Sahan Kulathunge - Water Remembers

Venue: Tanks Arts Centre

Exhibition: Tue 7 Apr - Sun 3 May
Launch: 5.30pm, Fri 10 Apr

Water Remembers invites viewers to experience familiar places in a new way, highlighting the subtle moments and quiet corners that define the character of Cairns.

Every artwork in this exhibition draws its subject matter from Cairns and its surrounding areas, reflecting the city through the perspective of someone who sees beauty in the unnoticed. While each subject is modified or recomposed for artistic expression, Sahan Kulathunge has remained faithful to the essence and spirit of the actual locations.

The exhibition places a strong emphasis on light and tonal values rather than relying on literal local colours. Through this approach, the works explore the emotional weight of atmosphere—how light shapes memory and how water carries stories.

Sahan Kulathunge is a multi-award-winning watercolourist, based in Cairns. Water Remembers is his first solo exhibition.

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Artist Bio

Sahan Kulathunge is a Cairns-based watercolor artist whose work sits between Impressionism and Realism. Since arriving in Cairns, he has continued his artistic journey, developing a unique visual language that blends observation, memory, and personal reflection.

His work has been recognised with numerous awards, including Best 32 Artwork at the Australian Watercolor Muster 2025, Winner – Watercolor at the 47th and 46th Hinchinbrook Annual Art Awards, Winner – Watercolor at the 77th Cairns Annual Art Awards, Best Watercolor at the Hinchinbrook BirdLife Award 2025, Highly commended award at ARTchies portrait prize 2025, and the People’s Award at the Hinchinbrook BirdLife Award 2024.

Sahan places particular focus on the subject of his paintings first, then composition, an approach developed through thought and experience rather than formal learning. His main areas of exploration include cityscapes, landscapes, seascapes, waterscapes, and streetscapes. Stylistically, he follows a contemporary approach with an emphasis on light and modern techniques such as granulation, while valuing colour harmony and the use of a limited palette to convey mood and atmosphere.

Awards & Achievements
Australian Watercolor Muster 2025
Hinchinbrook 46th and 47th Annual Art Awards,
Cairns 77th Annual Art Awards
Hinchinbrook BirdLife Award 2024 and 2025
ARTchies portrait prize 2025

Image: Toogood Road - It's too good to drive, watercolour by Sahan Kulathunge 2025

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