A major art scandal has emerged with the revelation that 47 valuable and historic paintings from the National Art Gallery (Kalabhavana) have gone missing. Among the missing works are paintings now allegedly in the possession of the brother-in-law of a former minister from the Yahapalana government, while several others are reportedly held by a prominent businessman linked to the casino industry.

The disappearance is believed to have occurred during a period when the gallery was closed for renovations. Investigations suggest that the theft may have taken place with the assistance of security personnel who were on duty at the time.

The missing collection includes iconic works by some of Sri Lanka’s most revered artists, such as A.C.G.S. Amarasekara and J.D.A. Perera. Commenting on the matter during an inquiry, Minister of Culture Dr Hinduma Sunil Senevi, who currently oversees the gallery, confirmed that a number of priceless artworks have indeed gone missing. He stated that legal action is already underway to address the situation.

The minister further assured that once the ongoing renovation work is completed, the National Art Gallery will be reopened without delay, and steps are being taken to trace and recover the stolen artwork.

The renovation project was initially launched by about 15 years ago. The gallery has remained closed to the public ever since.