MIMI

MiMi (Michelle MILESI) is an artist from Sri Lanka. Her passion for art began in childhood and has continued to this day. She has produced countless works of art and collaborates in many art projects in Sri Lanka, Nepal, France and now in Senegal through her studio-gallery, ART BOX. She works with different media such as artist paper, objects, canvas, and also designs and paints custom murals.

To celebrate this year's theme of water, she is exhibiting six paintings that show how water is an integral part of the daily lives of audiences in different cultures around the world.

Her paintings include:

Seigaiha, a Japanese wave pattern commonly used in silk kimonos, towels, and tableware, and recently by graphic designers and tattoo artists, that bridges tradition and innovation.

Nilame, a traditional function performed by the chief lay guardian of the Buddha's Tooth Temple in Sri Lanka, which involves providing water and performing ancient rituals to ensure rainfall during agricultural seasons.

The Water Drummer, a hypnotic sound and visual experience that involves different movements performed according to the surface of the water, accompanied by the songs of a group of female singers in the Vanuatu Islands.

Sadhu, where millions of Hindus immerse themselves in the sacred waters of the Ganges River in India for a collective bath on the most auspicious day of the world's largest festival, the Kumbh Mela - the largest gathering of humanity - because they believe the river has regenerative properties that can heal suffering, remove obstacles, and purify sins.