Image Credit - Aura Asia Art Project
Firi Rahman is a Sri Lankan artist and an animal enthusiast whose works navigates the complex relationship of human beings and of the species in their natural environs. In a world of constant change and flux, Rahman highlights the historical trajectory and the interweaving links of the Slave Island, which happens to be his birthplace as well as his current residence. Following the tradition of historiographers and environmentalists, Rahman’s works chart out the place of nature at a time when nature is quickly falling victim to the unchecked so-called developmental projects. This gives his work a strong socio-political focus as he continues to advocate the need for shared spaces far from corporate greed. His works are an articulation of whole eco systems exploring the interactions between various species and the environment.
He focusses on the engendered species in his artworks and highlights the social responsibility of each individual and our space in the larger universe. The artist has been part of multiple projects including We are from here in slave island which aims to give agency to participants through the medium of art. He uses cloth, canvas and installation to showcase an emotional and an intensely autobiographical journey. The animals and birds on the canvas along with cages tell a story of universality of experiences. During his artistic process, he uses a monochromatic style to echo his thoughts on death and loss and the varied nuances of absences and presences. They reflect an emotional as well as spiritual process of the artist which manifests in the form of artistic energy. The black, white and grey on paper gives his work an elegance and precision that adds to the sombre quality of his work and meditative thematic concerns.