To the discerning eye, the style of his home carries the monochrome, understated identity of Paradise Road, but it is also a home. His home. Every painting and objet d’art in his collection holds a story. Younger artists Rajni Perera and Chudamani Clowes flank works from his complete collection of the 43 Group, the most well-known Sri Lankan modernists. His collection is not only about monetary value. My father won’t hesitate to boast about a bargain, which, in fact, is representative of the strength of a work and the individuality of an artist. In many cases, he will share a wonderful anecdote on how he obtained a piece and how much he fought to have it. A few works have pride of place, such as the 1930s George Keyts and the Lionel Wendts that capture the spirit and substance of his modern art collection. The true pleasure of this collector is looking at all his acquisitions together, well placed.
