THE SERIES OF DIALOGUE WITH FABRIC

Mapping the Boundaries of Self Through Batik Sonali Dharmawardena

- By Rishini Weeraratre

Sri Lankan artist Sonali Dharmawardena brings a distinct and deeply personal perspective to 'The Series of Dialogue with Fabric,' an exhibition that explores how batik can express emotion, memory and identity. Part of the EU-Sri Lanka Matchmaking Programme, the project highlights how traditional craft continues to evolve through contemporary artistic practice. Sonali's work stands out for the freedom and honesty she brings to the medium, treating batik not as a fixed tradition but as a living form of expression. Through her practice, Art in Motion, she moves between fine art and fashion with ease, using fabric as a space to explore the pressures, vulnerabilities and quiet transformations that shape the inner self. Her piece 'Shrouded Core,' created for the exhibition, reflects this approach, capturing how everyday stresses leave marks on our emotional landscape. In this Q&A, Sonali speaks about her creative process, the role of freedom in her work and how batik continues to evolve as a powerful language of storytelling.

Your work often treats batik as a language of emotion and identity. How did the concept of "Dialogue with Fabric" first emerge in your creative process?