Team
Bawa 100 Programme Advisor:
Suhanya Raffel
Suhanya was appointed Executive Director of M+ in November 2016. Her curatorial career began in 1984 and she has over 30 years of experience as a museum curator and leader. Prior to joining M+, Suhanya was Deputy Director and Director of Collections at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia and Acting Director of the Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art, Australia. She is a Trustee of the Geoffrey Bawa Trust and the Lunuganga Trust, and a Board Member of the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (CIMAM). She was awarded the Chevalier in the Ordres des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government in 2020.
Suhanya Raffel
Suhanya was appointed Executive Director of M+ in November 2016. Her curatorial career began in 1984 and she has over 30 years of experience as a museum curator and leader. Prior to joining M+, Suhanya was Deputy Director and Director of Collections at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Australia and Acting Director of the Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art, Australia. She is a Trustee of the Geoffrey Bawa Trust and the Lunuganga Trust, and a Board Member of the International Committee for Museums and Collections of Modern Art (CIMAM). She was awarded the Chevalier in the Ordres des Arts et des Lettres by the French Government in 2020.
Bawa 100 Programme Advisor:
Channa Daswatte
Channa joined Geoffrey Bawa’s architecture practice in 1991 and was the last partner of the firm. In 1998, he established MICD Associates, where he is a principal, in partnership with Murad Ismail. Channa was the Chairperson of the Galle Heritage Foundation and has worked on a number of architectural, conservation and curatorial projects, including the Corridors of Power Installation which was exhibited at the most recent Dhaka Art Summit in 2018. Channa authored and edited Sri Lanka Style (2005) has written for and edited a number of publications including A+U and Sri Lanka Institute of Architects’ Journal. Channa is also the chairperson of the Geoffrey Bawa and Lunuganga Trusts.
Channa Daswatte
Channa joined Geoffrey Bawa’s architecture practice in 1991 and was the last partner of the firm. In 1998, he established MICD Associates, where he is a principal, in partnership with Murad Ismail. Channa was the Chairperson of the Galle Heritage Foundation and has worked on a number of architectural, conservation and curatorial projects, including the Corridors of Power Installation which was exhibited at the most recent Dhaka Art Summit in 2018. Channa authored and edited Sri Lanka Style (2005) has written for and edited a number of publications including A+U and Sri Lanka Institute of Architects’ Journal. Channa is also the chairperson of the Geoffrey Bawa and Lunuganga Trusts.
The Lunuganga Trust Curator:
Shayari de Silva
Shayari has been the Lunuganga Trust’s Curator of Art and Archival Collections since 2018. She has worked previously at the Yale University Art Gallery and the Yale Centre for British Art. She has also worked as an architect for 4 years in Colombo and in New York, and was an editor of Perspecta 51: Medium, the Yale Architecture Journal, published by MIT Press in 2018.
Shayari de Silva
Shayari has been the Lunuganga Trust’s Curator of Art and Archival Collections since 2018. She has worked previously at the Yale University Art Gallery and the Yale Centre for British Art. She has also worked as an architect for 4 years in Colombo and in New York, and was an editor of Perspecta 51: Medium, the Yale Architecture Journal, published by MIT Press in 2018.
Programme Manager:
Shanika Perera
Shanika worked at Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo for 2 years, which led her to her role as curatorial assistant for two consecutive years for Cinnamon Colomboscope 2016–2017. She is an ARThink South Asia (ATSA) fellow for 2017–2018, where she participated in a management, policy and research programme in the arts and cultural sector. She was the festival manager for the recently concluded Colomboscope 2019.
Shanika Perera
Shanika worked at Saskia Fernando Gallery, Colombo for 2 years, which led her to her role as curatorial assistant for two consecutive years for Cinnamon Colomboscope 2016–2017. She is an ARThink South Asia (ATSA) fellow for 2017–2018, where she participated in a management, policy and research programme in the arts and cultural sector. She was the festival manager for the recently concluded Colomboscope 2019.
Communications and Design Manager: Thilini Perera
Thilini is an independent multidisciplinary designer, who has contributed in a creative capacity to advertising, publishing, and design education industries in Sri Lanka and Vietnam over the past decade. She was part of the core team of Sri Lanka Design Festival in 2011 and 2012. She headed communications and design for Colomboscope 2017 and 2019.
Thilini Perera
Thilini is an independent multidisciplinary designer, who has contributed in a creative capacity to advertising, publishing, and design education industries in Sri Lanka and Vietnam over the past decade. She was part of the core team of Sri Lanka Design Festival in 2011 and 2012. She headed communications and design for Colomboscope 2017 and 2019.
Associate Designer:
Christopher Silva
Christopher studied architecture at the University of Moratuwa 2013–2018. He has worked previously with ADM Architects, led by Amila de Mel, where he was involved in the reconstruction and restoration of Geoffrey Bawa’s Ena de Silva house project among other residential work.
Christopher Silva
Christopher studied architecture at the University of Moratuwa 2013–2018. He has worked previously with ADM Architects, led by Amila de Mel, where he was involved in the reconstruction and restoration of Geoffrey Bawa’s Ena de Silva house project among other residential work.