‘Phool Tipne Silli’ painting by Bivas Rai (2026)

Oil on linen, dimensions: 24 × 24 inches, unframed.

‘Phool Tipne Silli’ is a beautiful piece from Bivas Rai’s 2026 Myth and Memory exhibition at the Siddhartha Art Gallery in Kathmandu.

Myth and Memory explores the living, shifting inheritance of Kirati Rai culture through the sacred, nature-honouring Sakela festival. In this series, Bivas brings together past and present, painting dancers in modern streetwear alongside the animals and flowers that inspire each silli (dance step). Grounded in themes of sisterhood and matriarchy, each painting features one of the artist’s sisters, connecting his lived family bonds with ancestral stories that continue to be remembered and passed down through generations.

Bivas Rai was the recipient of the 2025 Himalayan Art Award. Based in Kathmandu, his practice draws on his Kirati Rai heritage and his family and lived experiences to explore Indigenous history, memory and cultural identity. Through Myth and Memory, he seeks to document and make accessible the stories and traditions passed down through generations.

Price guide: $460 AUD