Looking back and to the future
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At a time where Sri Lanka has begun to rebuild and reconciliation efforts take shape in the north, the exhibition‘Since 1983’ looks back at the events that ignited the tension between races, between separatists and the Sri Lankan army and most of all the destruction of so many people’s lives, memories and futures. Gayan Prageeth’s new works illustrate the turmoil of the eruption of the civil war through installation and geometric symbolism – a combination of works that demonstrate not only our history but also the current state of many countries around the world.
The symbolic representation of the bucket illustrates the difference between the pronunciation of its Sinhala translation ‘Baldiya’, a word Tamils commonly pronounce as ‘Waldiya’ through differences in articulation. The artist states,‘the racial conflict that commenced on July 23,1983, is commonly known as Black July. During these riots, Tamils were identified by their pronunciation. Various methods were used for this purpose. They were shown a bucket and asked what it is, Tamils finding it difficult to pronounce “Baldiya” pronouncing it “Waldiya”. Those who mispronounced the word were suspected to be Tamil and were attacked.
‘Since 1983’, an exhibition by Gayan Prageeth will be on at the Saskia Fernando Gallery, 41 Horton Place, Colombo 7, open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until October 25.