Nirmalavasan Susiman
Kiss of Judas
Acrylic on canvas
Height 33 cm x Width 32 cm
Artist information
A song, a story, a poem, a scent, a place, a piece of music, a person, a garment, a bus,encountering any of these, or passing by them, can suddenly evoke something from our past experiences. In psychology, this is called associative memory.
In the same way, when I hear or see Christian stories and art forms, they awaken many memories from my own past.
Those memories accumulate within me, layer by layer, transforming into images in my mind.
Mary faced many challenges in giving birth to her child; the life of Christ was not easy either. It was filled with struggle. I feel that these stories create a profound connection with our own past lives.
The textures in my paintings are closely linked to my childhood memories. The mangrove plants that surrounded the village on both sides, and the lands bordered by streams, not only recall memories for me but also revive many past recollections for anyone who has lived in that village.
Like attempting to observe the movement of the soil, the strange roots of the climbing plants standing upright in the earth, and the water plants that spread across the surface, hiding the water and whatever lies beneath, all combine with subtle patterns in my artwork to produce multiple layers of meaning.
Among these, the fish species that inhabit the spaces between the roots play a central, recurring role in my paintings. Here, fish, dried fish, fish bones, fish skins, and fish fragments respond to the local Batticaloa tale of "Meen Paaduthal" ("The Singing Fish"), symbolizing the ordinary yet overlooked value of life.
All of this is unified through a triangular relationship that forms the core around which my paintings emerge.
Fragments of Us - Art Catalogue
Currently displayed at the Off the Kerb Gallery
Please contact us if you have any queries at mail@nul.org.au.
Nirmalavasan Susiman
Kiss of Judas
Acrylic on canvas
Height 33 cm x Width 32 cm
Artist information
A song, a story, a poem, a scent, a place, a piece of music, a person, a garment, a bus,encountering any of these, or passing by them, can suddenly evoke something from our past experiences. In psychology, this is called associative memory.
In the same way, when I hear or see Christian stories and art forms, they awaken many memories from my own past.
Those memories accumulate within me, layer by layer, transforming into images in my mind.
Mary faced many challenges in giving birth to her child; the life of Christ was not easy either. It was filled with struggle. I feel that these stories create a profound connection with our own past lives.
The textures in my paintings are closely linked to my childhood memories. The mangrove plants that surrounded the village on both sides, and the lands bordered by streams, not only recall memories for me but also revive many past recollections for anyone who has lived in that village.
Like attempting to observe the movement of the soil, the strange roots of the climbing plants standing upright in the earth, and the water plants that spread across the surface, hiding the water and whatever lies beneath, all combine with subtle patterns in my artwork to produce multiple layers of meaning.
Among these, the fish species that inhabit the spaces between the roots play a central, recurring role in my paintings. Here, fish, dried fish, fish bones, fish skins, and fish fragments respond to the local Batticaloa tale of "Meen Paaduthal" ("The Singing Fish"), symbolizing the ordinary yet overlooked value of life.
All of this is unified through a triangular relationship that forms the core around which my paintings emerge.
Fragments of Us - Art Catalogue
Currently displayed at the Off the Kerb Gallery
Please contact us if you have any queries at mail@nul.org.au.
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