Lanka-born copper artist makes waves in Hawaii

The master copper artist known as Sooriya not only inspires many with his larger-than-life sculptures of whales and dolphins in N n kuli, but also with his peaceful messages of caring for the earth and serving others with aloha.

- BY GINGER KELLER

On a sunny Westside morning in Nānākuli, the sculptured bodies of two humpback whales reflect an iridescent radiance. They represent the largest copper whale structure in the world, and are the handiwork of artist Muthukumaru Sooriyakumar (known by most as Sooriya), a 71-year-old Sri Lankan man whose values of unity, harmony and compassion go wherever his bare feet take him.

As a young boy in a Ceylon village, Sooriya developed adoration for art after wandering upon workers who were shaping stone for a nearby temple.

"I was very fascinated by the sound and rhythm. Everything is rhythm," says Sooriya. "I knew that's the way I wanted to do artwork."

It comes as no surprise, then, that the bulk of his artwork in the decades since is made from copper, an element that produces a distinct chime and vibration when manipulated.

Sooriya's lifelong dedication to the craft, along with his devotion to helping communities, has garnered him accolades and recognitions from nearly every corner of the world — most predominantly, here in the islands.

From being named one of the Living Treasures of Hawai'i by Honpa Hongwanji Mission of Hawai'i to becoming a Hero of Forgiveness from Hawai'i Forgiveness Project, Sooriya, who lives humbly in a 10-by-10-foot Wai'anae cottage, overflows with continual gratitude, a virtue he credits to his parents and grandparents.

"They did so much for the people," he says. "I learned how to share, how to give, how to feed; this really took me all around the world. It's already in my lineage — the gratitude, serving, helping and coming together.