• Dario Coletti’s photographs of SL and Sardinia reveal unexpected connections between two islands and the journey that changed his life
• ‘Islands’ Rhythms: Sri Lanka & Sardinia’ closes 17 June

Photography has the unique ability to capture a moment in time forever. To capture a way of life that has faded, or reveal unexpected connections between people separated by geography, language, and culture. 

More than three decades ago, an Italian photographer arrived in Sri Lanka to document a Buddhist pilgrimage. He left with something far more enduring than a collection of photographs.

Today, those images have returned to Colombo as part of ‘Islands’ Rhythms: Sri Lanka & Sardinia’, a limited-time exhibition by acclaimed Italian documentary photographer Dario Coletti. Hosted at Radicle Art Gallery, the exhibition brings together photographs taken in Sri Lanka in 1992 and in Sardinia between 1993 and 2006, exploring the cultural, spiritual, and human connections that shape life on two islands separated by thousands of kilometres.

The exhibition opening brought together diplomats, artists, and cultural enthusiasts, while also marking a significant milestone in relations between Italy and Sri Lanka.

A tale of two islands

Speaking at the opening, Italian Ambassador to Sri Lanka Damiano Francovigh noted that the exhibition forms part of a wider programme of cultural events marking the 75th anniversary of the Italian Embassy in Colombo.

“We’ve been marking it through a series of cultural events, from ballet to opera performances, and this also shows the bond between Italy and Sri Lanka,” Francovigh said.

While trade and migration often dominate conversations about the relationship between the two countries, he noted that the exhibition highlights another shared connection.

“When we talk about Italy and Sri Lanka, we think of the main bonds being the lively Sri Lankan community living in Italy and the trade relationship between the two. But sometimes we forget something else, which is the fact that two of the biggest regions of Italy are islands in their own right. This exhibition highlights the island connection between Sri Lanka and Sardinia.”

One of Italy’s largest regions, Sardinia is known for its distinctive cultural identity, ancient civilisations, and dramatic landscapes. Through Coletti’s lens, visitors are invited to explore not only the similarities between the two islands but also the rhythms that make each unique.

“Sardinia is home to one of Italy’s most ancient civilisations, with a rich culture, landscape, and traditions captured by Dario Coletti,” Francovigh said. “The exhibition features special images from Sri Lanka and Sardinia and shows a strong bond between the two.”

A journey across borders

The exhibition’s arrival in Colombo is itself the result of a journey that spans several countries and many years.

Former Sri Lankan Ambassador to Türkiye Hasanthi Dissanayake, played a key role in bringing the exhibition to Sri Lanka. Speaking at the opening, she reflected on a friendship and professional relationship with Coletti that stretches back decades.

The exhibition was previously shown in Ankara with the support of the Italian Embassy before travelling to Istanbul, where it was presented through a collaboration involving the Sri Lankan Embassy and Italian cultural institutions.

When her diplomatic posting in Türkiye was coming to an end, Dissanayake said Coletti expressed a desire to bring the exhibition to Sri Lanka. “That’s where the idea came from,” she recalled. “I spoke to the Ambassador, and that’s how we’ve been able to share this exhibition with all of you.”

Having visited Sardinia herself, Dissanayake was immediately drawn to the exhibition’s concept and the parallels between the two islands. “We need art as a medium to promote understanding and peace,” she said. “We can see so many similarities between Sri Lanka and Sardinia. The idea is to promote understanding and friendship and enjoy the similarities as well as the differences.”

Her remarks echoed one of the exhibition’s central ideas. While separated by geography, language, and history, both islands are shaped by strong cultural traditions, distinctive identities, and deep connections to place.

The journey that changed everything

Yet perhaps the most compelling story behind the exhibition belongs to Coletti himself.

Unable to attend the opening in Colombo, the photographer shared a message that was read out to guests. In it, he revealed that his first visit to Sri Lanka in 1992 marked a turning point in both his life and career.

The photographs on display from Sri Lanka were originally created to document the first pilgrimage of Italian Buddhists travelling to view sacred relics on the island. At the time, however, Coletti was struggling with a sense of dissatisfaction in his own life.

He described leaving his city feeling unhappy with his professional path and uncertain about how to move forward.

“Accepting the challenge, stepping out of my comfort zone, and questioning my beliefs brought me face to face with another world where I had everything to learn,” he wrote.

What he encountered in Sri Lanka extended beyond Buddhism. He found a different way of looking at life, one that challenged many of his assumptions.

He spoke of discovering “a simpler, healthier and more tolerant lifestyle” and “the joy of having access to everything without possessing anything”.

The experience prompted what he described as an ethical transformation. Returning to Italy, Coletti left the agency where he had been working and pursued a more personal form of documentary photography.

“It made an ethical change in my life,” he wrote. “I embraced a more intense photography capable of fostering change in me and in all those who approach my work.”

Photography as memory

Walking through the exhibition, visitors encounter images that feel both familiar and distant. Sri Lanka captured by Coletti in 1992 is recognisable, yet noticeably different from the country of today.

His photographs document religious rituals, landscapes, temples, and everyday encounters. Together they form a visual record of a moment in time, preserving memories of places, traditions, and communities that continue to evolve.

The Sardinian images perform a similar function, documenting landscapes, cultural practices, and everyday life across more than a decade.

Viewed together, the photographs become more than a comparison between two islands. They are a reflection on identity, memory, and the ways people remain connected to place even as societies change around them.