Through my work, I process memories and everyday experiences by developing my own visual language. Stitching together fragments of fabric, I use mending as a form of storytelling. Each piece carries an emotional weight that reflects themes of identity formation. By constructing a personal mythology, I navigate a sense of self shaped by migration and diaspora.
Through collage-like tapestries and soft sculptures, I engage color, materiality, and humor to disarm viewers. I am drawn to materials that evoke familiarity and comfort. My work takes shape through textile appliqué, dyes, paint, beading, stitching, braided fabric, felt, and fiber fill. The textures I utilize recall the feel of a childhood blanket, a favorite sweater, or a pillow to rest on.
Aruni Imalka Dharmakirthi is a Sri Lankan-American artist and educator based in New York City. Dharmakirthi received an MFA in Visual Studies from the Pacific Northwest College of Art and a BA in Studio Art and Art History from Florida State University.
Contact: Dharmakirthistudio@gmail.com