LEELA BANDARANAIKE PERIES (b.1939 Sri Lanka)
Leela Bandaranaike Peries is one of Sri Lanka’s most established and least prolific sculptors. She personally oversees and controls the casting and firing processes, having a kiln built on her premises for the firing of each batch of works. She creates approximately 9 – 12 works, all unique, each year. All works are solid bronze.
She received her formal art training with Mrs. Cora Abrahams in Colombo and at the Camberwell School of Art in London where she studied for two years (1959 – 1961) under Dr. K. Vogel. Peries comments:
“Dr. Karl Vogel was a great admirer of the ancient Greeks and taught us to recognise the beauty of form. He said that in a composition of figures it was important to watch the spaces created by the composition. The spaces would help to enhance the beauty of the composition.”
The influence of Vogel’s teachings is evident in her work, where spaces work symbiotically with forms to create a delicate and elegant balance in the final products.
Peries’ works are predominantly figurative and themes incorporate vernacular scenes – urban and rural. She has executed special commissions of larger than life works for local institutions, including universities, churches and schools, and private commissions for international collections. Special public commissions include portraits of President J.R. Jayawardena, for the Sri Lankan Presidential Collection and of President R. Premadasa for St. Joseph's College, Sri Lanka.
Her work is exhibited internationally and she was one of the first artists from Sri Lanka to be featured during New York’s Asian Art week in 2006, through SGFA, The Private Gallery, (and then again in 2007 and 2008).
