Arunachal: 3 RGU Students participating in Kochi Muziris Biennale
These three students are Ejum Riba, Taba Yaniya and Nabam Hema
ITANAGAR- Three young students- Mr Ejum Riba (BFA-Painting Honours Final year), Ms Nabam Hema(BFA-Sculpture Honours Passed out) and Ms Taba Yaniya (BFA-Painting honours, Passed Out, currently pursuing MFA in Painting from Assam University, Silchar) from the Department of Fine Arts & Music, Rajiv Gandhi University have proved their ability to participate in the Kochi Muziris Biennale (student wings Biennale), a Global Platform for the intellectual creative practice.
These three young art students are the first artists from the state of Arunachal Pradesh who got the opportunity to participate in the Biennale. The Students’ Biennale is designed to facilitate young creative students from across India to participate and showcase their art practice. Considering the nature of curatorial selection, it makes a tough competition to get an entry at the All-India level.
Ejum Ribais hail from Basar, Leparada District, Arunachal Pradesh. His works are based on the folk narratives of the Monpa and Sherdukpen communities. His works also reflect Buddhist culture through typical colour harmony and textural surface.
Nabam Hema’s works are reflective of her culture, society, and environment and suggest sustainable and harmonious development of society and the environment.
Taba Yaniya from the small town of Yazali, whose concept draws from her Nishi tribe’s folklore/myths/stories and culture. She amalgamates the style with the folk and miniature art style of India which gives a pan-Indian identity.
The project by Ejum, Hema, and Yaniya that is selected for the Kochi Muziris biennale in students’ wings revolves around the life and society of the Tani clan of Arunachal Pradesh, underlining their agrarian household and activities. This will recreate the life of a regional clan for international viewers.
The artistic environment is proposed with elements of abstraction, metaphor, and symbolic representation of all the stories, ideas, and creative approaches practiced within their community.
The concept emerges from a discussion that they initiated during their student days to redesign the forgotten ecosystem with new possibilities. Their objective is to celebrate and deliver a rich cultural message to the people with lesser information regarding the community in question.
Eventually, it is a matter of recognition for the Department of Fine Arts and Music, Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh that these young students were able to represent the university at a such young age. This will not only encourage their fellow students but also provide a stepping stone for the young students to learn. It is a pride for the department, RGU and the whole state of Arunachal Pradesh.
