Thapi Odu (Flee) தப்பி ஓடு

As a Tamil artist originally from Sri Lanka, my work is shaped by the lasting impact of the civil war that began in 1983. I left Sri Lanka in 1989 and relocated to Belfast in 1995, where my practice has since focused on themes of displacement and how it reshapes identity and belonging. This installation includes screen prints of footprints collected from Tamil communities and the Sri Lankan diaspora worldwide. The work symbolizes survival through movement and the strength found in collective experiences. The use of linen threads throughout represents the roots left behind and the creation of new connections in unfamiliar lands. This narrative reflects a universal experience of displacement, resonating with ongoing global stories of migration and resettlement.