The gallery helping neurodivergent artists bridge gaps in the art world

Melbourne's Jump Left gallery is showcasing the vibrant and unique work of Maya Tamang in her first solo exhibition, titled 'I ain't no fancy bird.' Tamang, who identifies as autistic, uses fashion and elaborate glamour as a distinct way to communicate, especially in social settings, allowing her to bypass small talk.

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My way of communicating at social events is through outrageous fashion and glamour because you kind of can skip small talk

Her art is a rich tapestry inspired by a bygone era, particularly old Hollywood films and iconic figures like Elizabeth Taylor and Liberace. Tamang's fascination with this period stems from her childhood connection with her grandmother, whose home evoked a sense of a different time. This influence is evident in her canvases, which also feature custom-decorated boots and headwear, reflecting a world she found distant and captivating.

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Ever since I was a young girl, I was quite close with my grandma. She lived in a home that looked like it was from a different time, and she loved all those films too. They felt so distant and other-worldly to me that I almost wanted to be in those films.

Comedian and cabaret performer Reuben Kaye is a significant muse for Tamang. He sat for several portraits featured in the exhibition, describing the experience as "joyous and chaotic." Kaye noted Tamang's "unique, messy, chaotic eye" that prioritizes raw expression over refinement, linking her style to a primal, messy queerness that has punk influences.

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Sitting for anything is an odd experience. I'm a doing person, and being the subject for a painting is in many ways a passive role. But sitting for Maya was joyous and chaotic.

Tamang discovered her artistic path not through formal schooling, which she did not complete, but through art therapy sessions subsidized by the NDIS. Painting became her primary means of expression, offering an escape and a way to articulate feelings that were difficult to put into words. A few years ago, a solo show in a CBD gallery seemed improbable as she navigated periods of psychiatric care. Tamang, whose father is Nepalese, also reflects on her experiences with feeling like an outsider and the shame and stigma she sometimes felt about her background growing up.

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Maya has a unique, messy, chaotic eye that throws finesse and refinement out the window in favour of chaos, and almost a primal, messy expression of queerness that owes more to punk than some might expect