Anushiya Sundaralingam

My practice is rooted in exploring the themes of displacement, identity, and resilience, shaped by my own experiences of migration from Sri Lanka to Northern Ireland. The personal complexities of navigating multiple cultural landscapes form the core of my work, allowing me to reflect on broader social and political issues such as migration, belonging, and memory.

My work spans a variety of media, including printmaking, sculpture, drawing, installations and performance. Each medium allows me to approach my concepts from different angles, creating layered narratives that challenge perceptions of place and self. Rather than adhering to a singular style, I experiment with form and material to create a visual language that speaks to the fragmentation and reconstruction inherent in the immigrant experience.

At the heart of my practice is a focus on the human condition—how we adapt, resist, and redefine ourselves in the face of changing environments. I draw from personal history, but the work itself reaches out to connect with universal experiences of displacement and the search for home. Through abstraction and symbolism, I explore how memory and identity can be both fragile and enduring, particularly in the context of conflict and upheaval.

In my current body of work, I address the emotional and physical journeys of migration, reflecting on the uncertainty and hope that accompany these experiences. By engaging with these themes, I aim to provoke reflection on how displacement shapes not only individual lives but also the collective human narrative.

I am a multidisciplinary artist from Sri Lanka, now based in Belfast. My practice spans a diverse range of media, including printmaking, painting, sculpture, textiles, installations, mixed media, and performance. My work explores themes of migration, cultural memory, identity, and belonging, offering nuanced reflections on the layered narratives that shape the human experience.

Since earning my degree in Fine & Applied Arts from the University of Ulster in 1998, I have developed a distinctive approach that examines displacement, adaptation, and cultural exchange. Moving from Sri Lanka to Northern Ireland in 1989 profoundly influenced my artistic outlook, bridging my heritage with new landscapes and experiences.

Beyond creating, I am deeply engaged with communities as an arts facilitator, collaborating with museums, galleries, schools, and hospitals to foster meaningful artistic connections.

Based at Queen Street Studios and the Belfast Print Workshop, I continually push the boundaries of my practice through material experimentation. Recent explorations in performance art have added a dynamic layer to my work, allowing me to interrogate themes of identity, migration, and belonging through live, immersive expressions.

Through my art, I seek to inspire connection, spark dialogue, and celebrate the intricate relationships between culture, memory, and place.