ThiruI am a Sri Lankan artist based in Jerusalem. My current focus is working with upcycled cardboard and mixed media to create evocative pieces which revolve around the Occupied Palestinian Territories. I grew up in Sri Lanka, am a single mom...
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I am a Sri Lankan artist based in Jerusalem. My current focus is working with upcycled cardboard and mixed media to create evocative pieces which revolve around the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
I grew up in Sri Lanka, am a single mom to two amazing girls, and lived in Kyiv and Colombo prior to Jerusalem.
The aim of my work, apart from creating and sharing my version of the world, is to draw attention to social issues and put forth the idea of upcycling and repurposing- using something that one would ordinarily see as rubbish or ugly, and uplifting it to become a beautiful piece of fine art. In today's throwaway culture, where instant gratification has become the norm, I believe it's of utmost importance to show what we can do, what we can create, with what we already have.
Art can be made with any material one finds at hand; what shines through is what is expressed, and how - if you have something to say to the world, your expression is important, and it is a work of art.
As such, I have supported art therapy programmes for children in Gaza through the sales of some of my artwork. My wish is that one day, before I leave the Occupied Palestinian Territories, I could do more, in person, through upcycling art projects that give a voice to the children of Gaza, giving them an outlet for their emotions, showing them their capabilities and that art is for them too; that it can also provide opportunities where other vocations may not.
