Ties to My Father...Mage Piya Samañga Bandim (2023) delves into Renee’s disconnection from her Sinhalese heritage and Buddhism, re-contextualizing family photographs to uncover hidden narratives of identity. Through a delicate interplay of tradition, culture, and religion, the work reflects on her grandfather's (tâtta) concealed heritage, which was obscured by the legacies of colonial norms. After his passing, Renee reconnected with this erased lineage, confronting the messages her father and aunt had internalized growing up as ethnic minorities in Malaysia—messages that framed Indian culture and religion as 'uncivilized.'

This piece seeks to restore fragmented memories, reflecting on the creation of new traditions to honor her grandfather’s legacy. Central to the work is a yellow string binding the saris, a symbol drawn from Renee's father's lone memory of tâtta's traditions: a Vesak Day ritual where he was blessed by monks with a yellow string. Dedicated to her family, Ties to My Father...Mage Piya Samañga Bandim is a reclamation of lost identity, a visual and tactile journey of rediscovery and reconnection.