Gallery Silver Scpaes
Mirth and Might
Mirth and Might
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Artist: SHANAKA KULATHUNGA
Mirth and Might, 2026
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Size: 60 × 72 in (152.4 × 182.88 cm)
Shanaka Kulathunga creates an evocative and psychologically layered narrative in this striking composition featuring a matador dressed as a joker leaning against a vivid pink bull. The unusual pairing immediately introduces a sense of theatrical tension and symbolic ambiguity, transforming the scene into a meditation on human relationships, emotional contradiction, and the unpredictable nature of existence. The bull, traditionally associated with power, aggression, and instinct, is rendered in an unexpected pink hue, softening its presence while simultaneously intensifying its surreal and emotional symbolism.
The relationship between the matador and the bull appears both intimate and unstable, suggesting the delicate balance between control and vulnerability. The joker-like figure embodies performance, disguise, and emotional concealment, while the bull becomes a metaphor for unpredictable forces that can shift suddenly between calmness and danger. Together, they reflect the capricious nature of human connection, where affection, conflict, humour, fear, and resilience often coexist within the same emotional space. The leaning posture of the figure introduces a temporary sense of trust or exhaustion, yet the atmosphere remains charged with uncertainty and psychological tension.
Kulathunga’s expressive use of colour and symbolic imagery deepens the emotional resonance of the work. Vibrant tones, fluid textures, and dramatic contrasts create a dreamlike environment where chaos and beauty intertwine seamlessly. The composition carries both humour and melancholy, revealing how individuals often navigate emotional instability through performance, wit, and endurance. The theatrical quality of the painting further reinforces the idea that life itself can become a staged performance shaped by unpredictable emotional shifts.
Through this imaginative and symbolic work, Shanaka Kulathunga explores the fragile balance between chaos, identity, danger, and joy. His contemporary painterly language transforms surreal imagery into a poetic reflection on emotional survival, revealing the complexity and unpredictability that define human relationships and lived experience.
Why Choose Us
Art has always, naturally, reflected the development and exploration of different thoughts and perceptions, and our current postmodern era is no different. It is interesting to see how art has evolved visually, yet the traditional methods of composing art remain a valid means of expression.
All it takes for an artist to rise above normalcy, is inspiration, which fuels his passion to paint beautiful creations throughout his life.
The valuable expression of art is always there with us, but now this expression is yet to take an interesting diversion with our art gallery, Gallery Silver Scapes, located in Hauz Khas Enclave. Art is no longer considered just decorative but has evolved and come forth as a major form of investment yielding high rates of returns for its buyers, making it an expression commonly used.
Mrs Mayor was walked into the art world by the legendary modernist Bimal Das Gupta, one of whose biggest collections remains with Gallery Silver Scapes. In the 1980s, as head and first curator of the Habiart Gallery founded by Mrs Rekha Modi — a childhood friend — Mrs Mayor worked closely with and curated shows for renowned artists such as A Ramachandran, GR Santosh, Rameshwar Broota, Sakti Burman, MK Bardhan, Dhiraj Chaudhury, M Sivanesan, and Arup Das among others.
Besides modern masters, she also worked with young contemporaries such as Sudip Roy, Paresh Maity, Subroto Kundu, Vinod Sharma, and many more. Artworks commissioned by her are now part of prestigious collections, such as those of the India Habitat Centre, Ranbaxy, Pepsi, Hotel Lalit, Bank of America, and many more private and public collections.