Relocating Sri Lankan art: The Ape Kattiya art circle and its connections to the post-war counter-cultural movement

Abstract

This article explores the connection between the Ape Kattiya art circle, which emerged in Sri Lanka in the late 1950s, and the counter-cultural movement that arose after the Second World War II. Ape Kattiya was a group formed in the late 1950s by young people who had come to the city of Colombo from rural and semi-urban areas in search of employment. The group consisted of artists and critics active in multiple fields such as theatre, cinema, literature, photography and journalism. What sets Ape Kattiya apart from other art circles in Sri Lanka is the influence of contemporary philosophical foundations and cultural movements that emerged in Europe and America after the Second World War and its ideological formation and activities. The basic objective of this article is to analytically examine the relationship between Ape Kattiya and the counter-cultural trends. This article is systematically based on qualitative data and data analysis. Primary data were obtained from a large number of contemporary artists, critics, and writers associated with Ape Kattiya, as well as from many individuals who today contribute to various fields of literature and art. During the course of the research, secondary data consisted of the plays, literary works, critiques, discussions, and commentaries on Ape Kattiya, as well as critiques, reviews, studies, and analyses related to the group. It also included research papers, books, critiques, and reviews concerning counter-cultural movements. The findings of this research indicate that the Ape Kattiya group was positioned as a local representation within the international countercultural moment; that Ape Kattiya acted as a catalyst in shaping Sri Lanka’s urban culture; that the emergence of such artistic movements coincided with reforms in the newly formed nation-state; and that Ape Kattiya can be regarded as a model for interpreting the modern and postmodern conditions that emerged within the Sri Lankan society. The central argument of this article is that Ape Kattiya was not merely a drama troupe or art circle confined to Sri Lanka, but rather an example of a counter-cultural trend of significant international relevance.