Artist Statement

Tags: Drawing installation, laser-cut paper, pen on paper

“Arriving at each new city, the traveller finds again a past of his that he did not know he had: the foreignness of what you no longer are or no longer possess lies in wait for you in foreign, unpossessed places.” _Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities, 16

The act of migration, of moving from one place to another voluntarily or by force, evokes an awareness of citizenship and belonging. If here is both subjective and physical, what information do we need to figure out where we are? Currently, I am exploring the notion of “here.” The sense of place and locale plays a large part in my work and I am playing with imagery that provokes notions of travelling, the fluidity of place and memory. I want to capture the desire to be here and everywhere at the same time.

• Pavitra Wickramasinghe (Sri Lanka/Canada) is a multidisciplinary artist mainly concerned with new ways of conceptualizing the moving image and conventions of seeing. She uses light and shadows as extensions of the projected image to create installations where the viewer occupies filmic space instead of being physically removed from the work. Her current work is an exploration of notions of travelling, the fluidity of place and memory. Pavitra’s work has been exhibited in Montreal, Canada and beyond, and she has held numerous artist residencies and received several awards and grants. vimeo.com/user5343619 pavitraw.com