Thenu was born in Galle and studied painting in Moscow and Colombo. He is Director of the Vibhavi Academy of Fine Arts in Colombo which he founded in 1993 – an alternative art school and exhibition space. He is lecturer of Aesthetic Studies at the University of Colombo. He is a Peace Campaigner and Human Rights activist. Through his exhibition and actions Thenu continues to express his belief that as humans we are condemned by passivity and that every human has a duty and an ability to make Peace. He is UZ Arts artist in residence in Glasgow . In conversation he will talk about his life and work in the context of contemporary Sri Lanka.