Pain and Memory

Tags

Architect, Architectural design, Art Photogaphy, Black and White, Black and White Photography, cast, Civil War, collage Art, creative photography, Customary wedding, Disappearances, Disappeared, displacement, Documentary Photography, dowry, Fine Art Photography, FRAMES-2020, GAyroo Art Foundation, Global photography Exhibition 2020, High Contrast, I wouldn’t mind ~ to walk alone with you ~ along with the evening shadows .., Justice, Justice in Transition, Memory, Monochrome, Northern Province, Pain and Memory, peace and reconciliation, Photography, Politics, Post War, Protest in Trincomalee, Reconsiliation, Religion, social class, Social Justice, South Asia, South Asian art, SouthAsiaArchitiect, Sri Lanka, Wedding gift

Long shadows in the evening sun and the sounds of the palm tree leaves touching each others in the dry wind ….except me and my shadow no one was there ….

Self and ruined house in Northern province – Jaffna. How we became strangers to each other? 30 years of war disrupted the lives of the people in North and South. There are many untold stories that I am still searching through.  When the North transformed into a battleground, people left everything they possessed including land and houses to save their life. They lost their dwellings, their kids and relatives. They were living in refugee camps with numerous issues. …

‘Pain and Memory’  solo exhibition focused on displacement and disappearance in Sri Lanka. Currently photographs of  ‘Pain and Memory “ are exhibiting under  the   invited category on World photography day celebration exhibition: “FRAMES-2020”- on-line global photography exhibition; Organized by Gayoor Art Foundation in India.Exhibition curated by  Naushad H Gayoor and Jeetin Rangher .Here is the link to see the online exhibition

http://www.gayoorartfoundation.com

Genre : Creative photography | Art Photography  | year 2019  | Canon 5 D Mark 111

Copyrights Waruni Anuruddhika

Pain and Memory

Tags

Architect, Architectural design, Art Photogaphy, cast, Civil War, collage Art, creative photography, Customary wedding, Disappearances, Disappeared, displacement, Documentary Photography, dowry, FRAMES-2020, GAyroo Art Foundation, Global photography Exhibition 2020, Justice, Justice in Transition, Memory, Monochrome, Northern Province, Pain and Memory, peace and reconciliation, Photography, Politics, Post War, Protest in Trincomalee, Reconsiliation, Religion, social class, Social Justice, South Asia, South Asian art, SouthAsiaArchitiect, Sri Lanka, Wedding gift

‘Mangal’ is the name of this house. Name was embossed on the top of the main door. Who’s name it could be? As my friend said one of her aunt’s house was named and dedicated to one of her cousin sister. Wealthiest people in the Northern province-built houses in order to give as a dowry (a customary wedding gift) for women. They are still keeping these houses and properties as souvenirs even though they do not come and settled there.   

‘Pain and Memory’  solo exhibition focused on displacement and disappearance in Sri Lanka. Photographs of  ‘Pain and Memory “ were exhibited under  the   invited category on World photography day celebration exhibition: “FRAMES-2020”- on-line global photography exhibition; Organized by Gayoor Art Foundation in India.Exhibition curated by  Naushad H Gayoor and Jeetin Rangher .Here is the link to see the online exhibition

http://www.gayoorartfoundation.com

Genre : Creative photography | Art Photography  | year 2019  |

copyrights Waruni Anuruddhika

Pain and Memory

Tags

Architect, Architectural design, Art Photogaphy, Civil War, collage Art, creative photography, Disappearances, Disappeared, Documentary Photography, FRAMES-2020, GAyroo Art Foundation, Global photography Exhibition 2020, Justice, Justice in Transition, Memory, Monochrome, Northern Province, Pain and Memory, peace and reconciliation, Photography, Politics, Post War, Protest in Trincomalee, Reconsiliation, Religion, Social Justice, South Asia, South Asian art, SouthAsiaArchitiect, Sri Lanka

‘Mangal’ is the name of this house. Name was embossed on the top of the main door. Who’s name it could be? As my friend said one of her aunt’s house was named and dedicated to one of her cousin sister. Wealthiest people in the Northern province-built houses in order to give as a dowry (a customary wedding gift) for women. They are still keeping these houses and properties as souvenirs even though they do not come and settled there.   

‘Pain and Memory’  solo exhibition focused on displacement and disappearance in Sri Lanka. Photographs of  ‘Pain and Memory “ were exhibited under  the   invited category on World photography day celebration exhibition: “FRAMES-2020”- on-line global photography exhibition; Organized by Gayoor Art Foundation in India.Exhibition curated by  Naushad H Gayoor and Jeetin Rangher .Here is the link to see the online exhibition

http://www.gayoorartfoundation.com

Genre : Creative photography | Art Photography  | year 2019  |

copyrights Waruni Anuruddhika

 

Pain and Memory

Tags

Architect, Architectural design, Art Photogaphy, Civil War, collage Art, creative photography, Disappearances, Disappeared, Documentary Photography, FRAMES-2020, GAyroo Art Foundation, Global photography Exhibition 2020, Justice, Justice in Transition, Memory, Monochrome, Northern Province, Pain and Memory, peace and reconciliation, Photography, Politics, Post War, Protest in Trincomalee, Reconsiliation, Religion, Social Justice, South Asia, South Asian art, SouthAsiaArchitiect, Sri Lanka

The largest two storied doubled wall traditional designer house with a beautiful courtyard that I found in Jaffna. Even though the owners did not resettle, they use to visit the places time to time and clean the place. Some of these houses have care takers. Some houses have built fences and gates after the lands were released. Some of the lands are used for agricultural activities while the rest of the lands were completely abandoned.  Those who don’t owned lands are still living in temporary shelters in Jaffna.   Mainly they are wedge labors and is considered as people of lowest cast.   

‘Pain and Memory’  solo exhibition focused on displacement and disappearance in Sri Lanka. Photographs of  ‘Pain and Memory “ were exhibited under  the   invited category on World photography day celebration exhibition: “FRAMES-2020”- on-line global photography exhibition; Organized by Gayoor Art Foundation in India.Exhibition curated by  Naushad H Gayoor and Jeetin Rangher .Here is the link to see the online exhibition

http://www.gayoorartfoundation.com

Genre : Creative photography | Art Photography  | year 2019  | Canon 5 D Mark 111

copyrights Waruni Anuruddhika

https://warunic.wordpress.com/2020/10/04/pain-and-memory-12/

Pain and Memory

Tags

Architect, Art Photogaphy, Civil War, collage Art, creative photography, Disappearances, Disappeared, Documentary Photography, FRAMES-2020, GAyroo Art Foundation, Global photography Exhibition 2020, Justice, Justice in Transition, Memory, Monochrome, Northern Province, Pain and Memory, peace and reconciliation, Photography, Politics, Post War, Protest in Trincomalee, Reconsiliation, Religion, Social Justice, South Asia, SouthAsiaArchitiect, Sri Lanka

A ruined house in Jaffna.  Tellippalai was announced as high security zone in 1992. People were asked to move out of the houses within 24 hours. During the war, most of these houses were occupied by the military for various purposes. The owners do not know exactly for what purpose their houses were occupied. Similarly, the houses in Jaffna town were occupied by the LTTE for sometimes. Properties occupied by military started to release those lands to civilians from 2010. There are some lands yet to be released. People are still struggling to get their lands back. 

‘Pain and Memory’  solo exhibition focused on displacement and disappearance in Sri Lanka. Photographs of  ‘Pain and Memory “ were exhibited under  the   invited category on World photography day celebration exhibition: “FRAMES-2020”- on-line global photography exhibition; Organized by Gayoor Art Foundation in India.Exhibition curated by  Naushad H Gayoor and Jeetin Rangher .Here is the link to see the online exhibition

http://www.gayoorartfoundation.com

Genre : Creative photography | Art Photography  | year 2019  | Canon 5 D Mark 111

copyrights Waruni Anuruddhika

Pain and Memory

Tags

Architect, Architectural design, Art Photogaphy, Civil War, collage Art, creative photography, Disappearances, Disappeared, Documentary Photography, FRAMES-2020, GAyroo Art Foundation, Global photography Exhibition 2020, Justice, Justice in Transition, Memory, Monochrome, Northern Province, Pain and Memory, peace and reconciliation, Photography, Politics, Post War, Protest in Trincomalee, Reconsiliation, Religion, Social Justice, South Asia, South Asian art, SouthAsiaArchitiect, Sri Lanka, Waruni Anuruddhika

A ruined house in Jaffna.  Tellippalai was announced as high security zone in 1992. People were asked to move out of the houses within 24 hours. During the war, most of these houses were occupied by the military for various purposes. The owners do not know exactly for what purpose their houses were occupied. Similarly, the houses in Jaffna town were occupied by the LTTE for sometimes. Properties occupied by military started to release those lands to civilians from 2010. There are some lands yet to be released. People are still struggling to get their lands back. 

‘Pain and Memory’  solo exhibition focused on displacement and disappearance in Sri Lanka. Photographs of  ‘Pain and Memory “ were exhibited under  the   invited category on World photography day celebration exhibition: “FRAMES-2020”- on-line global photography exhibition; Organized by Gayoor Art Foundation in India.Exhibition curated by  Naushad H Gayoor and Jeetin Rangher .Here is the link to see the online exhibition

http://www.gayoorartfoundation.com

Genre : Creative photography | Art Photography  | year 2019  | Canon 5 D Mark 111

copyrights Waruni Anuruddhika

Look at Me

Tags

Anthropolory, Art and Culture, Art Photography, Black ad White Photography, Colour Photography, Cornell University, Documentary Photography, Goddess Pattini, Identity, Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, Ney York, Pattini Rituals, Photography, Photography Exhibiton, Releigion & Worship, Ritualistic Worship, Sociology, South Asia, South Asia Program, Sri Lanka, Veyangoda, Visula anthropology, Waruni Anuruddhika

Look at Me

Canon 5D Mark 111 | 24-70mm

Digital prints| Color and Black and White |8″x12″ | White Matt| Solid  Wood  Natural Frame

Look at Me

A Portrait is a representation of a frozen moment of human emotions and feelings that are situated in a particular time and space. Also, it is embedded in a particular social and cultural context. Hence, each portrait has a story to be told and also leaves an element of a story untold. We will never know the untold story behind the emotions or feelings of the person in the portrait, yet, each portrait will add depth to our humanity.

The exhibition Look at Me is an invitation to read the untold story of a group of people who live in a marginalized community in Sri Lanka. All the men, women and children who are in the portraits in their beautiful dresses were waiting to pay homage to their goddess Pattini. This is the moment they regain their agency and authority through the process of worship. In the ritual parade, the marginalized community becomes the centre of the attention for a small time. That moment helps them to forget the challenges of their daily lives. But what happens after the ritual…

Waruni Anuruddhika

28/04/2017

Pattini : A Photographic Journey Through the Ritualistic Worship of Goddess Pattini

Tags

Anthropology, Anthropolory, Art and Culture, Art Photography, Black ad White Photography, Colour Photography, Cornell University, Documentary Photography, Goddess Pattini, Identity, Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies, Ney York, Pattini Rituals, Photography, Photography Exhibiton, Releigion & Worship, Ritualistic Worship, Sociology, South Asia, South Asia Program, Sri Lanka, Veyangoda, Visula anthropology, Waruni Anuruddhika

Pattini : A Photographic Journey Through the Ritualistic Worship of Goddess Pattini

Canon 5D Mark 111 | 24-70mm

Digital prints| Color and Black and White |8″x12″ | White Matt| Solid  Wood  Natural Frame

Artist Statement

Rituals and their performance are a vital human process. Religious ritual is important in many societies, as it provides them with a sense of security, mental stability, and a rational for a daily life. This photographic exhibition is a visual representation of the ritual process, and the different modes of worship by a marginalized Tamil community in Veyangoda, Sri Lanka. The exhibition aims to bring forward the frozen moments of a Pattini ritual that is celebrated by the community. The marginalized community is quite unique at it resides in a graveyard which is located 53 km away from Colombo!

The photography in this exhibition captures the frozen moments within the Pattini ritual process. The photos also reveal the embedded tensions in the ritual process. These tensions emerge as a result of an attempt to achieve two contradictory objectives: The ritual practices of their own Tamil culture, and the adaptation of these practices to attract the majority of other Tamil and Sinhala ethnic groups to recognize their presence within the broader community. For the Marginalized Tamils, the Pattini Parade is not only a religious ritual, but also a method to gain recognition within the mainstream for their ethnic and social identity.

This marginalization stems from their treatment by other high cast Tamil ethnic groups linked to their ancestral history. In part this is due the group being descendants of lower caste South Indian Tamils, as well as historical roles as exploited plantation workers. The social exclusion inflicted upon them by the neighboring Sinhala community are reinforces the community’s ongoing marginalization. This social exclusion is enforced due their current labor activities such as garbage collection, and their current place of dwelling in the graveyard. In turn, the marginalized Tamil community intensify their ritual procedures in order to legitimize their presence and gain public recognition.

In all, the exhibition attempts to document and visualize the moments of this community’s social ethno history of the Pattini ritual practices. The photographs do not elicit the history described above, but instead they provide a link to the history of these people, as well as to archive the making of history in the present, in a visual format.

This exhibition is a result of my ongoing work, and proposal to the 2017 Fulbright Award to develop a photographic book about this community.

Journey through the frames and you will encounter the anecdotes about the use of the human body, colors, artefacts, such as dresses and decorations, as well as, the pain this community carries. The viewer will not feel the ritual process as it was, photographs will tell of ritual and the community’s stories… 

 

Mario Einaudi Center for International studies 170 Uris Hall  Cornell Universality