Lakruwan Rajapaksha, a Sri Lanka-born student on the BA Photography course at London Metropolitan University’s School of Art, Architecture and Design, has been shortlisted for the prestigious Photo London X Hahnemühle Student Award.
As part of the competition his work has also been featured in the globally renowned Art & Culture publication, Aesthetica Magazine.
Lakruwan’s evocative series, ‘Blue-tailed Bee-eater’s Dreams’ strives to recollect his childhood memories and feelings of Sri Lanka after moving to the UK in 2007.
“In this contemplative silence and solitude, gazing out at the quintessential English countryside, I’m frequently transported or actively seek to evoke memories of my vanishing Sri Lanka.”
“For me, the photographs become dream paintings, simultaneously real and imagined. Although it can be a bitter-sweet process, it calms me down for a moment.”
Blue-tailed Bee-eater’s Dreams © Rajapaksha Lakruwan
Talking about the success, James Cant, Course Leader for BA Photography said, “Lakruwan is such a talented and dedicated student. We are all absolutely delighted that his work has received this recognition and we look forward to seeing it at Photo London.”
The Hahnemühle Student Award is an opportunity for students enrolled in photography degrees across UK universities to develop their portfolios, and present work to international audiences.
The award, organised by Photo London, aims to support early-career talent within the photography industry.
The award nominees will also see their work exhibited at the Photo London Exhibition, which will run from 11 to 14 May 2023.
The award winner will receive a residency, including time at the Hahnemühle mill in Germany and help to produce a new body of work with the famous art-paper supplies company.
The panel judging the award includes Tracy Marshall-Grant, Deputy Director of the Centre for British Photography, and Fiona Shields, Head of Photography at The Guardian.
(londonmet.ac.uk)
