Anoli Perera, a self-taught artist who divides her time between New Delhi, India, and Colombo, Sri Lanka, is not afraid to range across different mediums and materials. The lack of a formal art education has given her the courage to experiment, veer off into new directions, and express herself freely. There is precision and definition to her work, and a frequently political edge, yet it reaches directly to the heart. Though assemblage and bricolage figure heavily in Perera’s practice, she comes into her own with installations. The increased scale grants her even greater freedom with textiles—perhaps her preferred medium and one whose properties and possibilities she understands perfectly. In these works, artist, concept, and material become one.
Chitra Balasubramaniam: When and how did your journey into the art world begin?
Anoli Perera: I am more or less self taught. I studied political science, economics, and sociology. I received my BA degree from the University of Colombo and a postgraduate diploma in International Relations from the Bandaranaike Center for International Studies. When I was in Santa Barbara, California, for a few years in the late 1980s, I had the opportunity to rethink my profession. This was an important period, and it was then that I chose to become an artist. I gradually learned about Sri Lankan and international art and, over time, found my particular style and language.
My work has evolved considerably since then. I was part of a group of artists who supported the “90s Art Trend,” a movement that changed the existing art scene and brought contemporary thinking into Sri Lankan art. Installation, performance, and conceptual art were ushered in during this time, and artists’ work became very experimental. I worked closely with this movement, and my work was influenced by its philosophy.
