IROMIE WIJEWARDENA is one of Sri Lanka’s most celebrated contemporary artists, with a career spanning over four decades. A graduate of the University of Kelaniya, the Institute of Aesthetic Studies, and Wilson College (USA), she has long been a cultural ambassador for her country, representing Sri Lanka in exhibitions across Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Her work has graced the walls of prestigious institutions such as the Lyudmila Zhivkova International Foundation Gallery in Bulgaria and the Josip Broz Tito Gallery in former Yugoslavia. In 1994, her painting The Royal Procession was selected for Yugoslavia’s permanent collection and later appeared on a national postage stamp, making her the first Sri Lankan artist to receive that distinction.
Wijewardena’s art has been featured in Asia Week, Reader’s Digest, and Femina India, and she has contributed to the Sri Lankan Presidential Collection. She has served as a juror at major international art events, including the 12th Asian Art Biennale in Bangladesh, and was an invited exhibitor at the Mujib Shotoborsho Centennial in Dhaka (2020).
Her recent works center on the strength, beauty, and endurance of women, exploring gender and justice through richly layered compositions. Working in oils, mixed media, conte crayon, and acrylic, she weaves texture and color into dynamic meditations on identity and resilience.
Selected Awards & Honors:
Zonta Award – Woman of Achievement in Fine Arts & Design (1998)
SAARC Cultural Centre Honoree, International Women’s Day (2012)
Kalabhushana State Award (2021)
First Prize, National Youth Services Council Annual Exhibition (1981/1982)
President’s Prize, Best Painting – Ceylon Society of Arts (1984)
Professional Engagements:
Chairperson, Jury Panel – 12th Asian Art Biennale, Dhaka
Executive Committee Member – Ceylon Society of Arts
Member, Painting & Sculpture Panel – Sri Lanka Arts Council
More of her work may be appreciated on her website.
