Sapumal Foundation

Sapumal Foundation Founded to preserve and display a collection of art by the '43 Group for the benefit of posterity an It was a responsibility that made him restless.

The Sapumal Foundation is a rare, if not unique, place; because it was the home of an artist, Harry Pieris, who collected work by other artists (few artists collect the works of other artists). He then displayed them in an attractive but unconventional way, in his unpretentious home. Later he formed a Foundation so that others could also enjoy this good art. We have retained many of the pictures a

nd much of the house as it was when he lived here. It was formed on 16 th December 1974 by Harry Pieris as the settlor and Dr Arthur Weerakoon and Dr Chris Raffel as trustees. As Margaret Gooneratne, then Librarian of the American Centre perceived “In 1974 he felt that he should establish something of a more permanent nature so that the public could view good art and be enriched thereby. Harry, in his understated yet determined way, was convinced that the advantages he had inherited, received and gained must be shared with a wider range of people. In such thinking the Sapumal Foundation took firm and adventurous root”. Harry Pieris named it the Sapumal Foundation because his siblings nicknamed him ‘Sapumal’ when he was young, either because he was not much given to smiling, like Prince Sapumal of history or because they felt that he was rather immature, like the flower of the Sapumal tree which does not open fully, as he was not as fun-loving and sporty like most of them. But he had the last laugh, like Prince Sapumal who became King Bhuvaneka Bahu VI!

29/04/2026

The Sapumal Foundation will be closed on May 1st and 2nd for May Day and Wesak; then again on May 30th and 31st for Adi Poson.

02/04/2026

The Sapumal Foundation will be closed on Friday 3rd April on account of Good Friday and then from 11th to 21st April (both days inclusive) for the local New Year. Reopening on Wednesday 22nd April.

Invitation and Agenda to a Presentation - "Ways of Looking: Martin Wickramasinghe and the Currents of Sri Lankan Art" a...
18/03/2026

Invitation and Agenda to a Presentation - "Ways of Looking: Martin Wickramasinghe and the Currents of Sri Lankan Art" and his writings on culture, art and art history- by Uditha Devapriya at the Sapumal Foundation, Garden Gallery, on Tuesday 31st March 2026,at 4.45 pm. This is the last in a series of lectures organised by the Martin Wickramasinghe Trust.

Agenda:
4.45 pm - Welcome Address
4.50 pm - Opening Remarks by Avishka Mario Seneviratne
4.55 pm - Presentation by Uditha Devapriya
5.35 pm - Discussion
6.00 pm - Closing Remarks by Hasini Haputhanthri

Register: https://forms.gle/hH79j6jXq8aZtc5Y8
For further information contact Uditha
WhatsApp: +(94)716419646
Email: [email protected]

Though not himself an artist, Martin Wickramasinghe commented on art, including on painting and sculpture. During his formative years, scholars explored these aspects of Sri Lankan and South Asian society. Ananda Coomaraswamy’s Mediaeval Sinhalese Art was published just two years after he came to ...

A new addition to our Library which has some articles on art.
09/03/2026

A new addition to our Library which has some articles on art.

A donation of a magazine from Bettina Heinen- Ayech Foundation, which features her art and those of other women.
09/03/2026

A donation of a magazine from Bettina Heinen- Ayech Foundation, which features her art and those of other women.

A new magazine donated to our Library with art from all over Asia including 4 from Sri Lanka
09/03/2026

A new magazine donated to our Library with art from all over Asia including 4 from Sri Lanka

Addition to our Library, courtesy of Prof.Sarath Chandra
02/01/2026

Addition to our Library, courtesy of Prof.Sarath Chandra

Added to the Sapumal Foundation Library and available for sale there also
19/12/2025

Added to the Sapumal Foundation Library and available for sale there also

19/12/2025

The Sapumal Foundation will be closed from Sunday 21st December 2025 to Friday 2nd January 2026 - both days inclusive - for the Christmas Holidays

A current exhibition....
10/10/2025

A current exhibition....

Two new books added to our reference library
10/10/2025

Two new books added to our reference library

28/04/2025

The Sapumal Foundation will be closed from Thursday 1st May on account of May Day

Address

32/4 Barnes Place
Colombo
00700

Opening Hours

Wednesday 10:00 - 13:00
Thursday 10:00 - 13:00
Friday 10:00 - 13:00
Saturday 10:00 - 13:00
Sunday 10:00 - 13:00

Telephone

+94112695731

Website

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