Maldives Culture
If the cultural scene is taking its first steps, the Maldives is an ancient land. A commercial crossroads since the beginning of our era, the archipelago embraced Buddhist precepts for several centuries. Rare archaeological remains attest to the fact that the first occupants, who came from Sri Lanka and South India, brought their beliefs with them. What remains of this part of the islands' history are architectural traces and customs, as well as the tonalities in traditional music and the place given to dance.
In the field of painting, one cannot yet speak of a Maldivian pictorial tradition. However, several local artists are pursuing their careers. All self-taught, they practice painting, drawing or various visual experiments. Among the most respected, Mariyam Shany Ahmed, known as "Manje", works in watercolour, acrylic and ink to question the relationship between humans and the environment as well as femininity, in addition to folkloric scenes. Her pensive women are seen in a typical Maldivian environment, with bright colours, among sea and land creatures.
The National Art Gallery of the Maldives, located in the heart of Malé, remains the only official exhibition venue. Founded by the government in 1999, its objective is to show Maldivian and international artists, in order to maintain heritage and patriotism. Its programme alternates between photography, paintings, crafts and conceptual art. The museum's permanent collection includes some artifacts from the pre-Islamic period, but mostly objects from the Islamic period. Among them are coins, fabrics, a white coral Buddha head, carved wooden panels from the 13th century, and hand-woven carpets. Do not miss the sculptures discovered in temples, dedicated to Tantric Buddhism.Private initiatives
The events intended to promote the visual arts in the Maldives are of associative or private origin. The hotels are in the forefront in multiplying exchanges, notably through a system of residencies. Guest artists come to teach workshops and exhibit their work, thus bringing little-known techniques to the islands. Among the hotels that promote the plastic arts, the Joali offers a permanent exhibition of 13 works signed by artists who have composed works in situ that are integrated into the environment. The South African Porky Hefer has hung a manta ray on the terrace of one of the restaurant areas; the New Yorker Misha Khan has created a stunning garden of underwater sculptures, accessible only to divers. The hotel's 73 villas also house art objects, with the greatest respect for the environment. The Joali proclaims loud and clear its desire to become a year-round artistic residence.
The American painter Gregory Burns was one of the first artists to come to live in the Maldives. It must be said that he finds in the sea bed an ever-renewed source of inspiration. Since the first one at the Banyan Tree Maldives in 2007, he has returned to the Shangri-la Resorts (2010) and then to the Amilla Fushi (2016-2017). His workshops on the beach are a great success.
Mövenpick Hotels and Resorts prefers to collaborate with local artists. For example, Maldivian artist Hussain Atheek was able to express his creativity in music during a workshop aimed at introducing guests to abstract art. Self-taught, Hussain Atheek started painting at a very young age. Now, acrylic, pastels and digital art, Hussain does not shy away from anything. He works in many institutions, organizes exhibitions and coordinates residencies.
In this spirit, the German artist MadC was invited to create six frescoes for the Pullman Hotel on the Gaafu Alifu atoll. Her large idyllic paintings adorn the walls of the white huts on stilts. A public art to admire with your feet in the water!
Street artist Alec Monopoly had the pleasure of painting an entire speedboat during a public session at W Maldives. At the W, he collaborated with Maldivian graffiti artist Sobah and Japanese artist Shiro to create the murals of "W The Store".
Some urban art can be spotted on the streets of Male. The Raalhugandu skatepark has been redecorated by Toxicrew & Ram Miguel. A street art festival has been held in the capital for a few years, the last one having welcomed the presence of Mike Makatron.Artists' associations
Since 2016, the NGO Maldivian Artist Community-MAC acts as a platform to support emerging talents. It accompanies them and helps them to make a name for themselves as artists. The association brings together some fifty artists, some of whom have acquired a certain reputation.
More modest, the association Fine Art Maldives shares similar objectives, relying on the passion of each artist involved.
Kula Art Studio offers training in Kandima. Located next to the Aroma Art Café, the studios overlook the lake. The courses are given by young Maldivian talents: the abstract painter Ahmed Azmee (Baachy), Maimoona Hussain who combines fauna, flora and Arabic calligraphy in his paintings or the portrait painter Ahmed Shaffan.To be followed closely ..
Since 2010, the Hay Festival has been celebrating Maldivian culture. Artists from all fields participate: theatre, literature, music, science, art and poetry! The event ends with workshops for young people.
Unveiling visions, the MAC's exhibitions feature a selection of visual artists, without limits of genre or discipline. Among the talents, Mohamed Gailhal discovered art in a drawing manual and now practices digital art. In another style, at only 17 years old, Eema has been awarded for her stunningly hyper-realistic portraits.
Far from the market trends, Maldivian artists bring extremely diversified proposals. Striped Coco paints characters in acrylics and oils on wooden panels that are rewrites of her photographs; Manje practices "deviant art". What do they have in common? To bring their vision of the world without worrying about influences!
