Anoma’s ‘Mi Casa Es Tu Casa’ at CAB: A celebration of unity in diversity
“How will 2016 be recorded in the annals of the future? An annus horribilis of historic proportion perhaps? Will this be the pivotal year when notions of humanity, integrity and liberal ideals succumbed to the base instincts of our lesser selves?
As I watched with growing disbelief and alarm the events of 2016 develop, so this installation germinated and took shape in my imagination, my sketchbooks and notebook,” writes internationally known artist Anoma Wijewardene whose installation ‘Mi Casa Es Tu Casa’ at the JDA Perera Gallery on Horton Place, Colombo 7 is one of the stand-out exhibits at the Colombo Art Biennale 2016 which concludes on December 20. CAB opened on December 2 and is seen in multiple venues across the city.
The artwork was initially inspired by the migration and refugee crisis unleashed on the world by war, poverty and famine and the political shockwaves that reverberated throughout the world, creating a volte face for values, morality, ethics and societal norms.
“The art is a response to the rise and normalization of the unconscionable, the divisive and destructive forces of intolerance, hatred and bigotry. Perhaps Sri Lanka which has so recently suffered the pain of conflict and loss, can be the beacon of hope, of values, of inclusion? Can human beings surmount our base greed, and biologically programmed need to compete for ourselves, and instead compete to improve our society and environment?” Anoma asks.
The installation comprises many elements and layers. The primary medium- transparent fabric, references the fragility of home, refugee tents, Calais jungles, and alludes to the idea that walls and borders are really a fragile construct of man, especially ‘when we live in a borderless world where we can share anything, anywhere, in real time.’ The perforations reiterate the need for openness since everything today is porous and leaking. The images on the transparent fabric remind us of the fragility of nature and the environment.
The viewer is invited to step on to the floor and engage with Mi Casa. It hints at the need for reflection and contemplation, perhaps reminding us that while we are treading water much is being lost, perhaps also to caution that every step we take resonates, and has eddying repercussions.
The bowl at the centre channels the sun, source of all energy, the idea of the holy grail, the cup of loving kindness, maitreeya, a receptacle for thoughts. The spiralling crystal ball alludes to questions of how this new unfathomable future will unfold, creating illusions and intangibility, in a spinning, out of control globe.
The accompanying concertina installation documents the creative process. It echoes the theme of the installation, the production itself being a diverse journey of action in unison with the inspirational spoken and written words of thinkers and spiritual leaders urging viewers to reach for their higher selves.
For the artists who collaborated on the installation, it was a revelation in many ways. “Being asked to think creatively always stretches the mind, making us think outside our usual comfort zone. We should do it more.... working and thinking together surprising ourselves and enjoying the shared experiences,” said Nikki Harrison who designs interiors and jewellery in both France and Sri Lanka.
It’s a pleasure for us to be a part of this team and help to construct this artwork. We have met many times and discussed numerous changes and varieties of materials and made several samples, as we try to arrive at solutions that will convey the complex ideas of the artist,” said Amila Alawathugoda, founder & Managing Director of Ad Plus & Concept79.
A painting will visually deliver a message but when it is expressed in voice it has more depth and vigour. This is a unique concept which touched me deeply. I tried my best to give life to the words the artist wanted to express through her painting, said Ruwan Walpola, MD of Sound Asia Holdings while interior designer and decorator Ajith Jayasundera said they discussed the suspension of a crystal glass sphere trapped by a stainless steel rod which was formed in to shape by Prasad, a very talented metal craftsman. “My part was to ensure that it was done exactly the way we discussed and that it created an illusion.”
We live in a borderless world, where you can share anything, anywhere in real time. Cultures converge together, changing our values as a result of living within the information era. As our borders collide, so do our cultural values. However, old structures fight to remain supreme, suppressing mainstream media, segregating societies for their own twisted benefit, wrote KikeMacias, Head of the Interior Design Department at AOD in Colombo for the University of Northumbria in Newcastle.
Anoma said it was heartening to discover while working on this installation which celebrates unity in diversity that the very way they worked reiterated just that. “The creation of it was a bringing together of people from diverse experiences. Through our comparative dialogue, freedom of expression, non-judgmental openness, we were able to create this artwork. This truly was a labour of love and passion from everyone who participated.”