Our Story
George Keyt
Born in Kandy, Sri Lanka, in April 1901, George Keyt is one of Sri Lanka’s most distinguished, and renowned modernist painters. is work comprises a fluid synthesis of Eastern and Western, Buddhist and Hindu, art and iconography. He remains Sri Lanka’s most celebrated visual artist and among the greatest painters of the twentieth century in Asia and internationally. With an absolute dedication to arts and culture, he gave much time from an early age to the study of art and literature. His extraordinary artistic creations have played a central role in the cultural life of Sri Lanka for over half a century.
The George Keyt Foundation
The need to perpetuate Keyt’s name legacy and preserve his work as part of Sri Lanka’s national heritage became a national consequence. A group of his ardent admirers and friends decided in June 1988 to establish the foundation in his name and to provide opportunities for the development of art and artists, promoting art and assisting Sri Lanka Artists including painters, sculptors, musicians and writers, and to establish a gallery of Modern Sri Lanka Art. The George Keyt Foundation was subsequently incorporated on 13 June 1990 as a legal entity and a charitable trust, and Keyt himself saw its early years and significant contribution to the arts in Sri Lanka.
The George Keyt Foundation has made a major contribution to promoting the arts, and in a way reviving it since the 1980s by organising and presenting exhibitions and presentations, hundreds of presentations, exhibitions of Sri Lankan painting and sculpture, exhibitions of groups of artists, individual exhibitions of Sri Lankan and overseas painters and also exhibitions by SAARC painters. All these opportunities resulted in the emergence into the art scene of many artists over the years and led to initiating and organising jointly with global cultural bodies.
The George Keyt Foundation has significant contributions to the promotion and revival of arts and culture since the 1980s by organising and presenting exhibitions and presentations, giving emerging artists the opportunity to develop and present their work to a broader audience and the opportunity to be discovered.
Over the years, the foundation has led many initiatives such as Young Contemporaries from 1991, for artists below forty years of age. Sculpture and Painting, now named Sri Lankan Art to include senior artists by invitation, has been held annually since 1991. Kala Pola is an open-air Art Fair that was presented initially in 1993 and annually thereafter other than in 2001 and 2007. Nawa Kalakaruwo, which commenced in 1994, is an annual exhibition presenting new and emerging art from both established and emerging artists. The George Keyt Foundation has organised hundreds of presentations, exhibitions of Sri Lankan painting and sculpture, exhibitions of groups of artists, month-long exhibitions of featured painters, individual exhibitions of Sri Lankan and overseas painters and also exhibitions by SAARC painters. All these opportunities resulted in the emergence into the art scene of many artists over the years. They led to initiating and organising jointly with the cultural bodies of Germany, France, and Britain, and the Vibhavi Academy in 1997, 1998 and 1999, an International Artists’ Camp. The George Keyt Foundation was proud to be associated with presenting the Kala Dharshana of masters of the Performing Arts in November 1991 – music and song, dance and ballet, theatre and film – featuring Dr W D Amaradeva, Prof Ediriweera Sarachchandra (Sinhabahu), Dr Earle De Fonseka and Druvi De Saram (Symphony Orchestra), Dr Lester James Peiris (Rekawa) and Dr Chitrasena and Vajira.
Along with the promotion of the arts, there have been several publications including an anthology to commemorate Keyt’s centennial in 2001, as well as writings translated into Sinhala and Tamil, catalogues of exhibitions and facsimile reproductions to provide more exposure for artists. A further significant achievement of the George Keyt Foundation was the rehabilitation of the Gotami Vihara Shrine Room, the walls of which have George Keyt’s murals of over 70 years titled The Life of Lord Buddha.
The George Keyt Foundation has been generously assisted in these achievements by the several sponsors who have supported the foundation over the years – some who continue to do so year after year, and who have made it possible to achieve all of the above and have earned the very sincere appreciation and gratitude of our painters and sculptors.
Established on 18 June 1988 and Gazetted in terms of the Trust Ordinance as a legal corporate entity on 22 June 1990. Gazetted as an approved charity on 18 March 1991 The First Office Bearers of the Foundation and Signatories to the Constitution of the Foundation in 1988 were – Cedric De Silva (Chairman), Mrs Sita De Silva (Secretary), Mrs Inger Sheinbaum (Treasurer), and Committee Members – A C S Pethiyagoda, Mrs Christobel Weerasinghe, Gilbert Sheinbaum, Prof Albert Dharmasiri and Tissa Devendra.
Vision and Objectives
The George Keyt Foundation’s objectives are to promote arts and literature pertaining to the arts, and to establish a suitably designed gallery of contemporary Sri Lankan art, a museum, a hall for exhibitions, concerts and seminars, and a centre for collecting and preserving George Keyt’s work in all media and to serve as a permanent gallery of George Keyt Art.
To grant assistance to artists across the country through scholarships, bursaries, loans, allowances, payment for or in reimbursement of the cost of books, materials, equipment, fees and other expenses incurred in the promotion of education or in research conducted thereon.
Provide support to local artists, painters, sculptors, musicians, and writers by the publication or promotion of musical, artistic or literary work including the writings of local writers, books and magazines and by assisting in or undertaking the sale of paintings, sculptures, writings and literary work of local writers and the performance of dramatic and musical work of local artists, authors, dramatists or musicians.
Organise festivals of arts to stimulate interest among a wider audience, and organise recitals, exhibitions, and lectures to acquaint the public with the work of artists.
Receive bequests, and collect and acquire original works of art and literature pertaining to the arts and in particular of George Keyt and about George Keyt, in all media.
Restoration and preservation of the murals at the Gothami Viharaya temple in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Work in collaboration with stakeholders of this site and create a revenue scheme that benefits the custodians of the temple directly and aid in long-term maintenance and care of the collection of murals.
Ensure cataloguing of George Keyt’s work, and assist in the preparation of bibliographies of all of George Keyt’s work and about him in all media.
Conserve, store and preserve George Keyt’s personal possessions as a painter, poet and writer as well as other memorabilia.
Publish books and reproductions in any form of George Keyt’s paintings, drawings, sketches, poems and prose. Rent and hire property, promote exhibitions, and take other steps to ensure the long-term sustainability of the foundation.