Vishmi Helaratne (b.1995, Te-Whanganui-a-Tara) delves into the complex histories of Sri Lanka and their own upbringing here in Aotearoa and the politics of sex and identity to present speculative meditations of past, present, and future worlds. Through combining gastronomic and painting techniques Helaratne creates luscious and surprising textures and perspectives to explore social customs, hospitality, multiculturalism, sensory language, and storytelling.
Learning how to work from home amid the global pandemic was a difficult adjustment for many. Creating a multi-functional personal space without it feeling suffocating is a tricky thing to achieve, especially when you have previously had the freedom of moving through the world as you please. Playing with terms commonly used in computer and internet settings in the titles of their paintings, the artist Vishmi Helaratne, explores ideas of ‘working from home’, questioning which practices are considered productive and accorded value.
The above is an excerpt from a text by Dilohana Lekamge. An artist, writer and curator based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Lekamge was recently appointed Exhibition Curator & Gallery Manager at Depot Artspace and is an archivist at Satellites
You can read the full essay here.
Helaratne is based in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara and graduated with a BFA from the College of Art and Design at the University of New South Wales, Australia (2018). They have held recent exhibitions at Laree Payne Gallery, Kirikiriroa/Hamilton (2023), play_station gallery, Pōneke/Wellington (2021), the Museum of Contemporary Art, Australia (2019) and UNSW Galleries, Australia (2019).
