In the Eye of the Beholder
A review of "Tales of Beauty" at Atelier, Kigali from February 10th-17th, 2024
“There’s a long list of things that a woman has to tick to actually feel valued,” states Myriam Birara, the Rwandan artist whose solo exhibition “Tales of Beauty” is currently on at Atelier. In her remarks on opening night, Myriam explained how there are a lot of unrealistic beauty standards making women feel like they are not beautiful enough. Women are criticized on their height, weight, hairstyles, and everything in between. As soon as a woman steps out the door, she receives judgement.
“Tales of Beauty” discusses how that judgment permeates the home environment. In one painting, Myriam depicts a central figure holding a mirror and surrounded by aunties. This painting represents how generations of women reinforce cultural beauty standards in the home. Myriam feels that teen girls serve as the epitome of female beauty in Rwanda, but this beauty is unsustainable; it fades with age.
Creating the above painting challenged Myriam because of its abstract background. Many of her paintings are explicitly set in the home, as seen by a line demarcating the corner of a room or a piece of household furniture, for instance. In A Day in the Hair Salon, seen below, tile floor and a rug clearly define the space.
Once again, we see that maintaining beauty is a group effort. While Untitled includes many faces, this painting focuses on one woman getting her hair done. The anonymous hands pulling her hair in opposite directions remind us that, as Myriam puts it, “Pretty hurts.” From hair braiding to ear piercings to high heels, women sacrifice comfort for “beauty.”
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Unified by their muted, pastel tones, Myriam’s paintings comment on how beauty standards shape female identity in Rwanda. In her words, “Who and what am I? Am I a result of all that people think is beautiful? Who would I be if I wasn’t told how to be?”
Come to the Closing Night Panel Discussion at Atelier on Saturday, February 17th at 6:30pm to hear more.
Panelists: Myriam Birara, Kakizi Jemima, and Natacha Muziramakenga.
Kaya Byinshii will moderate the discussion.