Blind Eye was the outcome of a six week residency in Sri Lanka as part of Sura Medura http://suramedura.com. The proposal was to explore the effects of the fast increasing tourist industry on the landscape. It was clear that plastic was a big problem being dragged into the sea from the beaches that have hotels along the front. During this time I requested that the other participants in the residency leave their used water bottles for me. All the bottles that are seen in the net are from the collection of five people in four weeks.
I collaborated with local tailors in Hikkaduwa to realise the costume, it was designed on the classic three pieces of a Sari in the style of Victorian dress, symbolic of the colonisation of the island. Depicting the colours of a kingfisher, seen regularly on the seafront diving for fish.
The mask is inspired by the traditional goulish faces of the demon masks used to ward off evil spirits, here the evil being single use plastic and tourist development to the detriment of the sea and it’s wildlife. The eye mask has just one eyehole, half looking, trying not to see.
The performance took place along the seafront at dusk. There was a second performance at the Human Rights Arts Festival, JDA Perera Gallery, Colombo
We were also asked to collaborate with other artists during this time. I worked with Kyna Ray videographer and Anders Rigg sound designer. We located different areas in the region to create stepping moments. These can be found on the Flick Ferdinando Facebook Page.
