The ‘Art’ of Diplomacy

On 8th November 2025, I visited the residence of the Swiss ambassador for the opening of the ‘Art Collection of the Swiss Residence in Colombo’ featuring the works of eleven contemporary Sri Lankan artists and an elegant reproduction of the well-known 1951 Goerge Keyt painting, ‘Kangodi Ragini’.

- by Sasanka Perera (The writer is on X as @sasmester)

All works were loaned by local collectors or the artists themselves. This is one of two diplomatic residences in Colombo where a collection of Sri Lankan art in this format and magnitude has been showcased, the other being the residence of the US ambassador.

The curator for both collections, Suresh Dominic, one of Sri Lanka’s best-known and eclectic collectors, notes in the exhibition catalogue at the Swiss residence, “the collection brings together modern and contemporary works by world-renowned as well as emerging Sri Lankan artists, encompassing sculptures, paintings and tapestries.”

The exhibition also includes the works of Swiss artist, Marie Schumann, as a part of the residence’s permanent collection. Swiss Ambassador Siri Walt notes in the same catalogue that Schumann’s work “enters into a dialogue with twelve distinguished Sri Lankan artists on themes of history, identity and cultural exchange.” The Sri Lankan artists represented in the exhibition other than Keyt include Sanduni Wijekoon, Pradeep Thalawatta, Koralegedara Pushpakumara, Jagath Weerasinghe, Amesh Wijesekera, Anoli Perera, Pala Pothupitiye, Chathurika Jayani, Prasad Hettiarachchi, Arulraj Ulaganathan and Dhammika Gunasekara.