Shayna Fonseka: Contemporary British-Sri Lankan Artist and Sculptor

Shayna Fonseka is a British-Sri Lankan contemporary artist based in London. Her artistic practice investigates urban spaces as personal sites of transcendence, exploring how sensory and spatial experiences cultivate a grounded sense of being amid growing instability. Shayna Fonseka works with a wide range of organic and synthetic materials, including clay, steel, paint, wallpaper, stickers, foliage, and bricks, to create complex sculptures and installations. She holds an MFA from the Ruskin School of Art, University of Oxford, a BFA from the Slade School of Art, and a diploma from Central Saint Martins, reflecting a rigorous academic foundation in fine art and materiality. Fonseka’s work has been widely recognized within the contemporary art community. She was recently awarded the Erna Plachte Award 2024 and was shortlisted for the Oxford Review of Books Art Award. Her exhibition history includes notable London-based showcases such as 'TYFBAF' at Silian Gallery and 'Questions on Drawing' at Exvoto Gallery, alongside international exhibitions like 'Carry on Baggage' in Lisbon. She has participated in prestigious residencies, including the Merz Barn in the Lake District and JOYA Air in Spain. Through her unique material language, Shayna Fonseka continues to challenge perceptions of the built environment and the human connection to physical space.