10.05.2026 

Art as Service to Beauty: Amiya’s Exhibition at the International Roerich Memorial Trust

From May 6 to May 10, an exhibition by Russian artist Amiya was held at the International Roerich Memorial Trust in Naggar. For the past three years, Amiya has been living and creating her art in the Himalayas.

The artist dedicated her exhibition to Nicholas Roerich. For Amiya , Roerich is not only a great painter and thinker but also a living example of service to Beauty, Culture, and Light. His legacy reminds us that true art transcends the boundaries of nations and peoples, becoming a universal language capable of uniting human hearts. As Nicholas Roerich wrote, “The Consciousness of Beauty will save the world.” The artist is merely a channel, a brush in the hands of the Creator through which Higher Beauty touches human hearts.

The central part of the exhibition featured Amiya’s paintings inspired by the beauty and spiritual depth of India’s sacred heritage. Her works portrayed Shiva and Shakti—the eternal guardians of the Kullu Valley—as well as the goddess Durga and the heroic Hanuman. The exhibition also included images of Nitai (Nityananda Prabhu) and Nimai (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu), who lived approximately five hundred years ago. In the bhakti tradition, they are revered as manifestations of Krishna and His brother Balarama. For Amiya, the sacred images of Hinduism embody timeless spiritual wisdom and a path toward the Supreme.

Alongside Amiya’s paintings, the exhibition presented works by Russian artist Mira and Indian artist Pankaj Verma, both residents of the Kullu Valley, as well as paintings by Alexander Kamenev—Amiya’s father, mentor, and first teacher—whose guidance and creative influence have accompanied her artistic journey since childhood.

A special place in the exhibition was devoted to works by Amiya’s young students from Bahang School in Manali: Nikita, Mingmar, Shivangi, Surabhi, and Aarti. All five girls are thirteen years old and are already discovering their own artistic paths. Although only three of them were able to attend the exhibition due to school commitments, the works of all five students became an important part of the display and attracted considerable interest from visitors.

In addition to teaching in a Himalayan school, Amiya actively supports and promotes children's creativity. Over the past six months, more than twenty-five artworks created by talented children have been sold. This has provided the young artists not only with encouragement but also with their first experience of recognition for their creative efforts.

One of the most distinctive features of the exhibition was its interactive space. Visitors were invited not only to observe the artworks but also to become participants in the creative process. Various art materials were provided for anyone wishing to create. People of all ages—from four to sixty years old—joyfully sat down to draw, discovering and expressing their own creativity.

Amiya’s students played a particularly important role in this process. They helped visitors learn the basics of drawing, shared their experience, and inspired others to create. As a result, the exhibition transformed into a living artistic workshop where art became not merely an object of observation but a space for collaboration, creativity, and human connection.

On May 10, the final day of the exhibition, Amiya conducted an open art lesson for local children. Thirty-five young artists participated in the workshop. The lesson was dedicated to the image of the Mother of the World, one of the most elevated symbols in the philosophy and artistic legacy of the Roerich family. Through their drawings, the children expressed their own understanding of love, protection, kindness, and light.

Nicholas Roerich attached great importance to the education of children through culture and creativity. He famously stated, “Where there is culture, there is peace.” Art helps children not only develop their talents but also cultivate their hearts, learn to perceive beauty, and express it through creative work. For this reason, working with children has become an integral part of Amiya’s artistic path in the Himalayas.

The Himalayas, celebrated by Roerich as a land of spirit and inspiration, continue to reveal new dimensions of creativity to those who approach them with open hearts. This exhibition became more than an artistic event; it was a living space where cultures, generations, and traditions met and interacted. Once again, it reminded us that art possesses the power to unite people in a shared aspiration toward Beauty and Harmony.