ITC Ratnadipa Celebrates World Tourism Day With 'Around The Island' By Artist Nihal Sangabo Dias

(MENAFN- Colombo Gazette) Place and memory have a particular relationship in the work of Nihal Sangabo Dias. Sri Lanka is both familiar and continually changing in his paintings, an island of landscapes, villages, people and colour, filtered through an artist who has spent decades looking closely at it. This way of seeing Sri Lanka is central to 'Around the Island', presented by ITC Ratnadipa this World Tourism Day. 'Around the Island' takes place at the WelcomGallery of ITC Ratnadipa, from 25 September to 11 October 2026, showcasing Sri Lanka as a Sri Lankan artist sees it, not as a fixed landscape, but as something observed, remembered and continually reinterpreted.

Rather than simply depicting the island, Dias invites viewers to encounter it through his own visual language. His interpretation offers a way into Sri Lanka beyond the familiar sights of a destination, shaped by what he has seen, what has stayed with him, and how he chooses to translate those memories onto the canvas. Tourism is often associated with the act of arriving somewhere, but a sense of place can also be shaped by the stories, images and perspectives through which a country is represented. In Dias' work, Sri Lanka becomes something to be encountered through an individual artistic perspective, allowing familiar landscapes and everyday scenes to take on another dimension.

Commenting on the showcase, Dilshi Fernando, Head of PR & Marketing at ITC Ratnadipa, said,“Since its launch in April this year, WelcomGallery has been envisioned as a platform for Sri Lankan artists to showcase their work to a wider audience, including the global travellers who visit ITC Ratnadipa. This exhibition is particularly special to us as it coincides with World Tourism Day. Through 'Around the Island', we celebrate the work of Nihal Sangabo Dias, who captures the beauty of Sri Lanka in its simplest and most authentic form, from fishermen and village life to the landscapes of Galle and Kandy. His work reminds us that the essence of Sri Lanka lies in these everyday moments and places. We warmly invite everyone to experience the exhibition and see our island through his eyes.”

Sharing his thoughts on the exhibition, Sangabo Dias said,“I hope these paintings offer a glimpse of Sri Lanka from the way I've seen its beauty, character, colours and the moments that have stayed with me. Through my work, I hope viewers will pause and look at the island a little differently, finding their own connection with the places, people and stories that make Sri Lanka so special.”

Through 'Around the Island', ITC Ratnadipa brings together art, place and perspective in celebration of the World Tourism Day, offering both local audiences and global travellers an opportunity to encounter Sri Lanka through the eyes of a Sri Lankan artist. 'Around the Island' will be open for complimentary viewing at the WelcomGallery, ITC Ratnadipa, from 25 September to 11 October 2026

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