Following his doctoral studies, de Silva bridged the gap between specialized academic research and public art education through various lecturing roles, including:
A central theme in de Silva’s research is the negotiation of identity in a foreign context. He examines the blending of European and Indian aesthetics in architecture, art, and daily material life.
#ArtHistory #BritishIndia #VisualCulture #ArtLecture #PrasannajitDeSilva INTRODUCTION: ABOUT STEPHEN BANN - 2005 - Art History prasannajit de silva
His work explores how British residents in India developed "hybrid lifestyles" and "went native" through the lens of paintings, prints, and portraiture of mixed-race families and British households.
Prasannajit de Silva's cricketing career gained momentum when he made his first-class debut in 1985, playing for the Saravanan Amman cricket club. His impressive performances quickly caught the attention of selectors, and he soon found himself representing Sri Lanka A and the national under-19 teams. Prasannajit's batting style, characterized by his solid technique and ability to rotate the strike, earned him a reputation as a dependable and skilled player. Following his doctoral studies, de Silva bridged the
Dr. de Silva completed his doctorate at the in 2007, where his research focused on the art of the British in India during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
De Silva has built a robust pedagogical portfolio across prominent UK institutions. He has held notable teaching and lecturing positions at: The Birkbeck, University of London The London Art History Society from the Georgian era
: His studies document the transition from traditional communal water sharing to the reliance on Reverse Osmosis (RO) water plants . He highlights the social impact of water becoming an individualized commodity, forcing low-income families to exert financial and physical effort to access safe drinking water.
Some of de Silva's notable achievements include:
He highlights how middle-class civil servants used oil paintings to adopt the poses and lifestyles of the British aristocracy, essentially "branding" themselves as elite rulers. Historical Discovery: The "Bloomsbury" Trail
Dr. de Silva's expertise is in high demand beyond the WEA as well. He is an accredited lecturer for The Arts Society, a prestigious organization dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of the arts across the UK. His lectures cover a wide range of topics, from the Georgian era, the regency period, the Victorian age, and even into the early twentieth century. He is particularly interested in the relationship between art and broader cultural, social, and political contexts, which allows him to craft lectures that are as intellectually rigorous as they are engaging for a public audience.