Raki Nikhetiya’s artworks are multidisciplinary, combining painting, embroidery and appliqué on textiles – and some of them hang from the ceiling of the art gallery. This is the first exhibition of Austrian-Sri Lankan artists in Hyderabad. Looking at the artefacts, I thought about the practical ease with which textile artefacts can be transported. I did not deviate from the goal. During the walkthrough preview, the artist points to a large suitcase and says, “All the artwork will fit in here.”
The choice of materials – mainly textiles and sometimes small marble inlay work – was dictated by the theme of migration and his mother’s love for textile techniques such as appliqué. The exhibition titled The Migrant Memory focuses on migration, integration, memory and cultural belonging.
The artworks are inspired by Raki’s childhood memories of growing up in Kandy, Sri Lanka, from where his family moved to Austria as the civil war intensified in the late 1980s and early 1990s. “When you’re young and your sense of identity isn’t fully formed, you don’t have a definitive story about who you are and where you’re from. When you go to a new place, you try to put the puzzle together,” says Raqi.
Discussing migration in the context of both animals and mankind, he said, “Migration has been natural for birds, animals and even mankind even before we became agrarian societies. “I see migration as both personal and universal.”
Born in Sri Lanka in 1983, his childhood memories are of his father working at a university in Kandy. “I was about five years old when the civil war intensified and many people lost their lives, including my father’s colleagues. Although my father was not politically active, he had to choose to move forward. “My grandmother had friends in Austria, so it was a natural choice.”
Some artworks of Raki Nikhetiya. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Raki remembers her family moving out of Sri Lanka thinking it would be for two months, but it extended to 25 years. Raki recently decided to return to Sri Lanka.
His recent series of artworks are derived from his memories of Sri Lanka. “When we left, our luggage was in two suitcases; It felt like we had everything we needed. It gave us a sense of flexibility and freedom to move forward.
The textile artwork panels feature Raki’s interpretations of objects remembered from imagined memory and family photographs. A variety of paradise flycatcher birds on one panel reminisces about a time when he, then a five-year-old child, accompanied his mother, walking down an alley and seeing birds that were notorious for flying off with clothes. “When my mother saw this artwork, she was reminded of the bird watching we both did, although we had not discussed it in years.”
Another artwork depicts a family of four – his grandparents, father and brother – as if nestled within a large jackfruit. Raki remembers that her grandparents managed jackfruit orchards before immigrating to Austria. In many artworks, imagery of people is outlined without description of facial features. The individual images immediately become universal as if representative of migration and displacement around the world.
regenerative art
The themes of climate optimism and carbon footprint are also part of his work. The artworks are designed using recycled and biodegradable materials. Raaki is the co-founder of Sa Ladakh, Asia’s premier land art biennial. Sa means soil in Ladakhi language. The first edition of Sa Ladakh, focused on environment, culture and community, was held in August 2023.
While some artworks took six months to create, others took a few years. “You can’t rush art,” says Raki. The idea of using textiles as canvas came when she saw her mother holding a piece of applique and an embroidered fabric. On velvet textile surfaces, he painted and collaborated with Kolkata-based Syed Reyasuddin Ali, who brought his ideas to life with fine Kutch ‘Ari’ embroidery that resembles a painting when viewed from a distance. “Normally artists don’t give credit to their collaborators for fear of competition, but I felt the need to do so. Reyas Ali is a skilled craftsman,” says Raqi.
In some artworks, embroidery and appliqué are not confined within the frame of the fabric and sometimes extend beyond the boundaries. There are also subtle variations in handcrafted work due to inherent imperfections; The artist compares this to the imperfection of memory, which changes over time.
A semi-abstract artwork that uses the imagery of airplane wings
The subtext goes far beyond merely portraying childhood memories. Raki comments on the duality regarding men and women. While his grandfather, due to his flamboyant demeanor, was considered a forceful man, his grandmother was the more flexible of the two. “She looked subtle but she was stronger. I wanted to portray the complexities of people and it turned out that my heroines were mostly women. Raqi remembers his British-educated grandmother as a strong and patient person in times of crisis.
Creating artworks from childhood memories helped Raki to value her country as well as create a deeper connection with her new identity after migration. In Vienna, he studied economics and worked as a photojournalist. Raki then joined the United Nations in 2009 and worked in the areas of international development for five years. Since then, he has worked and lived in London, New Delhi and Colombo.
A large artwork on one wall is Raki’s explanation of the notion of safety when he first sat on an airplane, flying out of Sri Lanka, peering at the safety instruction card. Many images of airplane wings appear in the semi-abstract work. “Airline safety cards serve as a unified visual language for any of us who fly on an airplane, no matter where we are.”
Raki’s large artwork titled Twenty Twenty-Two serves as a visual memory of important global events of 2022. Using meme-like images, he portrays various events such as the Ukraine-Russia war, Joe Biden’s stance, the conflict between the right and the left. Wings, and the infamous Oscar slap involving Will Smith and Chris Rock, among others. “I plan to create an artwork every year as a visual memory of important events.”
Presented by Artwork in collaboration with the Austrian Cultural Forum, the exhibition will be inaugurated by Her Excellency Katharina Visser, Austrian Ambassador to India, on the evening of 30 November.
The Migrant Memory artwork will be on view at the art gallery until January 5, 2025.
published – November 30, 2024 04:01 PM IST
