Ms Hema Shironi UMISAA 2018, Alumna from Sri Lanka Speaker in Asia Arts Game Changer Awards 2026, Asia Society India

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News New Delhi, India - 23rd February 2026

In a remarkable celebration of contemporary artistic excellence, Ms Hema Shironi, distinguished alumna of the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institute for South Asian Arts (UMISAA) Batch of 2018, has been honoured with the prestigious Asia Arts Future (South Asia) Award at the 10th annual Asia Arts Game Changer Awards 2026, hosted by Asia Society India Centre.

Recognised as one of South Asia’s most visionary contemporary artists, Ms Shironi delivered an inspiring address at the Awards ceremony in New Delhi, where her practice and achievements were celebrated for their cultural depth, innovation, and global resonance.

A multidisciplinary artist rooted in deeply layered narratives, Ms Shironi’s work transcends boundaries of medium and geography — combining embroidery, mythological imagery, bricolage, and installation to explore concepts of identity, memory, displacement, gender, and cultural heritage. Her art arises from personal experience growing up amid Sri Lanka’s shifting sociopolitical landscape, intertwining the lived realities of colonial history, civil conflict, and migration.

Her artistic trajectory includes an MFA from Beaconhouse National University, Lahore (2019) and a BFA from the Ramanathan Fine Arts Academy, University of Jaffna (2014). Her work has been showcased at major international exhibitions including the 11th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, QAGOMA, Brisbane (2024); 13th Taipei Biennial, Taipei Fine Arts Museum (2024); ZKM Centre for Art and Media, Karlsruhe (2025); Delhi Contemporary Art Week (2024); Art Mumbai (2024); and more.

The Asia Arts Game Changer Awards — a signature initiative of the Asia Society India Centre — celebrates artists and cultural leaders whose creative expressions are reshaping the contemporary artistic landscape across South Asia. The Asia Arts Future Award recognises emerging talents whose practice signals fresh directions and vibrant futures for regional and global art.

Ms Shironi’s accolade highlights the growing prominence of South Asian artistic voices on the world stage — reaffirming the power of art to narrate histories, evoke empathy, and provoke reflection. Her journey from UMISAA alumni to Asia Arts Future awardee underscores the profound impact of creative inquiry in shaping cultural discourse across continents.