Have you heard about Slave Island’s transformation? Today, we’re standing before a mural that’s part of that amazing story. The Mural is located in Colombo. It is at the heart of Sri Lanka’s capital. The neighborhood of Slave Island surrounds it.
Slave Island gained its ominous name during British rule. It served as a prison, mostly for African slaves. In the decades after Sri Lanka decolonized in 1948, it became associated with drugs and prostitution.
But artist Firi Rahman remembers different stories. His grandmother told him about gang wars. She spoke of laundry communities that worked in the now-polluted lake. He also recalled a cinema being torched by a mob in the 80s.
In 2015, Firi Rahman and Vicky Shahjahan started a project. It was for the benefit of the Slave Island community. They called it the We Are From Here project. The project involves painting mural portraits of Slave Island residents. Their hope was to encourage people to ask about the subjects. They wanted to engage with the community more.
The murals are drawn next to the subject’s business or home. When you see the artwork and ask who that person is, you are introduced. This breaks barriers and encourages understanding. The artists draw the murals in Slave Island’s alleys. People often think these alleys are full of drug dealings and prostitution. But the artists want to show this isn’t true.
Slave Island has a mix of Sinhalese, Malay, and Tamil cultures. This diversity is reflected in the artists. Firi is Muslim and half Malay-half Moor. Vicky shares both Hindu Tamil and Muslim parentage. Their third partner Parilojithan Ram is Hindu Tamil.
For Firi, the project archives Slave Island’s heritage. He wants to keep it from being forgotten. The neighborhood faces gentrification. The government sees it as a valuable spot for commercial buildings. They are trying to get land from people forcefully. People have to move from their traditional homes to somewhere far away.
Looking around Slave Island, you see old low-rise buildings. Newer high-rise buildings are being built behind them. Firi fears he might not live in Slave Island in five years. His house could be gone.
Firi hopes the murals will make people know this area better. His murals will be demolished. His work will not be there permanently. It will not save this place. But he wants to talk about this place. So far, the artists have ten murals between them. Firi said that they’re planning for the second phase. It will include even more artists. Some of whom will hopefully be women. He says Sri Lanka’s conservative society explains the lack of female artists.
Vicky identifies as androgynous. She faces a different challenge. It is not easy being androgynous. But she deals with it with courage. She is ready to face whatever comes her way. She needed to prove that she’s capable as an artist.
Vicky started as a henna artist. Henna is traditionally associated with women. Muslims and Hindus celebrate festivals with henna. In Slave Island, people accept her for who she is. There is a feminine energy they connect with.
Vicky faces discrimination outside of Slave Island. She feels safe in her neighborhood. In Slave Island, people know her for her art. Firi says Vicky can walk in the street late at night. People check to see if she’s okay. They are used to it. Firi and Vicky hope to expand their artistic expression. They want to use traditional henna to attract female artists.
Vicky says people didn’t see art as a valuable profession. Now they see students and journalists coming to them. People realize what they can achieve through art. It’s more than just scribbles. It’s a message. The Mural before us today is part of that message. It represents the spirit and resilience of Slave Island.