1920s buildings to examples of Tropical Modernism. Here’s our guide to filling a few cultural afternoons in Colombo.
Radicle Gallery
The stunning facade of the De Mel Building alone is worth seeing: it looks like a Wes Anderson film set in Sri Lanka. It only gets better as you head into the building and are met with a warm café, whose calming atmosphere is the perfect spot to stop for tea before you head downstairs to the Radicle Gallery space.
The aim in here is to promote local artists and open the gallery to the community, with a roster of events spanning everything from cyanotype workshops to curator talks. It is a refreshing space that lives and breathes sharing, supporting and promoting art. Recent group show Samudraagam explored many artists’ reflections on the sea, a poignant topic within an artistic community based on an island.