• From childhood lessons to her first solo exhibition at 88, Rukmini Attygalle reflects on a lifetime of creativity, experimentation, and artistic freedom

Creativity is often associated with youth, with the pursuit of new ideas, the freedom to experiment, and the desire to make something of one’s own. Yet creativity is hardly something confined to a particular age or stage of life. For many, it is a lifelong pursuit, evolving alongside their experiences, perspectives, and understanding of the world. 

For Rukmini Attygalle, art has always been one such deeply personal pursuit. Having painted since childhood, she returned to art more seriously following her retirement. 

Rukmini’s work explores human emotions, the connections between people and nature, and the impermanence of life. Now, at the age of 88, she is preparing to share her work with the public for the first time through her debut solo exhibition, Transitory Lives, which opened at Curado Art Space in Colombo on Friday (23).

The Sunday Morning Brunch caught up with Rukmini ahead of her exhibition to learn more about her lifelong relationship with art, the philosophy behind Transitory Lives, and why, at 88, she believes there is still plenty of room to create, experiment, and try something new.

A lifelong love for art

Growing up in Sri Lanka, Rukmini’s interest in art was encouraged by her mother, who arranged for her to study under pioneering art educator Cora Abraham when she was around seven years old. Her artistic education continued at Bishop’s College, where she was taught by Swanee Jayawardene, an artist associated with Sri Lanka’s influential ’43 Group, who had also studied under Abraham.

What stayed with Rukmini from these early experiences was the freedom she was given to express herself without being restricted by conventional artistic rules. “It was a continuation of the same kind of teaching. We were free to paint what we wanted. We didn’t have to stick to rules about perspective or proportion. We had the freedom to paint without barriers,” she explained.

This emphasis on expression rather than technical perfection would go on to influence her approach to art throughout her life. As she grew older, however, art took a back seat to other pursuits. She attended university, married in 1960, and eventually moved to the United Kingdom with her family.

Before leaving Sri Lanka, Rukmini reconnected with Jayawardene in 1967 to learn batik, eventually finding herself invited to exhibit alongside her former teacher. 

“When she saw my work, she said I must exhibit with her. I said no because she was so much better than me. She took a long time to convince me, but eventually I agreed,” Rukmini recalled. 

All her pieces sold, giving her confidence in her abilities. However, she soon moved to England with her family, where she worked in the UK Civil Service’s Health Department, leaving little time for art.

Rediscovering creativity

Following her retirement from the UK Civil Service in 1996, Rukmini enrolled in a Diploma in Art and Design programme at Croydon College, returning to painting in earnest in 1997. Since then, she has continued experimenting with painting, printing, and woodcuts.

What followed was almost three decades of artistic exploration, with Rukmini experimenting with different mediums and developing an extensive collection of work. Yet, despite the growing body of paintings and prints, the idea of holding an exhibition never appealed to her. 

“I never painted or did art for an exhibition. It was purely a joyful thing and something very personal to me. My family would say, ‘Amma, you have to exhibit,’ and I would say, ‘What nonsense!’” she laughed.

Even after returning to Sri Lanka in 2019, where she continued painting extensively throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Rukmini remained reluctant to exhibit. Despite encouragement from friends and family, including artist and art teacher Nisreen Amiruddeen and ceramic artist Asela Gunasekara, she found the prospect daunting.

A turning point came when one of her daughter’s friends contacted art critic and collector Suresh Dominic, who was surprised to learn that Rukmini had never held an exhibition. “His comments made me feel a little more confident and I decided to go ahead with it,” she shared.

Now, with her debut exhibition approaching, Rukmini’s apprehension has largely given way to anticipation. “I’m feeling more excited about it now. Whether people like my work or not, I couldn’t care less. I like it, and I don’t care what other people think. I’m not really nervous, but I’m excited to see people’s reactions to my art,” she said.

Capturing life’s fleeting moments

Titled ‘Transitory Lives,’ Rukmini’s debut exhibition brings together a selection of works reflecting her understanding of human emotions, relationships, and the constantly changing nature of existence. The exhibition’s title draws on the Buddhist understanding of impermanence and the cycle of birth, suffering, and death, concepts that have influenced her interpretation of life and the world around her.

For Rukmini, much of her work explores the connections between people and nature, reflecting her belief that life is constantly changing, yet everything remains connected. “There’s always some sort of connection between people, and there’s a rhythm and harmony in life. At the same time, it’s a passing thing. It’s a transitory life, and that’s what led to the name.”

Rather than attempting to reproduce reality, Rukmini sees her paintings as interpretations of particular moments and emotions. “My art captures moments of emotions. It’s a snapshot and my own interpretation. I don’t try to be realistic and I don’t try to be abstract. It’s about the emotion,” she shared.

Working across painting, printing, woodcuts, and linocuts, Rukmini finds that each medium brings out a different aspect of her creativity. 

“I love experimenting with different media. I find that with each medium, my style seems to change. My intuitive paintings are different from my woodcuts, for example. People might wonder whether it’s the same person who has made them, but the medium changes how I express myself,” she explained.

The creative process also differs considerably depending on the medium. While woodcuts and linocuts require careful planning, drawing, and preparation before the image is cut into the surface, her paintings tend to be far more spontaneous. “Sometimes I don’t even draw on the paper. I simply start and the emotions take over. Woodcuts are different because they require a lot more thought and planning,” she said.

Creating without an age limit

At 88, Rukmini continues to produce new work, with two recently completed woodcuts making their way into the exhibition at the last minute. The idea that creativity should diminish with age is something she firmly rejects.

“I think people shouldn’t leave any room for doubt about creativity. I’m still creating and I’m still making better work. I’m creating at 88, and I think people shouldn’t worry about their age, that’s for sure,” she said.

Looking back, she recognises that her reluctance to exhibit her work when she was younger was partly rooted in shyness and uncertainty. “As a youngster, I was shy and didn’t want to exhibit. But now I think, okay, I’ll exhibit. If people like my work, they like it. If they don’t, they don’t,” she reflected.

Rukmini hopes her experience will encourage others to pursue their creative interests regardless of age, without worrying about the opinions of others. “I hope people will see the emotions and the connectivity. Connectivity between people, between nature and humans. I feel there is a connection. Everything is passing, but there’s a rhythm and harmony in that connectivity nonetheless,” she explained.

At 88, Rukmini Attygalle is still experimenting, still learning, and still creating. Her first solo exhibition is perhaps a reminder that while life itself is transitory, the desire to express ourselves need not have an expiry date.

Info box

Transitory Lives by Rukmini Attygalle will be held from 23 to 29 October at Curado Art Space, Park Road, Colombo 5