Museums: National and International dimension of repatriation of art objects
Packiyanathan Ahilan
Senior Lecturer in Art History, Artist
21 May 2025
A Discussion with three Contemporary Jaffna Artists
Thabendran Krishnapriya, Tharmapalan Tilaxan, Jasmine Nilani Joseph
Artists
9 April 2025
Third-year special degree students M.S.F. Sumaiya and P. Hendry Jeran chaired and facilitated a critical discussion with Jaffna-based artists Tharmapalan Tilaxan, Thabendran Krishnapriya, and Jasmine Nilani Joseph. The conversation centred on the artists’ long-standing practices and the structural and sociocultural challenges they encounter as minority-identifying practitioners within the contemporary art world. Drawing from over a decade of experience as full-time and freelance artists, the speakers reflected on strategies for sustaining artistic production, negotiating with art markets, and engaging diverse publics and modes of art reception. This event was organized and moderated by third-year special degree students as part of their academic engagement with social theory lectures and contemporary art discourses.
A Visual Journey of Migration and Memory
Anushiya Suntharalingam
Artist, Belfast, Northern Ireland
5 March 2025
As part of the exhibition Roots and Routs: Visual Journey of Migration and Memory by Anushiya Sundaralingam at the Fine Arts Gallery, the artist delivered a talk focusing on the body of work presented in the current exhibition. She reflected on how her engagement with the theme of migration evolved gradually over time, becoming a central conceptual thread in her practice. In addition to discussing the exhibited works, Sundaralingam provided an overview of her broader artistic journey, touching on the challenges she has encountered, the range of concepts she explores, and the diverse media she employs. Following the presentation, participants engaged in a dialogue with the artist, raising questions about the trajectory of her practice and the ways in which her evolving body of work coheres conceptually and materially over time.
‘Commercialisation of Auspicious instrumental music of Jaffna’
C. Gajavathanan, P. Hajantan, P. Kasthuri, N.Bharathi
9 August 2023
‘Transformation of the body as an act of discourses: Iconographical representation of Karaikal Ammaiyar’
Pirintha Kulasingam
Lecturer(Probationary), Department of Fine Arts, University of Jaffna.
2 August 2023
‘Tea estate workers’ museum and visual politics’
R. Kanagadurkashini
Final year student, Art History, Fine Arts Department, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
25 January 2023
‘Large wells in Jaffna: Structure and the cultural meaning’
S. Sujitha
BA in Art History, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka
21 December 2022
‘Nation, language & Tamil’
N. Govindharajan
Assistant Instructional Professor, South Asian language and civilization, Chicago University, USA.
3 August 2022
‘War memorials’ meaning and resistance of politics’
A. Biriyanthy
BA in Sociology & MA in Cultural Studies, Jaffna University, Sri Lanka
27 July 2022
‘Folk Aesthetics: Time & Space’
T. Purushothaman
MFA in Painting & MA in Folk Art, India
21 October 2021
‘Tamil Aesthetics based on Tholkappiya Porulathikaram‘
Dr. A.N. Krishnaveney
Retired Professor, Department of Fine Arts, University of Jaffna
15 September 2021
‘Eelakesari Paper Advertisement: Modernism and cultural changes in Jaffna‘
Albert Bastian
MA (Cultural Studies), B.Sc (Vis. Com)
04 August 2021
‘Writing and Teaching Mass Atrocities’
Professor. Rudhramoorthy Cheran
Department of Sociology, Anthropology, and criminology
University of Windsor, Canada.
21 July 2021
‘ Role of Art education in Contemporary Art Practice’ Panel Discussion
Panelist: P. Rupaneethan & S. Kajendran
Convenors: Joseph Nilani & M.F. Sarjana
07 July 2021
étranger’ Artist
V.P. Vasuhan
France based freelance Visual Artist
24 June 2021
Digital Sivan: The transformation of gods in the era of information technology
Mr. Packiyanathan Ahilan
Senior Lecturer, University of Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
09 June 2021
Nam Veedu, Nam oor, Nam Kathai: Experience Sharing
Arc. Thirupuransundari Sevvel
Architect & founder of Nam Veedu, Nam oor, Nam Kathai heritage group, India.
26 May 2021
Maruthamunai weaving: reading of Aesthetics & Taste change through Social, cultural changes