Exhibit review: When an oral story becomes a painting

Artist Bivas Rai's solo exhibition, 'Myth & Memory,' opens August 28 at Siddhartha Art Gallery in Kathmandu, showcasing paintings that delve into Kirati Rai culture. Presented by the Australian Himalayan Foundation and Siddhartha Art Gallery, the exhibition centers on Sakela, a communal dance and festival honoring nature and ancestors.

Rai, a recipient of the 2025 AHF Himalayan Art Award, draws inspiration from the stories of his extended Rai family. Initially impatient with oral traditions, his relationship with these narratives evolved, leading him to spend a year observing, listening to, and archiving accounts from elders. The exhibition embraces the fluid nature of folklore rather than seeking a single definitive version.

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Indigenous history is primarily passed down in the form of stories from one generation to the next.

Sakela's movements, which often imitate natural elements, provide the visual language for the series. However, Rai emphasizes that the exhibition is fundamentally rooted in sisterhood and matriarchy. Each painting features one of his sisters, connecting them to the Kirati myth of primordial sisters Tayama and Khiyama. This allows familial memory and inherited mythology to coexist.

'Myth & Memory' serves as a conduit, carrying recollections from oral storytelling into the medium of painting. This process preserves these narratives while acknowledging that memory itself transforms with each retelling. The exhibition will be inaugurated by Australian Ambassador to Nepal Simon Ernst, AHF Chair Garry Weare, and AHF Himalayan Art Award founder Margie Thomas.

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My world has been shaped entirely by the strength and presence of my mother, her sisters, and my own sisters.