Blueprint12 presents Endless Stairs, a solo exhibition by Sri Lankan artist Kingsley Gunatilake, on view from 4 to 8 April 2026 at Bikaner House, CCA Ground Floor, New Delhi. The exhibition brings together book art, sculptural installations, and abstract paintings, reflecting the artist’s long engagement with abstraction and material exploration.
Exploring Memory Through Material
The exhibition centres on themes of memory, loss, and resilience. Through layered surfaces and varied materials, Gunatilake creates works that invite viewers into a contemplative space. His use of books, pages, and canvases transforms familiar objects into sites of reflection and emotional engagement.
Book Art and Political Histories
A significant part of Endless Stairs is dedicated to book art. These works examine the foundations and destruction of knowledge, drawing from the history of library burnings in Sri Lanka. The altered books, often burned and marked, become symbolic objects that connect personal memory with broader political histories.
Highlights of the exhibition include:
- Burnt and altered books referencing lost libraries
- Sculptural installations incorporating steel military figures
- Layered abstract paintings on canvas and washi paper
Abstraction as a Language of Reflection
Alongside the installations, Gunatilake presents a new body of abstract paintings. Using traditional Japanese washi paper, the artist experiments with colour absorption and layered textures. Bright hues emerge beneath darker surfaces, suggesting fragmented memories and the persistence of experience despite violence and erasure.
A Practice Spanning Five Decades
Trained in Colombo in the 1970s, Kingsley Gunatilake has developed a distinctive visual language over more than five decades. He has held over 24 solo exhibitions and participated in numerous international shows, including presentations at the India Art Fair and exhibitions across Asia and Europe. His work often addresses themes of war, peace, and human rights through diverse media such as painting, installation, and illustration.
Blueprint12 and Contemporary Art Dialogues
The exhibition is presented by Blueprint12, a New Delhi-based gallery known for its focus on contemporary and experimental practices. Through exhibitions like Endless Stairs, the gallery continues to engage audiences with artists whose work reflects complex social and cultural narratives.
Visitor Information
| Aspects | Details |
| Exhibition | Endless Stairs |
| Artist | Kingsley Gunatilake |
| Venue | Bikaner House, CCA Ground Floor |
| City | New Delhi |
| Opening Date | 4 April 2026 |
| Exhibition Dates | 4 – 8 April 2026 |
| Organiser | Blueprint12 |
| Entry / Tickets | Open to public |
Endless Stairs is open to the public from 11 am to 7 pm during its run. Visitors can experience a range of works that combine tactile materials with conceptual depth in a gallery setting that echoes both a library and a site of conflict.
Takeaway
Endless Stairs offers a layered exploration of memory, knowledge, and historical trauma through material and abstraction. By transforming books and surfaces into expressive forms, Kingsley Gunatilake invites viewers to reflect on the fragility and endurance of cultural memory. The exhibition contributes to ongoing conversations in contemporary art about history, conflict, and the role of artistic practice in preserving collective experience.
