The photographs in this exhibition offer a distinctive visual journey through Sri Lanka and the United States as seen through the lens of a camera. They were taken during a pivotal period in the island’s history, spanning life after the Second World War and the early years following independence from the British Empire.
Quintus Fernando appears to have been influenced by Lionel Wendt and other photographic innovators through his membership in the Photographic Society of Ceylon in the 1940’s and 50’s. The photographs he created are not documentary in nature but are more a visually lyrical interpretation of individuals and daily life in this island paradise.
This photographic journey continued when he moved to the United States to pursue his academic career from 1949 -1953, and eventually to permanently relocate in 1957. The set of images in this exhibition are from both Sri Lanka and the United States and are part of an archive of photographs discovered in the last decade by his family.
Mist and Rain, one of his earliest photographs, exemplifies his unique aesthetic. Depicting a couple walking along a rural road on a rainy day, the image transforms an ordinary moment in island life into a visually evocative scene. The independent, proud spirit of Sri Lankans is captured through this ruggedly handsome Portrait of a Fisherman.
The photographs taken in the United States are a brief glimpse into a very different life and culture. Some of the photographs are unique in their subject matter. The rare early 1950’s image of the iconic jazz singer Billie Holiday performing in a jazz club in Louisville, Kentucky has never been seen publicly.
Quintus Fernando went on to a distinguished career in the field of Analytical Chemistry. He was instrumental in training American and Sri Lankan students, many of whom went on to significant academic and professional careers of their own. His photographs remain a testament to his creativity and artistic vision.
