Chaluni Ranaweera

These charcoal drawings offer a highly personal and intimate exploration of my everyday life shaped by my eating disorder. What has driven this disorder for years was my profound fear of change and its inevitability. However, the one thing I have complete agency over is my body. Though it was difficult I found comfort in controlling and restricting what I consumed in order to remain unchanging. Depicted in a first-person perspective and through the monochromatic medium of charcoal, I delve into the physical and emotional landscapes of my personal experiences, inviting viewers into a world where my routine actions are imbued with tension and introspection. In the end, ironically, my own body turned against me and my efforts. My health was deteriorating, I was losing hair, I lost my period, my heart rate had become dangerously low, and I was deemed medically unstable leading to my very first hospital admission. By sharing these deeply personal experiences, I seek to break the silence, offering a raw, honest exploration of mental health and creating a space for reflection, empathy, and understanding.