Rubin Museum Installation
Mending and Moving my immersive installation at the Rubin Museum’s “Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now”
March 15 – October 6, 2024
Inspired by my experiences viewing Nepali ritual objects in U.S. museums, "Mending and Moving" is an immersive installation that questions the spiritual nature of ritual objects when they are taken out of their place of heritage. The installation is divided into three distinct sections: The Mending, The Yellow Room, The Pink Room.
Installation view of "Mending and Moving" by Sneha Shrestha at “Reimagine: Himalayan Art Now” presented by the Rubin Museum of Art, March 15 – October 6, 2024. All photos by Jane Louie
The Mending
As a ubiquitous element of Kathmandu’s architecture, the Toran immediately caught my attention in its incomplete state in the museum display. Here, I have "mended" the missing bottom half with my letters, symbolizing a personal attempt to restore its integrity. <3
The Yellow Room
In this section, I juxtapose the museum’s ritual objects with those from Nepal, sourced by my mother for our family home. I chose to display both sets of objects in the same manner; encased in glass and on identical pedestals. This decision prompts visitors to ponder the difference between objects that are still spiritually active and those whose spiritual essence may have faded.
The yellow room captures the mixed emotions I experience when encountering Nepali ritual objects in museums. Initially, there is a sense of familiarity and excitement, quickly followed by a profound despair as memories of similar objects in my Kathmandu home flood my mind—objects adorned with tika, rice, flowers, soot, and oil as opposed to the now lifeless museum objects, sterile and shiny. This emotional journey is what I aim to convey to visitors.
The Sukunda (Oil Lamp)
The Sukunda is an example of an object that evokes deep cultural pride. Whenever I see it in museums, I proudly recognize it instantly, reassured by the fact that its core design has remained unchanged for centuries. Our traditions endure, as evidenced by the nearly identical Sukunda in my family home and in the homes of many in Kathmandu.
So I wonder: Do the spiritual nature of these museum objects live on? What happens to ritual objects when they are no longer used in rituals? Then, are they still ritual objects?
I came across this manuscript when visiting the Rubin to look at some Nepali ritual objects. The vertical orientation of it first made me curious because most of the manuscripts I look at are 14th century horizontal ones. The second is, upon a quick glance without trying to translate the letters, the long horizontal lines made me think of if it was some sort of a list… Upon closer inspection, I found the names of a few foods in Nepali and my first thought was - is this some kind of a menu? At the moment, this manuscript remains untranslated. This is why I titled it The Menu, as absurd as it sounds. Now that I’ve thought about it more, it could be maybe a list of items needed to complete a ritual?
The Menu, 72” X60”, Acrylic ink on canvas, 2023
The Menu
72” X60”
Acrylic ink on canvas
2023
(label by Rachel Parikh for my solo show for a painting similarly inspired by manuscripts)
This large-scale painting is an homage to the Devanagari script and the traditional Nepali manuscripts that Shrestha’s artistic oeuvre is inspired by. Produced between the 5th and 19th century, these manuscripts, which typically comprise of Hindu and Buddhist texts, are distinguished by their horizontal composition, neatly and precisely executed text, and exquisitely detailed illustrations.
Shrestha’s curiosity sparked from the vertical orientation of this manuscript. The dimensions and composition work are evocative of traditional Nepali manuscripts, while her large and accentuated calligraphic style challenges the misconception and opinion that Devanagari script cannot be revered for its aesthetic beauty.
The painting itself is a collection of letters written in Devanagari. A reader of Nepali, Hindi, and Sanskrit would recognize the letters, but would not be able to decipher the text because it does not say anything. This is the artist’s commentary on the fact that most Nepali manuscripts in western museums are overlooked and remain untranslated.
The Pink Room
The pink room is titled Devi. It is inspired by my Devi series painting. Here I imagine how museums might celebrate cultures - by celebrating the voices and visuals of people of the culture and by people of the culture.
Here I invite people to enjoy a festive atmosphere, an atmosphere of family, ritual and devotion.
Part of the gold sculpture traveled from the Gardner Museum. This is a second version of the same sculpture. The idea of the sculpture is to take over and transform a space to feel more welcoming for everyone. The flowers in the installation represent the living nature of Newari rituals because our rituals are built into our everyday lives and so the rituals are very much alive.
All photos by Jane Louie
