Ninaivu—What We Remember, What We Release

Artists: Whishnave Suthagar

Art Gallery of Mississauga (2026)

Whyishnave Suthagar’s project நினைவு | Ninaivu—What We Remember, What We Release turns toward intergenerational healing within the Eelam Tamil diaspora. At its centre glows a Kolam-inspired mandala, which draws upon traditional Tamil artistic motifs. Additionally, a series of Illuminated texts feature letters exchanged between first- and second-generation Tamil Canadian family members that recall memories of leaving Sri Lanka during its civil war and building a life in a new country. These works speak to the shared but differently experienced journey of diaspora: what is inherited, what is grieved, and what is cherished. At the heart of the space, visitors are invited to write letters of their own, becoming part of an intergenerational conversation that honours memory and fosters healing.

https://www.artgalleryofmississauga.com/events/shaheer-zazai-%CE%B9-whyishnave-suthagar/

Publication: