Sarath Chandradeewa, Lal Hegoda and Nihal Fernando

The State Visual Arts Festival 2025 was held in February 2026 owing to postponement caused by cyclone Ditwah.It was held under the patronage of Dr Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs at Suhurupaya, Battaramulla on February 18, 2026.

Organised by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious & Cultural Affairs, the Department of Cultural Affairs, the Arts Council of Sri Lanka and the State Panel of Visual Arts, it celebrated eminent visual artists who have dedicated their creativity to the advancement and brilliance of the Sri Lankan Visual Arts Sector.

Winners of the 2025 State Visual Arts Festival were presented with awards and Professor Sarath Chandrajeewa (b.1955), Lal Hegoda (b.1947) and Nihal Fernando (1927-2015) were honoured with Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Sarath Chandrajeewa (b.1955)

Educated at Ragala Sinhala Maha Vidyalaya and Karawita Central College, he obtained his first degree in Sculpture from the Institute of Aesthetic Studies, University of Kelaniya in 1978. He obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Bronze Sculpture Casting at the Royal Academy of Arts, a Master’s Degree in Sculpture at the Moscow State Academic Arts Institute and his Doctor of Philosophy Degree at the Moscow State Institute of Art Research.

Starting his career as a Youth Services Officer in 1979 at the National Youth Services Council, his appointments at various times included Lecturer-University of Kelaniya, Director-Institute of Aesthetic Studies, Professor -University of Visual & Performing Arts where he went on to become the Dean.

His solo exhibitions are many and he has emerged as an internationally renowned sculptor. He is the only Sri Lankan artist to be represented in the British Museum’s Portrait Gallery for his bronze portrait of Sir Christopher Ondaatje.

A recipient of numerous awards, he is also an author and editor, compiling many academic books and research articles on visual arts. Having accomplished much of his mission, he is a rare figure who is still an active sculptor who is also engaged in academic research works.” (Adapted from the Catalogue of the State Visual Arts Festival 2025)

Lal Hegoda (b.1947)

“Lal Hegoda was never one to follow the usual path. Rather than simply capturing photographs, he has explored the world itself, shaping ideas, objects, and moments with creativity, and bringing them to life through the lens. His work first reached the public in 1971, with the remarkable series ‘Freud’s Daughter,’ a work that show he was never just a photographer, but an artist deeply attuned to society and human experience.

Growing up with his father, the pioneering photographer Wilson Hegoda, Lal learned early the language of images, the discipline of craft, and the joy of seeing the world with fresh eyes. Yet he has always walked his own path, guided by an inner vision. Beyond photography, he has explored poetry, blending visual and verbal expression with sensitivity and respect for the very essence of his subjects.

As a scholar, teacher, and author of influential works like ‘Photography and Art’ and the ‘Seven Controls of the Camera,’ Lal Hegoda has enriched Sri Lankan art with both knowledge and imagination. His mastery of visual language, his expressive touch, and his ability to communicate meaning through images have left an indelible mark on our culture.

Today, in recognition of his lifetime of creativity, insight, and dedication, the Sri Lanka Arts Council, the Visual Arts Sub-Council, and the Department of Cultural Affairs proudly present Mr Lal Hegoda with the Lifetime Achievement Award, honouring his enduring contribution to art and culture in Sri Lanka.” (Catalogue of the Exhibition of Photography, State Visual Arts Festival 2025, 17-19 February 2026, Lionel Wendt Art Centre)

Nihal Fernando (1927-2015)

“Nihal Fernando often described himself simply as ‘a photographer,’ yet his life’s work profoundly shaped Sri Lanka’s visual, cultural, and environmental consciousness. Beginning as a schoolboy photographer and later transforming Studio Times Pvt Ltd into a national institution, he used photography not merely as a profession but as a means of understanding and revealing Sri Lanka to itself and the world. Through exhibitions, press features, public lectures, and influential publications such as the ‘Handbook for the Ceylon Traveller’ and landmark photographic volumes, he inspired generations to appreciate the island’s landscapes, heritage, and people.

Beyond photography, Fernando was a mentor to young artists, a custodian of Sri Lanka’s artistic legacy, and a passionate advocate for conservation and sustainable agriculture. His leadership in environmental activism, most notably the historic opposition to the Eppawela phosphate mining project, left a lasting legal and moral legacy. Widely known as ‘The Man who Framed Sri Lanka,’ Nihal Fernando was a visionary whose work consistently served the common good and enriched the nation’s cultural soul.” (Catalogue of the Exhibition of Photography, State Visual Arts Festival 2025, 17-19 February 2026, Lionel Wendt Art Centre)