“HASTI” is a work of social commentary and transformation, created using over 5,300 recycled tobacco sticks.Inspired by Lakshitha Karunaratne’s photo... Read More
“HASTI” is a work of social commentary and transformation, created using over 5,300 recycled tobacco sticks.
Inspired by Lakshitha Karunaratne’s photo "Toxic Tip", the work reinterprets, in my visual language, the image of an elephant crossing a sea of rubbish, a dramatic symbol of the consequences of pollution and the irresponsible management of waste materials.
Through the mosaic composition, each piece contributes to reconstructing a scene that combines strength and fragility: the elephant advances slowly towards the edge of the painting, as if in search of an open space, of a possible salvation. The title HASTI, which in the Sri Lankan language evokes the concept of a way out and rebirth, represents precisely this tension towards a different future, where humanity and nature can once again coexist in balance.
The work is intended as a reflection on our collective responsibility towards the environment. The reuse of tobacco sticks, transformed from waste into artistic material, becomes part of the message itself: what pollutes today can be reimagined, reclaimed and transformed into awareness. HASTI is therefore not only the elephant’s journey, but also humanity’s journey towards a new environmental consciousness.
