Senaka Senanayake (1951, Colombo, Sri Lanka) is one of Sri Lanka's most celebrated contemporary artists, renowned for his vibrant advocacy of rainforest conservation through art. A child prodigy who held his first solo exhibition at age seven at the Ceylon Society of Arts (now the National Art Gallery of Sri Lanka), he went on to study art and architecture at Yale University. His brightly colored paintings of endangered flora and fauna have brought global attention to the fragility of rainforest ecosystems, with works held in prestigious collections including the White House, the United Nations, and the Hirshhorn Museum.
Alongside his signature lush canvases, Senanayake's paper works reveal a quieter, more introspective side of his practice. Stripped of colour yet still featuring birds and animals, these drawings distil his ecological vision into studies of line and rhythm.
"Many times, people walk by a piece of art and don't respond. I want my paintings to talk," Senanayake has said. "Everyone from a street sweeper to a university professor should be able to relate to my art." This democratic vision, combined with his deep commitment to environmental advocacy, has made him a vital voice in contemporary South Asian art.