‘Nature’s Magnificent Eye,’ a Nature Photography exhibition was held in the USA for the first time, by a Sri Lankan nature photographer, Suriya Jayalath Perera, at Ken Locke Hall, University of the West in Rosemead, California, on September 15 and 16.
Suriya Jayalath Perera is the president of America-Sri Lanka Photographic Art Society (member of PSA). A School Teacher by profession, he had been a Project Officer at the Department of Wildlife Conservation in Sri Lanka. For his Master’s dissertation, he presented a study relating to folklore, folklife, and wildlife of the Yala National Park and its neighbouring locality in Sri Lanka.
The exhibition consisted of several rare photographs of National Parks of Sri Lanka (Yala, Wilpattu, Udawalawa, Horton Plains), and the last of the remaining rainforests in the country, the Sinharaja forest, photos of ancient cities of Sri Lanka with architectural marvels and tropical flora and fauna, which impressed the audience. History and cultural heritage were the integral part of the exhibition. Visitors also had the chance to see some magnificent images of National Parks in the United States including Yellowstone, Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Sequoia, Muirwood, Zion, Arches, Antelope, and Canyon, as captured by the artistry of the master photographer Suriya Jayalath.
At the opening ceremony, Emeritus Prof J.B. Disanayaka, Dr Hasantha Hettiarchchi and Suriya Jayalath Perera were presented awards for the recognition of their contribution to the Sinhala Language, Sri Lankan Literature and Culture, contribution to the Sri Lanka Electronic Media and for promoting Sri Lanka’s beauty of nature, its wildlife and the 2,500-year-old cultural heritage through his exhibition for the very first time in USA. Swarna Gunaratne, Consul General of Sri Lanka for Western States of USA presented the awards representing the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.