Anushiya Sundaralingam: The A to Z of Conflict

Bridging Language and Memory Through Contemporary Art

Anushiya Sundaralingam is honored to be one of ten featured artists in the landmark publication, "The A to Z of Conflict." Published by Raking Leaves, this trilingual artists' book functions as a conceptual ABC guide, reimagining how we define words born out of the Sri Lankan civil war and its lasting impact on the diaspora.

By utilizing English, Sinhala, and Tamil, the project ensures no single language holds dominance - a theme that resonates deeply with Anushiya’s identity, status, and social exclusion, which she explores further in her Gallery.

A Collective Archive of the Sri Lankan Civil War

The project is the culmination of five years of collaboration between contemporary artists across the globe, from Belfast to Jaffna. For Anushiya, this work is an extension of her career-long inquiry into the fragmentation of home and the migrant experience, details of which can be found in her About page..

"The process of creating 'The A to Z of Conflict' was an act of collective memory. Intimately experiencing each other’s memories across languages and media changed us." - Dinithi Karunanayake, Senior Editor.

Exploring Displacement and Reconciliation

In her contribution, Anushiya draws upon her multidisciplinary background in mixed-media art and sculpture to visualize the complex relationship between language and trauma. As a Sri Lankan artist based in Northern Ireland, her work provides a unique lens on how "conflict words" evolve when carried across borders.

Key Themes of the Contribution:

• Unity in Diversity: Promoting reconciliation through shared linguistic history.

• Visual Translation: Moving from raw emotion to trilingual artistic expression.

• Cultural Preservation: Documenting the shifting meanings of words in a post-war landscape.

About the Publication

The A to Z of Conflict was commissioned by Raking Leaves and supported by the Prince Claus Fund. It features a diverse cohort of contemporary artists, including Abdul Halik Azeez, Chandraguptha Thenuwara, and T. Shanaathanan, creating a vital dialogue on the founding principles of unity and diversity For more updates on Anushiya’s recent exhibitions and projects, visit the News section.

With thanks to The Island Online - https://island.lk/the-a-to-z-of-conflict/

If you are interested in discussing this project or future collaborations, please get in touch via the Contact page.