Thamotharampillai Shanaathanan's Archival Art Documents Sri Lankan Civil War Resilience

Thamotharampillai Shanaathanan is a notable artist from Jaffna whose work reflects the impact of Sri Lanka's civil war, which came to an end in 2009. He often uses archival techniques to explore personal and collective experiences of conflict and displacement. One of his highlighted installations, Cabinet of Resistance 2, was presented at the 2016 Kochi-Muziris Biennale. It features a card index in furniture, illustrating how Tamils adapted during wartime, like changing recipes due to potato shortages. Instead of portraying victims, it emphasizes resilience. Shanaathanan also wrote The Incomplete Thombu in 2011, capturing stories from 80 displaced Tamils with drawings and narratives. In 2014, he co-founded the Sri Lanka Archive of Contemporary Art, Architecture and Design. Currently, part of his work is exhibited at the Asia Art Archive Library in Hong Kong.