8 happenings that revived the Nepali fine art sector post-pandemic
2022 review:
Onlinekhabar
Friday, December 30, 2022
File PhotoIn 2020 and 2021, the Nepali fine art sector was in a slumber thanks to the Covid pandemic. Compared to them, 2022 saw major art exhibitions, festivals and events. There was not a month in the year when art exhibitions, festivals or events were not happening in Kathmandu.
Major galleries like Siddhartha Art Gallery, MCube Gallery, Classic Gallery, Bikalpa Art Gallery, Dalai-La Boutique Hotel Gallery were busy in terms of different exhibitions—national and international— along with other art events. Nepal Art Council, Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, Museum of Nepali Art and Taragaon Museum also contributed a lot to the growth of the Nepali fine art sector this year.
Here are some interesting and noteworthy Nepali fine art events that took place in 2022.
1. Kathmandu Triennale 2077
Photo Courtesy: FB of Kathmandu Triennale 2077One-month-long Kathmandu Triennale 2077 that began on March 1, featured more than 130 artists’ 300 plus artworks from around 40 countries. The event was held at five venues, namely, Patan Museum, Bahadur Shah Baithaik, Nepal Art Council, Siddhartha Art Gallery, and Taragaon Museum. It
At the event, one witnessed works by artists working with and from multiple aesthetic, and cosmological viewpoints and meanings, expressing multiplicities that composed the multifaceted global reality. Kathmandu Triennale 2077 was jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation in Nepal and the Siddhartha Arts Foundation, in a bid to promote the Nepali fine art scene internationally.
2. Revisiting the Roots in a Modern Nuance
Bikalpa Art CentreIn the exhibition held in April-May, curator Saroj Mahato brought together 45 new and old Nepali artists including veteran artists Lain Singh Bangdel, Indra Pradhan, Rama Nanda (RN) Joshi, and Manuj Babu Mishra. Revisiting the Roots embraced the subtle differences and nuances in the art scene not only in the past and present Nepal, but also as a whole, in regards to how these different eras blend together into one harmonised art world.
3. Art exhibitions at Siddhartha Art Gallery
Kiran Manandhar’s Samarpan on display at Siddhartha Art Gallery. Photo: Chandra Bahadur AleAmong many solo painting exhibitions, exhibitions by veteran artist Kiran Manandhar and artist Binod Pradhan created a buzz in the Nepali fine art sector this year. Manandhar, in his exhibition Samarpan, held in July explored the spiritual aspects of life using the religious motifs of Shakti in figurative forms. According to him, it was his way of paying homage to his country, people and culture here.
Paintings on display in the exhibition Sacred Realms at Siddhartha Art Gallery.Likewise, the painting exhibition Sacred Realms by Pradhan held in November explored the theme of preserving and promoting nature and culture. The paintings in his exhibition were surrealistic and he used impressionist, expressionist and realistic styles in them.
Then, there were other painting exhibitions by artists such as Sabita Dangol, Bidhyaman Tamang, Priyam Pradhan and more.
4. Art exhibitions and events at Nepal Art Council
Art exhibition Deities of Nepal at Nepal Art Council, Babarmahal. Photo: Bikash ShresthaMany solo and group exhibitions took place at the Nepal Art Council, one of the most happening places in the Nepali fine art scene.
A group exhibition Deities of Nepal celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Nepal Art Council and became one of a kind, which was held in November. The exhibition featured different artists from traditional and modern art genres, making itself one of the biggest art exhibitions that filled the gap between traditional and modern artists on the same platform.
Likewise, Agrajka Bimbaharu art exhibition organised by Pagoda Group and the Sushil Koirala Memorial Foundation featured artworks created during the 1960s and ’70s till now, which was held in May. There were 68 paintings by 30 veteran artists in the exhibition, making it a one-of-a-kind exhibition as their works are rarely exhibited.
Similarly, The Himalayan Art Festival was a four-day festival held in September organised by E-Arts Nepal that showcased 130 artists’ artworks such as paintings, sculptures, performances, installations, and prints. It aimed at creating awareness about the art scenario of Nepal and encouraging Nepali investors to invest in art.
Satyam Shivam SundaramSuresh Kumar Dyola’s painting exhibition Satyam Shivam Sundaram held in September based on Shiva Puran was one of the most remarkable exhibitions in the Nepali fine art sector as the artist had dedicated 20 years to completing all 23 masterpieces showcased in the exhibition.
Artist Samjhana Rajbhandari’s woodcut print exhibition held in May, Prints: A Tribute to the Past, exhibited 33 prints that reminisced about Nepal’s overall postage stamp history and her emotional journey.
5. Solo art exhibitions at Dalai-La Boutique Hotel’s gallery
File photoDalai-La Boutique Hotel’s gallery is narrow in comparison to other major galleries in the town. Nevertheless, it became the appropriate platform for many young talents in the Nepali fine art sector to showcase their creations this year. The gallery featured exhibitions of printmakers Saurganga Dharshandhari and Sushma Shakya, visual artists Muna Bhadel and Kunti Shree Thapa and sculptor Chandra Shyam Dangol among others.
6. Exhibitions at the Museum Of Nepali Art (MONA)
File photoAt MONA, traditional artist Samundra Man Singh Shrestha’s solo exhibition displayed around 60 artworks held in February.
Then, the exhibition by traditional artist Raj Prakash Man Tuladhar and visual artist Sushila Singh was a notable event held at MONA in 2022. Tuladhar’s paubha paintings were showcased while Singh’s paintings, prints, installations and more were displayed in the exhibition.
7. Significant documentation of traditional artTraditional artist Ujay Bajracharya launched his book, Paubha: Where the Divinities Reside, in 2022 with an aim to spread awareness regarding the ancient art that originated in Nepal. This has been considered a milestone in the documentation of the Nepali fine art sector.
8. Street Art Project
File photoIn collaboration with the US Embassy in Kathmandu, Artudio presented the Street Art Project focusing on the theme of social inclusion and equity. The project aimed at creating a platform for underrepresented artists to reach new policymakers on important topics related to inclusion and equity. The project–connecting Kathmandu and Janakpur–was curated by artist Kailash K Shrestha. Nepali artists Kiran Maharjan, Sudeep Balla, Manisha Shah, Anil Khadka and American artist Man One along with local artists from Janakpur were involved in making street art. The event was one of the few dedicated to taking the Nepali fine art scene to the common people.
Source:
https://english.onlinekhabar.com/2022-review-nepali-fine-art.html
Onlinekhabar
Friday, December 30, 2022
File PhotoIn 2020 and 2021, the Nepali fine art sector was in a slumber thanks to the Covid pandemic. Compared to them, 2022 saw major art exhibitions, festivals and events. There was not a month in the year when art exhibitions, festivals or events were not happening in Kathmandu.
Major galleries like Siddhartha Art Gallery, MCube Gallery, Classic Gallery, Bikalpa Art Gallery, Dalai-La Boutique Hotel Gallery were busy in terms of different exhibitions—national and international— along with other art events. Nepal Art Council, Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, Museum of Nepali Art and Taragaon Museum also contributed a lot to the growth of the Nepali fine art sector this year.
Here are some interesting and noteworthy Nepali fine art events that took place in 2022.
1. Kathmandu Triennale 2077
Photo Courtesy: FB of Kathmandu Triennale 2077One-month-long Kathmandu Triennale 2077 that began on March 1, featured more than 130 artists’ 300 plus artworks from around 40 countries. The event was held at five venues, namely, Patan Museum, Bahadur Shah Baithaik, Nepal Art Council, Siddhartha Art Gallery, and Taragaon Museum. It
At the event, one witnessed works by artists working with and from multiple aesthetic, and cosmological viewpoints and meanings, expressing multiplicities that composed the multifaceted global reality. Kathmandu Triennale 2077 was jointly organised by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation in Nepal and the Siddhartha Arts Foundation, in a bid to promote the Nepali fine art scene internationally.
2. Revisiting the Roots in a Modern Nuance
Bikalpa Art CentreIn the exhibition held in April-May, curator Saroj Mahato brought together 45 new and old Nepali artists including veteran artists Lain Singh Bangdel, Indra Pradhan, Rama Nanda (RN) Joshi, and Manuj Babu Mishra. Revisiting the Roots embraced the subtle differences and nuances in the art scene not only in the past and present Nepal, but also as a whole, in regards to how these different eras blend together into one harmonised art world.
3. Art exhibitions at Siddhartha Art Gallery
Kiran Manandhar’s Samarpan on display at Siddhartha Art Gallery. Photo: Chandra Bahadur AleAmong many solo painting exhibitions, exhibitions by veteran artist Kiran Manandhar and artist Binod Pradhan created a buzz in the Nepali fine art sector this year. Manandhar, in his exhibition Samarpan, held in July explored the spiritual aspects of life using the religious motifs of Shakti in figurative forms. According to him, it was his way of paying homage to his country, people and culture here.
Paintings on display in the exhibition Sacred Realms at Siddhartha Art Gallery.Likewise, the painting exhibition Sacred Realms by Pradhan held in November explored the theme of preserving and promoting nature and culture. The paintings in his exhibition were surrealistic and he used impressionist, expressionist and realistic styles in them.
Then, there were other painting exhibitions by artists such as Sabita Dangol, Bidhyaman Tamang, Priyam Pradhan and more.
4. Art exhibitions and events at Nepal Art Council
Art exhibition Deities of Nepal at Nepal Art Council, Babarmahal. Photo: Bikash ShresthaMany solo and group exhibitions took place at the Nepal Art Council, one of the most happening places in the Nepali fine art scene.
A group exhibition Deities of Nepal celebrated the 60th anniversary of the Nepal Art Council and became one of a kind, which was held in November. The exhibition featured different artists from traditional and modern art genres, making itself one of the biggest art exhibitions that filled the gap between traditional and modern artists on the same platform.
Likewise, Agrajka Bimbaharu art exhibition organised by Pagoda Group and the Sushil Koirala Memorial Foundation featured artworks created during the 1960s and ’70s till now, which was held in May. There were 68 paintings by 30 veteran artists in the exhibition, making it a one-of-a-kind exhibition as their works are rarely exhibited.
Similarly, The Himalayan Art Festival was a four-day festival held in September organised by E-Arts Nepal that showcased 130 artists’ artworks such as paintings, sculptures, performances, installations, and prints. It aimed at creating awareness about the art scenario of Nepal and encouraging Nepali investors to invest in art.
Satyam Shivam SundaramSuresh Kumar Dyola’s painting exhibition Satyam Shivam Sundaram held in September based on Shiva Puran was one of the most remarkable exhibitions in the Nepali fine art sector as the artist had dedicated 20 years to completing all 23 masterpieces showcased in the exhibition.
Artist Samjhana Rajbhandari’s woodcut print exhibition held in May, Prints: A Tribute to the Past, exhibited 33 prints that reminisced about Nepal’s overall postage stamp history and her emotional journey.
5. Solo art exhibitions at Dalai-La Boutique Hotel’s gallery
File photoDalai-La Boutique Hotel’s gallery is narrow in comparison to other major galleries in the town. Nevertheless, it became the appropriate platform for many young talents in the Nepali fine art sector to showcase their creations this year. The gallery featured exhibitions of printmakers Saurganga Dharshandhari and Sushma Shakya, visual artists Muna Bhadel and Kunti Shree Thapa and sculptor Chandra Shyam Dangol among others.
6. Exhibitions at the Museum Of Nepali Art (MONA)
File photoAt MONA, traditional artist Samundra Man Singh Shrestha’s solo exhibition displayed around 60 artworks held in February.
Then, the exhibition by traditional artist Raj Prakash Man Tuladhar and visual artist Sushila Singh was a notable event held at MONA in 2022. Tuladhar’s paubha paintings were showcased while Singh’s paintings, prints, installations and more were displayed in the exhibition.
7. Significant documentation of traditional artTraditional artist Ujay Bajracharya launched his book, Paubha: Where the Divinities Reside, in 2022 with an aim to spread awareness regarding the ancient art that originated in Nepal. This has been considered a milestone in the documentation of the Nepali fine art sector.
8. Street Art Project
File photoIn collaboration with the US Embassy in Kathmandu, Artudio presented the Street Art Project focusing on the theme of social inclusion and equity. The project aimed at creating a platform for underrepresented artists to reach new policymakers on important topics related to inclusion and equity. The project–connecting Kathmandu and Janakpur–was curated by artist Kailash K Shrestha. Nepali artists Kiran Maharjan, Sudeep Balla, Manisha Shah, Anil Khadka and American artist Man One along with local artists from Janakpur were involved in making street art. The event was one of the few dedicated to taking the Nepali fine art scene to the common people.
Source:
https://english.onlinekhabar.com/2022-review-nepali-fine-art.html
ARTUDIO IN COLLABORATION WITH US EMBASSY ORGANIZES STREET ART PROJECT IN NEPAL
Published On: December 9, 2022 06:45 PM
NPT By: Bijaya Rai
KATHMANDU, Dec 9: With the collaboration with the US Embassy in Nepal, Artudio has organized Street Art Project 2022 focusing on the theme of social inclusion and equality.
Artudio intends to wield street art forms to celebrate and inspire voices of the minority and socially excluded communities in Nepal, combining cross-cultural exchange, research, workshops, public discourses, and publication.
The main objective of the project is to showcase the creative potential of graffiti art to inspire social change and establish critical public dialogue on key issues of inclusion and equity. The project also aims at promoting collaboration and introspection among Nepali artists on the transformative power of art and creating a platform for underrepresented artists to reach new policymakers, according to the organizer.
Among other things, the project seeks to promote collaboration and introspection among Nepali artists on the transformative power of art and create a platform for underrepresented artists to reach new policymakers.
In the first phase, the Artudio issued an open call to Nepali artists to submit concepts for a collaboration with distinguished mural artists from the United States. In the Live Art Showcase on November 28, a total of 10 shortlisted artists were invited to paint their art concepts to inspire important discussions on social inclusion and equity at Lalitpur Municipality Office Garden and later showcased their artwork.
In the second phase, four shortlisted artists Khem Bahadur Palpali (Sindhuli), Manisha Shah (Sarlahi), Sudeep Balla (Bhaktapur), and Kiran Maharjan (Lalitpur) engaged in various curatorial interventions including collaborative pop-up murals with 23 folk Mithila artists in Janakpur along with renowned USA graffiti/street artist Man One. Finally, the four Nepali artists, along with Man One, collaborated in the completion of the Ekata (Unity) mural.
The street art project is curated by Contemporary Artist and Founder of Artudio Kailash K Shrestha.
Source:
https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/artudio-in-collaboration-with-us-embassy-organizes-street-art-projects/
NPT By: Bijaya Rai
KATHMANDU, Dec 9: With the collaboration with the US Embassy in Nepal, Artudio has organized Street Art Project 2022 focusing on the theme of social inclusion and equality.
Artudio intends to wield street art forms to celebrate and inspire voices of the minority and socially excluded communities in Nepal, combining cross-cultural exchange, research, workshops, public discourses, and publication.
The main objective of the project is to showcase the creative potential of graffiti art to inspire social change and establish critical public dialogue on key issues of inclusion and equity. The project also aims at promoting collaboration and introspection among Nepali artists on the transformative power of art and creating a platform for underrepresented artists to reach new policymakers, according to the organizer.
Among other things, the project seeks to promote collaboration and introspection among Nepali artists on the transformative power of art and create a platform for underrepresented artists to reach new policymakers.
In the first phase, the Artudio issued an open call to Nepali artists to submit concepts for a collaboration with distinguished mural artists from the United States. In the Live Art Showcase on November 28, a total of 10 shortlisted artists were invited to paint their art concepts to inspire important discussions on social inclusion and equity at Lalitpur Municipality Office Garden and later showcased their artwork.
In the second phase, four shortlisted artists Khem Bahadur Palpali (Sindhuli), Manisha Shah (Sarlahi), Sudeep Balla (Bhaktapur), and Kiran Maharjan (Lalitpur) engaged in various curatorial interventions including collaborative pop-up murals with 23 folk Mithila artists in Janakpur along with renowned USA graffiti/street artist Man One. Finally, the four Nepali artists, along with Man One, collaborated in the completion of the Ekata (Unity) mural.
The street art project is curated by Contemporary Artist and Founder of Artudio Kailash K Shrestha.
Source:
https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/artudio-in-collaboration-with-us-embassy-organizes-street-art-projects/
Art galleries galore
The studio art scene in Nepal is at its peak. The Post covers five art galleries worth visiting in Kathmandu valley.
ARTS
Bishesh Dhaubhadel
Published at : January 18, 2023
Updated at : January 18, 2023 18:24A decade ago, the arts used to be thought of as the last resort for throwaway students with failed academics. Of course, that couldn’t be farther from the truth—Da Vinci, Van Gogh, and a host of other artists of the olden days, and the countless artists of today that make us awe would defend their argument very well.
Today, the studio art scene in Nepal is at its peak with still more to reach for. Art enthusiasts finally have galleries to visit with their coloured hair and Van Gogh wallpapers, the masses are just now starting to think of gallery visits as ‘cool’ and ‘enjoyable’, and deserving artists are finally getting platforms to exhibit their art to the public.
Given the rise in popularity of art, you—the reader—might have considered visiting a couple yourself. Here are 5 of our picks of art galleries in Kathmandu Valley that you should visit.
Artudio — Swayambhu
Founded by Kailash K Shrestha, the first Nepali artist to receive the Australian Himalayan Foudnation’s Art Award, Artudio revolves around contemporary art and providing artists and enthusiasts with a platform to indulge in it.
Shrestha’s intentions with Artudio are to enable the practice of visual arts and visual arts education to grow and spread to larger communities of people.
Recently, Artudio collaborated with Man One, a graffiti artist, on the Street Art Project 2022 to forward the graffiti scene in Nepal. Man One, an immigrant artist in the United States, has been making graffiti art for decades and has worked with multinational companies. His personal efforts include making art more accessible to the masses through programs in developing countries. Through the US Embassy in Nepal, Artudio and Nepalese artists could collaborate with Man One to learn and further the graffiti scene in Nepal. The resolution of the collaboration can be seen on the walls of the Min Bhawan in Baneshwor.
Artudio holds residencies for artists, exhibitions, public art projects, and visual education efforts. Additionally, Artudio runs the Pran Community Arts Center, a collaborative art space in Shrestha’s birthplace; Gairimudi, Dolakha.
Sarwanam Art Gallery — Kalika Marg
The Sarwanam Art Gallery, created under the Sarwanam Theater Group along with the Sarwanam Theater, was established on April 26, 2012 by Ashesh Malla, a renowned playwright and theater director.
Sarwanam Art Gallery spans over 30 square meters in Kalika Marg, Kathmandu. The area is used to provide visitors with a unique and interactive experience with the art, the artist, and the creation process.
Visitors can walk in along with the artists and revel in the process together as they come up with their pieces.
Additionally, Sarwanam Art Gallery ensures artists receive personal recognition through sections in the exhibitions about the artist, and sessions where the artists and the audience can be connected—exchanging thoughts and opinions.
Even with its size and status, Sarwanam Art Gallery has had a slow ignition after the pandemic and lockdowns. While the theater group umbrella has been operational, the gallery itself hasn’t been able to run any outstanding exhibitions in recent times. However, as one of the larger galleries in the valley, it is only a matter of time before Sarwanam Art Gallery gets into the flow of it again.
Siddhartha Art Gallery — Babermahal Revisited
Inside Babar Mahal Revisited, the Siddhartha Art Gallery was established by Sangeeta Rana Thapa and Shashikala Tiwari on September 27, 1987. Thapa has served on the board of Patan Museum for 6 years and is a fellow of DeVos Institute of Art Management. Tiwari is an internationally recognized painter from Nepal with a Fine Arts degree from India.
Based in Nepal, the gallery serves to fuse art with international perspectives to provide the Kathmandu community with a global outlook on art. In the years of its existence, the gallery has exhibited artists from 31 different countries from across the globe. In the decades it has been running, over 500 photographic , ceramic, and printmaking exhibitions have been shown. Further, the gallery also conducts lectures.
Artists associated with the Himalayan Light Art Scholarship regularly exhibit their artworks at Siddhartha Art Gallery.
Most recently, Siddhartha Art Gallery exhibited the works of Priyam Pradhan in the “Mind Of The Maker” exhibition and that of Suresh Basnet in “Galpa: Episodes In My Life”.
Basnet’s work could be referred to as a superficial outlook on the nation’s prominent issues through his own paradigms of social norms and biases. The exhibition speaks on socio-political issues of Nepal and aims to illustrate the artist’s perspective on the canvases through an abstract form.
Bikalpa Art Center — Harihar Bhawana
Bikalpa Art Center differs from the rest on the list, being not just a platform for artists to share their creations but where arts & crafts can be sold and artistic events of multiple genres can be run.
Bikalpa Art Center caters not just to local communities but international ones as well. Through the center, efforts are made to exhibit Nepali contemporary art, culture, and lifestyle to the world.
In addition to being a platform to exhibit visual arts, Bikalpa Art Center also functions to provide live music, movie screenings, arts and craft, and talks/presentations as well.
On January 14, Bikalpa Art center hosted their Saturday Art Fest with; an art exhibition, kid’s art station, live music performances, and open mic sessions at the center in Pulchowk, Lalitpur.
Nepal Art Council — Madan Bhandari Road
Nepal Art Council is a non-profit organization established in 1962. In more than half a century it has been operational for, it has served to promote Nepalese artists and their art.
The gallery at the Nepal Art Council spreads over a huge 28,423 Square Feet. With such a large gallery, Nepal Art Council provides artists and visitors with some of the finest spaces and services to exhibit and view art.
Since its establishment, Nepal Art Council has played a significant role in allowing multiple generations of Nepalese artists to emerge and grow into established names in their genre.
Source:
https://kathmandupost.com/arts/2023/01/18/art-galaries-galore
Bishesh Dhaubhadel
Published at : January 18, 2023
Updated at : January 18, 2023 18:24A decade ago, the arts used to be thought of as the last resort for throwaway students with failed academics. Of course, that couldn’t be farther from the truth—Da Vinci, Van Gogh, and a host of other artists of the olden days, and the countless artists of today that make us awe would defend their argument very well.
Today, the studio art scene in Nepal is at its peak with still more to reach for. Art enthusiasts finally have galleries to visit with their coloured hair and Van Gogh wallpapers, the masses are just now starting to think of gallery visits as ‘cool’ and ‘enjoyable’, and deserving artists are finally getting platforms to exhibit their art to the public.
Given the rise in popularity of art, you—the reader—might have considered visiting a couple yourself. Here are 5 of our picks of art galleries in Kathmandu Valley that you should visit.
Artudio — Swayambhu
Founded by Kailash K Shrestha, the first Nepali artist to receive the Australian Himalayan Foudnation’s Art Award, Artudio revolves around contemporary art and providing artists and enthusiasts with a platform to indulge in it.
Shrestha’s intentions with Artudio are to enable the practice of visual arts and visual arts education to grow and spread to larger communities of people.
Recently, Artudio collaborated with Man One, a graffiti artist, on the Street Art Project 2022 to forward the graffiti scene in Nepal. Man One, an immigrant artist in the United States, has been making graffiti art for decades and has worked with multinational companies. His personal efforts include making art more accessible to the masses through programs in developing countries. Through the US Embassy in Nepal, Artudio and Nepalese artists could collaborate with Man One to learn and further the graffiti scene in Nepal. The resolution of the collaboration can be seen on the walls of the Min Bhawan in Baneshwor.
Artudio holds residencies for artists, exhibitions, public art projects, and visual education efforts. Additionally, Artudio runs the Pran Community Arts Center, a collaborative art space in Shrestha’s birthplace; Gairimudi, Dolakha.
Sarwanam Art Gallery — Kalika Marg
The Sarwanam Art Gallery, created under the Sarwanam Theater Group along with the Sarwanam Theater, was established on April 26, 2012 by Ashesh Malla, a renowned playwright and theater director.
Sarwanam Art Gallery spans over 30 square meters in Kalika Marg, Kathmandu. The area is used to provide visitors with a unique and interactive experience with the art, the artist, and the creation process.
Visitors can walk in along with the artists and revel in the process together as they come up with their pieces.
Additionally, Sarwanam Art Gallery ensures artists receive personal recognition through sections in the exhibitions about the artist, and sessions where the artists and the audience can be connected—exchanging thoughts and opinions.
Even with its size and status, Sarwanam Art Gallery has had a slow ignition after the pandemic and lockdowns. While the theater group umbrella has been operational, the gallery itself hasn’t been able to run any outstanding exhibitions in recent times. However, as one of the larger galleries in the valley, it is only a matter of time before Sarwanam Art Gallery gets into the flow of it again.
Siddhartha Art Gallery — Babermahal Revisited
Inside Babar Mahal Revisited, the Siddhartha Art Gallery was established by Sangeeta Rana Thapa and Shashikala Tiwari on September 27, 1987. Thapa has served on the board of Patan Museum for 6 years and is a fellow of DeVos Institute of Art Management. Tiwari is an internationally recognized painter from Nepal with a Fine Arts degree from India.
Based in Nepal, the gallery serves to fuse art with international perspectives to provide the Kathmandu community with a global outlook on art. In the years of its existence, the gallery has exhibited artists from 31 different countries from across the globe. In the decades it has been running, over 500 photographic , ceramic, and printmaking exhibitions have been shown. Further, the gallery also conducts lectures.
Artists associated with the Himalayan Light Art Scholarship regularly exhibit their artworks at Siddhartha Art Gallery.
Most recently, Siddhartha Art Gallery exhibited the works of Priyam Pradhan in the “Mind Of The Maker” exhibition and that of Suresh Basnet in “Galpa: Episodes In My Life”.
Basnet’s work could be referred to as a superficial outlook on the nation’s prominent issues through his own paradigms of social norms and biases. The exhibition speaks on socio-political issues of Nepal and aims to illustrate the artist’s perspective on the canvases through an abstract form.
Bikalpa Art Center — Harihar Bhawana
Bikalpa Art Center differs from the rest on the list, being not just a platform for artists to share their creations but where arts & crafts can be sold and artistic events of multiple genres can be run.
Bikalpa Art Center caters not just to local communities but international ones as well. Through the center, efforts are made to exhibit Nepali contemporary art, culture, and lifestyle to the world.
In addition to being a platform to exhibit visual arts, Bikalpa Art Center also functions to provide live music, movie screenings, arts and craft, and talks/presentations as well.
On January 14, Bikalpa Art center hosted their Saturday Art Fest with; an art exhibition, kid’s art station, live music performances, and open mic sessions at the center in Pulchowk, Lalitpur.
Nepal Art Council — Madan Bhandari Road
Nepal Art Council is a non-profit organization established in 1962. In more than half a century it has been operational for, it has served to promote Nepalese artists and their art.
The gallery at the Nepal Art Council spreads over a huge 28,423 Square Feet. With such a large gallery, Nepal Art Council provides artists and visitors with some of the finest spaces and services to exhibit and view art.
Since its establishment, Nepal Art Council has played a significant role in allowing multiple generations of Nepalese artists to emerge and grow into established names in their genre.
Source:
https://kathmandupost.com/arts/2023/01/18/art-galaries-galore
2079: A year of renewed hopes for artists
By HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE
Published: 12:02 pm Apr 16, 2022
This is a collage of artists Asha Dangol, Rubi Maharjan, Kailash K Shrestha, Priyanka Tulachan and Laxman Shrestha (left to right). Photos: Courtesy Laxman Shrestha / Asha Dongol / Rubi Maharjan / Priyanka TulachanKATHMANDU, April 15
New Year brings new enthusiasm, new visions, and new dreams. With COVID-19 pandemic looking to be under control, our artists are excited about the possibility to exhibit their work that they created in the last year. The New Year 2079 BS is like a new hope in terms of exhibition of their works as they consider the lockdown of the past two years as a period of doing homework to make art.
For Asha Dongol, freelance artist/ cofounder of E-Arts Nepal, the year 2079 BS is the year that he has been awaiting for. "I utilised the lockdown making a series of COVID-19 and many other artworks, but only 50 per cent of those have been exhibited till now through online platforms for many reasons like lockdown, time constraints, and the pandemic itself.
I hope to exhibit my all remaining work either in physical or virtual medium by 2079 BS." He also plans to visit the mountain areas of the country to carry out research work on his ongoing series under his art project of mountain and climate change.
For Rubi Maharjan the New Year 2079 BS is one to advance/ grow in her career. Maharjan, who loves to play with chemicals, metals, soil and arts, said, "My first priority is studies. Later I will focus on fine art in connection with microbiology which I had studied in my Bachelor's. I will relate both science and fine art. I will choose unique subjects so that I can express how science and fine art are interrelated to each other.
People are interested in science and art is a medium to make people aware. So I will focus on how I can make art which can engage people in my art that will convey the message about science in art."
She informed that she will be engaged in group exhibitions which she thinks she needs for growth in the field of art. "I aim to manage to prepare for a solo exhibition by the end of the year. I won't miss the chance to do so. Last year, it was challenging to make my artwork because of the financial and the required material shortage due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
I will focus on how I can engage in my own artwork this year. I will make efforts to create my own identity in the art field. I am hopeful about the New Year in the belief we will not need to work under restrictions caused by the pandemic."
Maharjan said, "As I have some experience having been engaged in Kathmandu Triennale, I hope something will be there for me to grow in my career as a beginner."
Priyanka Tulachan, studio and visual artist, who had been continuing her earlier studio artworks titled 'Aale' through online platform via KU Art Gallery's website, also considers the year 2079 BS as bringing new hope to her and her career.
"My art includes the composition of layers of text and images representing my memories with my grandfather, my clan and my Thakali community.
I will excel in this artwork in 2079 BS visiting my village in Baglung to explore further artistic aspects in my work. I will archive old photos in 2079 BS.
My current artwork includes interviews of community members in my village about their original identity. I will work on their journey, migration in this year. I will include photography art and book making in my artwork. I will also hold physical exhibition."
As per Tulachan, she needs to evaluate which art will suit the exhibition as she will have video, audio, writings, and photography, and previous works in her upcoming collection.
"I have been exhibiting my artwork via online exhibitions.
I plan to exhibit that artwork in the physical mode in 2079 BS. I am thinking of exhibiting them as first phase, second phase of physical exhibition.
I did this artwork focussed on community engagement but it was not in-depth engagement due to the pandemic.
Now I will do an in-depth study of the community and reflect further detailed description for reflection in my art form."
She shared she will focus on how an artist can play with photographs and writings.
Sujan Bir Bajracharya plans to visit Gosain Kunda with his family to get refreshed.
"This trip will be useful for me for an artistic purpose besides refreshment."
Bajracharya said, "I have been working on the theme of popular food culture, traditional food culture, and I want to show how a kind of food politics has been transforming society and culture. I am planning to continue this in the New Year. I will exhibit my artwork through different media. I will participate in all art programmes. Last year was like the graduation year for me. Now I am studying Master's in Fine Art. I think my experience working in the Kathmandu Triennale has empowered me to participate in other exhibitions too."
He elaborated, "I think 2079 BS is the year for growth, of rejuvenation, a year to do research to resume our work, gather everything and explore places for art exhibitions. It's a hope for us to explore more."
Mural artist Laxman Shrestha aims to accomplish his ongoing 101 art movement - a mural art campaign by Shrestha to create an ecofriendly artistic environment at his residence in Baneshwore. "I have been running 101 art movement by myself. I have been doing murals from Bhimsen Khola to Baneshwore, Kathmandu. I have completed around 40 pieces under this. I will complete this 101 movement in 2079 BS. I will also make efforts to make public familiar with my art."
Visual artist and Founder of Artudio Kailash K Shrestha said, "We were working in isolation for two years, but with the pandemic waning we are excited to work well in 2079 BS like we used to before the pandemic."
Sharing that he had missed many things in the last two years, Shrestha said, "I will be more focussed in participating in international exhibitions because we didn't think about participating in the international space earlier. We will scale ourselves up by participating in new engagements like international residences, collaborating with international artists' network, curatorial interventions. I will focus on curatorial engagement, own exhibition forms, and publications."
A version of this article appears in the print on April 16, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
Source:
https://thehimalayantimes.com/lifestyle/2079-a-year-of-renewed-hopes-for-artists
Rivers of the World Journey
- “Rivers of the World was an extra-ordinary project for me. It was challenging, interesting and most of all, a beautiful medium of connecting students with nature and art,” says Kailash K Shrestha, a Nepali Contemporary Artist and a grantee of the British Council’s Rivers of the World project.
How did they work?
“Art means more than painting on a canvas. But most of the teachers and students I worked with in schools knew arts as only paintings,” says Kailash.
“So, I had to start from a scratch. I introduced them to arts and its different forms, explained about our Rivers of the World project and how we are looking to connect students with education and arts through our project,” he adds.
Kailash then let the students research on local rivers in their areas and brainstorm how they can use nature and waste materials to create artworks. He asked students to use their imagination and creativity to bring their ideas to life.
In the initial year, the students utilise their time to understand their local rivers whereas in final year, they connected with students from the UK to learn about the River Kennet.
“The entire process of creating artworks based on themes of rivers was engaging for everyone of us. It not just helped students to enhance their knowledge about rivers or understand the real situation of rivers, but also motivated them to think critically, use their imagination and create something beautiful out of all,” says Kailash.
“As a mentor, I focused on connecting students with nature and education through an art.”
What was the outcome?
By the end of the Rivers of the World project, the students produced a total of 12 art pieces in two years. The students not only gained the firsthand experience of creating artworks out of locally available resources but learned to collaborate, research, integrate arts and other subjects together and talk about their work confidently.
Even school teachers who never thought of art as an educational subject showed their interest and wanted to connect it with other subjects.
“The Rivers of World project has helped us to change the perception of school teachers and students towards arts. Impressed by our work, some of the school Head Teachers have requested me to continue this art activities in their schools,” says Kailash.
“Though we have competed the project, I am still continuing to teach and engage students in artworks in schools. I am currently leading this work in two of the schools in Hetauda and Kirtipur, and look ahead to use my knowledge, skills and expertise to communicate the real value of arts and integrate it with education,” he adds.
Kailash K Shrestha is a contemporary visual artist based in Kathmandu. He is the initiator of Artudio, a center for visual art and is the first initiator of street art project in Kathmandu and around Nepal through Artudio. Kailash led the British Council's Rivers of the World Project in 2017 and 2018.
Source:
https://www.britishcouncil.org.np/rivers-world-journey
Kailash K Shrestha's big dreams for Dolakha
30 Jun 201
By Alok Thapa
Published:
30 Jun 2017
Duration:
7 min read
Words:
1895 words
Segment:
Featured
Kailash K Shrestha, founder of Artudio—a centre for visual arts—is a multifaceted artist who employs a variety of visual languages to create narratives that are both personal and relatableKailash K Shrestha is a multifaceted artist whose work employs a variety
of visual languages to create narratives that are both personal and relatable. He is the first recipient of the Young Artist Award in 2009, from The Australian Himalayan Foundation, and his works push past the margins of established artistic genres and expression. Shrestha (who has taken part in several international group exhibitions, curated shows and become a university lecturer) is also the founder of Artudio--an unpretentious centre for visual art where artists come together and share knowledge.
Currently, Shrestha is on a mission to establish a community art centre in his birthplace, Dolakha, to help people recover from the post-earthquake trauma through art. In this interview with Alok Thapa of VMAG, Shrestha talks about how he believes that art can function as a catalyst for individual healing and for transmitting joy.
What is art for you?
Art in its simplest explanation is the exploration of an individual's experiences and ideas. It's a way of communicating one's emotions that can't be faithfully portrayed by words alone. I feel the intent of a majority of artists is always to instigate some kind of change. The right idea--if carefully executed and followed by action--can spark resistance, sway elections and even bring down governments. Art is power.
Tell us a little bit about your background, and what made you want to become an artist.
I come from the little village of Gairimudi, in Dolakha. I was a student in the government school my father taught at, which meant I always had to be proper and well behaved in school. However, I was quite an inquisitive child who was always up for new experiences. I loved listening to the radio, singing, experimenting and scribbling on walls. But my dad always told me to concentrate on my studies, for I had to be a doctor or an engineer--in accordance with society's standards. Growing up, I don't remember having too many friends or exploring the village. Things changed when I met my friend Khem Bikram Tamang in class four. He was good at sketching, whereas I was interested in calligraphy. We used to collaborate, and I feel that was the genesis of my interest in art.
You wanted to be a calligrapher?
In calligraphy, it's all about the movement and rhythm. And I enjoyed watching the process of how something so perfect was made from start to finish with one masterful stroke of a brush. Once I saw my teacher making seat plans using a brush, and I just stood there transfixed. I wanted to write exactly like him. Of course, I didn't have the proper tools so I tried to make a brush of my own by cutting the hair of a buffalo's tail. It didn't work. But I kept on experimenting with other things and soon found that the tip of corn silk made for a functional rudimentary brush. With the crude brush and red mud as my colour, I would write on the walls. I would scrape off soot from cooking pots to make ink to practise my calligraphy. When I would go to Charikot Bazaar to sell oranges, I would go to the banner shops and watch the painters write.
It looks like, initially, you wanted be a banner maker as opposed to being an artist.
When I was a child, I didn't have any idea about what being an artist meant. The only thing I did know was that I wanted to be the best banner maker in my village. I would spend hours looking at community boards in jungles, marvelling at the handwritten fonts. After passing high school, I came to live with my brother in Kathmandu. I wanted to study at the Lalit Kala Campus of Fine Arts, but my family was adamant that I study business in Public Youth Campus. I sat for the entrance exams in both the colleges, and I ended up failing in Lalit Kala because I wasn't good at drawing. So for the next two years, I spent my time trying to grapple with the world of commerce, which clearly didn't interest me. In the mornings, though, I would spend my time at Lalit Kala. After I failed the board exams, my brother understood that I would not do well in a subject that didn't interest me, so I was reluctantly allowed to explore my interest in art. I failed the entrance exam a second time (my aptitude in drawing and painting was null) and got in with the help of a union.
How was your journey into the art world?
You see, it all comes down to one simple thing: how badly do you want it? I gave everything I had to polish my drawing skills. I started going to art exhibitions and various galleries in Thamel, where I was exposed to landscape and portrait art. All this opened my eyes to the endless possibilities that lay in the stroke of my brush. After I completed my intermediate levels, I wanted to get into the Kathmandu University School of Arts for my bachelors degree, but my elder brother couldn't afford to help me as he was already struggling to educate my younger siblings here in Kathmandu. The little money I had saved up paid for my college registration fee. But from then on, I started to face bigger struggles.
What were the struggles you faced in your student life?
Being an art student is expensive. When I started painting, I couldn't afford canvases and frames, and so I used old newspapers and cardboard boxes. However, I always focused on my drive to learn as much as I could about art. You see, once you control your subconscious mind, you then become the master of your thoughts and not the slave of your condition. Just as every brushstroke reveals the intent of an artist, with each stroke reflecting a decision--I chose to be an artist who went with his inspiration's flow. It was this belief that helped me come up with my first solo exhibition for my graduation. And all my paintings sold out. The sale not only reimbursed my three years of college fee, but also helped change my parents' perception towards the arts. That to me was my biggest achievement. After that, life has been full of personal milestones: I have had the pleasure of taking part in many international exhibitions, residencies and festivals. I was also the recipient of the prestigious Australian Himalayan Foundation Art Award scholarship in 2009. I have achieved more than I expected, but there's so much left to achieve, there's so much that has not been done. I feel we are always learning, every moment of our lives; during all circumstances, something is being added to the pile of our previous achievements.
Is that what Artudio stands for--a learning process?
At Artudio, we are not trying to teach anyone anything. We are all just sharing what we know collectively and increasing the breadth of our knowledge. Apart from that, Artudio is also my personal space where I work and spend most of my time. I wanted to create a hub for visual art, an unpretentious space for artists to come together and share.
You are also known as the initiator of street art in Kathmandu, what got you into this?
Street art speaks on behalf of everyone. Let's face it, the average member of the public is intimidated by art galleries, and what street art does is make art accessible to the public. I feel that when art goes public, it wields the power to challenge the status quo. Art in its various forms--music, poetry, works of visual representation--are vital in creating and communicating a collective narrative. It helps articulate who we are, where we come from, what we stand for and what we are against. That's why art has always been the text of political protest, and serves as a link between the past, present and future.
What inspired you to start the Art Centre in Gairimudi, Dolakha?
After the 2015 earthquakes, I started regarding art as a medium that could help people heal from the disaster. While art may not seem like the obvious need after a natural disaster, it can, for example, be crucial to a child's rehabilitation, especially if they use it to express their trauma. When I went to Dolakha, which was completely destroyed after the earthquake, I realised that the kids not only found solace through their creative endeavours, but also eagerly looked forward to every session. The initiative became such a hit that we had to conduct three sessions a day to accommodate toddlers, teenagers and even adults. It's been two years and the Art Centre is still running on weekends. My dream is to create in my birthplace a proper art centre where art is accessible to everyone.
What inspires you?
The challenge of taking a simple or mundane idea and seeing it evolve into something with significance is what keeps me inspired to do what I do every day. To be an artist is an amazing privilege, but with that privilege comes a lot of responsibility. To exist as an artist, you need to be a part of the prevailing discourse--to get involved in the world and in its discussions. This is what motivates me to create art, and share it with the public--to see their response.
Source:
http://mnsvmag.com/news/2017-06-30/art-is-power.html
By Alok Thapa
Published:
30 Jun 2017
Duration:
7 min read
Words:
1895 words
Segment:
Featured
Kailash K Shrestha, founder of Artudio—a centre for visual arts—is a multifaceted artist who employs a variety of visual languages to create narratives that are both personal and relatableKailash K Shrestha is a multifaceted artist whose work employs a variety
of visual languages to create narratives that are both personal and relatable. He is the first recipient of the Young Artist Award in 2009, from The Australian Himalayan Foundation, and his works push past the margins of established artistic genres and expression. Shrestha (who has taken part in several international group exhibitions, curated shows and become a university lecturer) is also the founder of Artudio--an unpretentious centre for visual art where artists come together and share knowledge.
Currently, Shrestha is on a mission to establish a community art centre in his birthplace, Dolakha, to help people recover from the post-earthquake trauma through art. In this interview with Alok Thapa of VMAG, Shrestha talks about how he believes that art can function as a catalyst for individual healing and for transmitting joy.
What is art for you?
Art in its simplest explanation is the exploration of an individual's experiences and ideas. It's a way of communicating one's emotions that can't be faithfully portrayed by words alone. I feel the intent of a majority of artists is always to instigate some kind of change. The right idea--if carefully executed and followed by action--can spark resistance, sway elections and even bring down governments. Art is power.
Tell us a little bit about your background, and what made you want to become an artist.
I come from the little village of Gairimudi, in Dolakha. I was a student in the government school my father taught at, which meant I always had to be proper and well behaved in school. However, I was quite an inquisitive child who was always up for new experiences. I loved listening to the radio, singing, experimenting and scribbling on walls. But my dad always told me to concentrate on my studies, for I had to be a doctor or an engineer--in accordance with society's standards. Growing up, I don't remember having too many friends or exploring the village. Things changed when I met my friend Khem Bikram Tamang in class four. He was good at sketching, whereas I was interested in calligraphy. We used to collaborate, and I feel that was the genesis of my interest in art.
You wanted to be a calligrapher?
In calligraphy, it's all about the movement and rhythm. And I enjoyed watching the process of how something so perfect was made from start to finish with one masterful stroke of a brush. Once I saw my teacher making seat plans using a brush, and I just stood there transfixed. I wanted to write exactly like him. Of course, I didn't have the proper tools so I tried to make a brush of my own by cutting the hair of a buffalo's tail. It didn't work. But I kept on experimenting with other things and soon found that the tip of corn silk made for a functional rudimentary brush. With the crude brush and red mud as my colour, I would write on the walls. I would scrape off soot from cooking pots to make ink to practise my calligraphy. When I would go to Charikot Bazaar to sell oranges, I would go to the banner shops and watch the painters write.
It looks like, initially, you wanted be a banner maker as opposed to being an artist.
When I was a child, I didn't have any idea about what being an artist meant. The only thing I did know was that I wanted to be the best banner maker in my village. I would spend hours looking at community boards in jungles, marvelling at the handwritten fonts. After passing high school, I came to live with my brother in Kathmandu. I wanted to study at the Lalit Kala Campus of Fine Arts, but my family was adamant that I study business in Public Youth Campus. I sat for the entrance exams in both the colleges, and I ended up failing in Lalit Kala because I wasn't good at drawing. So for the next two years, I spent my time trying to grapple with the world of commerce, which clearly didn't interest me. In the mornings, though, I would spend my time at Lalit Kala. After I failed the board exams, my brother understood that I would not do well in a subject that didn't interest me, so I was reluctantly allowed to explore my interest in art. I failed the entrance exam a second time (my aptitude in drawing and painting was null) and got in with the help of a union.
How was your journey into the art world?
You see, it all comes down to one simple thing: how badly do you want it? I gave everything I had to polish my drawing skills. I started going to art exhibitions and various galleries in Thamel, where I was exposed to landscape and portrait art. All this opened my eyes to the endless possibilities that lay in the stroke of my brush. After I completed my intermediate levels, I wanted to get into the Kathmandu University School of Arts for my bachelors degree, but my elder brother couldn't afford to help me as he was already struggling to educate my younger siblings here in Kathmandu. The little money I had saved up paid for my college registration fee. But from then on, I started to face bigger struggles.
What were the struggles you faced in your student life?
Being an art student is expensive. When I started painting, I couldn't afford canvases and frames, and so I used old newspapers and cardboard boxes. However, I always focused on my drive to learn as much as I could about art. You see, once you control your subconscious mind, you then become the master of your thoughts and not the slave of your condition. Just as every brushstroke reveals the intent of an artist, with each stroke reflecting a decision--I chose to be an artist who went with his inspiration's flow. It was this belief that helped me come up with my first solo exhibition for my graduation. And all my paintings sold out. The sale not only reimbursed my three years of college fee, but also helped change my parents' perception towards the arts. That to me was my biggest achievement. After that, life has been full of personal milestones: I have had the pleasure of taking part in many international exhibitions, residencies and festivals. I was also the recipient of the prestigious Australian Himalayan Foundation Art Award scholarship in 2009. I have achieved more than I expected, but there's so much left to achieve, there's so much that has not been done. I feel we are always learning, every moment of our lives; during all circumstances, something is being added to the pile of our previous achievements.
Is that what Artudio stands for--a learning process?
At Artudio, we are not trying to teach anyone anything. We are all just sharing what we know collectively and increasing the breadth of our knowledge. Apart from that, Artudio is also my personal space where I work and spend most of my time. I wanted to create a hub for visual art, an unpretentious space for artists to come together and share.
You are also known as the initiator of street art in Kathmandu, what got you into this?
Street art speaks on behalf of everyone. Let's face it, the average member of the public is intimidated by art galleries, and what street art does is make art accessible to the public. I feel that when art goes public, it wields the power to challenge the status quo. Art in its various forms--music, poetry, works of visual representation--are vital in creating and communicating a collective narrative. It helps articulate who we are, where we come from, what we stand for and what we are against. That's why art has always been the text of political protest, and serves as a link between the past, present and future.
What inspired you to start the Art Centre in Gairimudi, Dolakha?
After the 2015 earthquakes, I started regarding art as a medium that could help people heal from the disaster. While art may not seem like the obvious need after a natural disaster, it can, for example, be crucial to a child's rehabilitation, especially if they use it to express their trauma. When I went to Dolakha, which was completely destroyed after the earthquake, I realised that the kids not only found solace through their creative endeavours, but also eagerly looked forward to every session. The initiative became such a hit that we had to conduct three sessions a day to accommodate toddlers, teenagers and even adults. It's been two years and the Art Centre is still running on weekends. My dream is to create in my birthplace a proper art centre where art is accessible to everyone.
What inspires you?
The challenge of taking a simple or mundane idea and seeing it evolve into something with significance is what keeps me inspired to do what I do every day. To be an artist is an amazing privilege, but with that privilege comes a lot of responsibility. To exist as an artist, you need to be a part of the prevailing discourse--to get involved in the world and in its discussions. This is what motivates me to create art, and share it with the public--to see their response.
Source:
http://mnsvmag.com/news/2017-06-30/art-is-power.html
Sparking new life into public places
Anisha Khadka
2020/02/142 mins read
A native of Dolakha who has been living in Kathmandu for a long time, Shrestha was always confused about his identity. After the 2015 earthquake, he went back to his hometown to discover himself.
If you have been to Durbarmarg, Keshar Mahal, Thapathali or Maitidevi areas in Kathmandu, you may have seen electric poles covered in weaved bamboos resembling our traditional dokos (baskets). This may seem unusual. But says artist Kailash K Shrestha, the project “I’m You” was started with the goal of making our public spaces more interesting and intriguing. In this, he works in collaboration with artisans Chhabi Bahadur Shrestha, Narayan Shrestha and Ganga Bahadur Shrestha.
A native of Dolakha who has been living in Kathmandu for a long time, Shrestha was always confused about his identity. After the 2015 earthquake, he went back to his hometown to discover himself. He recalled carrying doko back in his village and was always mesmerized by its weaving patterns. He says, “Our identity is like doko’s, slowly disappearing in the mist of modernism. I started this project to revive our old traditions and help people recover from the post-quake trauma.”
In our day to day life, seldom do we stop and look around us to see what’s new. The public space no longer seems so public. Shrestha wants people to start noticing things around them again, and using art to bring these public spaces back to life. “People have the misconception that art is limited to drawings, paintings, and sculptures. But this is a false impression,” he says. “Art can be created from anything and everything. From the clothes we wear to the way food is served.”
Shrestha plans is to initiate street art projects all over Nepal, using the medium to reach out to the communities and give them important socio-political messages. “Art has taught me to live a gratifying life, face challenges, and to endlessly experiment,” he says.
Though the artist runs the project single-handedly, he believes he could produce ‘national assets’ even with a little government help.
Source:
https://theannapurnaexpress.com/news/sparking-new-life-into-public-places-2240
2020/02/142 mins read
A native of Dolakha who has been living in Kathmandu for a long time, Shrestha was always confused about his identity. After the 2015 earthquake, he went back to his hometown to discover himself.
If you have been to Durbarmarg, Keshar Mahal, Thapathali or Maitidevi areas in Kathmandu, you may have seen electric poles covered in weaved bamboos resembling our traditional dokos (baskets). This may seem unusual. But says artist Kailash K Shrestha, the project “I’m You” was started with the goal of making our public spaces more interesting and intriguing. In this, he works in collaboration with artisans Chhabi Bahadur Shrestha, Narayan Shrestha and Ganga Bahadur Shrestha.
A native of Dolakha who has been living in Kathmandu for a long time, Shrestha was always confused about his identity. After the 2015 earthquake, he went back to his hometown to discover himself. He recalled carrying doko back in his village and was always mesmerized by its weaving patterns. He says, “Our identity is like doko’s, slowly disappearing in the mist of modernism. I started this project to revive our old traditions and help people recover from the post-quake trauma.”
In our day to day life, seldom do we stop and look around us to see what’s new. The public space no longer seems so public. Shrestha wants people to start noticing things around them again, and using art to bring these public spaces back to life. “People have the misconception that art is limited to drawings, paintings, and sculptures. But this is a false impression,” he says. “Art can be created from anything and everything. From the clothes we wear to the way food is served.”
Shrestha plans is to initiate street art projects all over Nepal, using the medium to reach out to the communities and give them important socio-political messages. “Art has taught me to live a gratifying life, face challenges, and to endlessly experiment,” he says.
Though the artist runs the project single-handedly, he believes he could produce ‘national assets’ even with a little government help.
Source:
https://theannapurnaexpress.com/news/sparking-new-life-into-public-places-2240
The wheel of time and thought
06 March 2022
Krishna Bhakta Dangol, "What makes us fight", Acrylic on terracotta. All Photos: MONIKA DEUPALA.There is a widely circulated image of King Gyanendra taken at his post-royal massacre coronation in 2001. The golden throne is visibly aged, chipping at the base. Gyanendra is sombre as he looks ahead under the crown, his hands clasped, his left leg resting upon the red velvet hassock.
Perhaps it is to do with the camera or the weather, but the image looks cooler, taken during a pre-monsoon rain.
A rendition of the same image looms large in the gallery at Yala Maya Kendra in Patan, where an exhibition of traditional and contemporary art titled Kholo 25 is underway.
Kailash K Shrestha, "Occurrence before Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal", Acrylic on canvas.But this one is a starkly different image. To begin with, it is not a photograph. Artist Kailash K Shrestha’s enormous acrylic on canvas shows a king sitting on the coronation throne, but sans face, sans hands.
The famous crown of the Shah kings of Nepal hangs in the air, heavy, unsure. Who will grab it next?
The painting is also aptly titled Occurrence before Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal – words that once were so full of promise, now reduced to being the punchline of a disillusioned joke, a mere vanishing act.
The painting invites a more abstract reading. A viewer’s eyes shift from one point to another as there is no face and no immediately recognisable human trait.
Faces and names have been pared off to reveal an institution of glittering crowns and thrones – a statement on the nature of power and the meaning of monarchy itself.
Curated by Ujen Norbu Gurung, Kholo 25 brings 22 artists working in Nepal to address the shifting tides, perception and faith in Nepali society and politics.
The exhibition is named after the Mani-kholo, prayer wheels in Buddhist shrines, to symbolise cycles of time, thought, experience and growth, and to expand the dictionary of creativity and expression.
A collateral event with the ongoing Kathmandu Triennale 2077, the exhibition showcases 14 young and rising Nepali artists alongside eight established and senior ones, also highlighting the significance of helping launch younger artists in the current climate of Nepali art.
Kishor Jyoti, "Shifting cages" (left) and detail of "Clash of the class" (right), Acrylic on canvas.Kishor Jyoti’s Clash of the class is a semi-mythical painting that looks like a panel from the Mahabharat, if not for the leopard-headed naked torso attached to another robotic body.
It is a fitting companion to Kailash Shrestha’s work, showing the battle between the elite and the working-class, as the middle-class tries to referee, or even join in.
An andromorphic jackal (wolf?) snarls from a golden chariot, brandishing a whip over its head. There is a dog in the middle, also barking at the leopard. It is a ferocious work, loud and violent. One can almost hear the growling tension and the thundering sky behind.
Moreover, on the opposite wall is the true horror: a real clash of arms and ideologies, suffered by the Nepali people whose loss and grief continues to be unaccounted for.
Photographs from the 2007 book A People War curated by Kunda Dixit taken during the Maoist insurgency show people hugging the bodies of their dead husbands, children hurt, a woman washing blood off the front of her shop, several men carrying moving the dead remains.
Visitors before the photographs taken during the war.“Most discourse on the war is only in terms of the numbers,” says curator Gurung, who compares the different political establishments in Nepal to shifting cages (a subject of Kishor Jyoti’s another painting in the exhibition).
“But the meaning behind those numbers is being forgotten, erased. What was the price the people were really made to pay?”
All this reminds us of the violent reality of the world outside — Ukraine, Yemen, Syria and the never-ending brutality in world history.
Installation by Ashim Shakya.The politics of being is central here here. From the meditations of memory – Teesha Shrestha’s mixed-media works depicting the deities and Newa heritage (in gold) being swallowed by the dark clouds of ash and thoughtless urbanisation – to masked shapes, faces, ideals and cages, the art is linked by the questions of body, of freedom, history, and individual and collective responsibilities.
Above on the first floor, however, the atmosphere is the exact opposite. Following the traditional paubha paintings above of deities on various kholo around the room call for introspection and compassion.
Paubha paintings arranged in kholo.The two floors are not so separate as may seem at first glance. Both the harsher reality downstairs and the calmer, philosophic upstairs encourage the viewer to ask: what is धर्म (Dharma)?
“Despair is so commonplace now,” says Gurung, “that we don’t even think about it anymore. There is a disconnection with our Dharma, and we are not even compassionate to our own family members.”
As one stands before Saru Prajapati’s Padmapani Lokeshvara or Rabi Shrestha’s Avalokitesvara, under the warm, lulling lighting, there indeed arrives a deep sense of love and awe.
Pratham Raj Bajracharya, "Buddha and Rahula", Wood carving. Inspiration crosses all borders as in the case of this sculpture which shows hints of Greco-roman influence.
Krishna Bhakta Dangol, "The Great Wave at Khokana" (left) and "Bagh Chal" (right), Oil on canvas.Reality is often overwhelming and disturbing, and we look for a recourse to help us heal and deal with it. Religion, gods, philosophy is one way: perhaps, art is another.
Gurung recalls an artist friend of his jokingly asking him once: “When shall we pick rocks and take to the streets?”
He believes that we are all contributing one way or another, whether subtly from our homes or on the road tackling expired tear-gas shells.
“As artists,” he says, “our craft, their voice and expression are just as loud and forceful as sticks and stones.”
Kholo 25
32 Cycles of Life
Dhokaima Café, Yala Maya Kendra, Patan
Contemporary section: Till 15 March 2022
Traditional section: Till 29 March 2022
Closed on Mondays
Source:
https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/the-wheel-of-time-and-thought
Krishna Bhakta Dangol, "What makes us fight", Acrylic on terracotta. All Photos: MONIKA DEUPALA.There is a widely circulated image of King Gyanendra taken at his post-royal massacre coronation in 2001. The golden throne is visibly aged, chipping at the base. Gyanendra is sombre as he looks ahead under the crown, his hands clasped, his left leg resting upon the red velvet hassock.
Perhaps it is to do with the camera or the weather, but the image looks cooler, taken during a pre-monsoon rain.
A rendition of the same image looms large in the gallery at Yala Maya Kendra in Patan, where an exhibition of traditional and contemporary art titled Kholo 25 is underway.
Kailash K Shrestha, "Occurrence before Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal", Acrylic on canvas.But this one is a starkly different image. To begin with, it is not a photograph. Artist Kailash K Shrestha’s enormous acrylic on canvas shows a king sitting on the coronation throne, but sans face, sans hands.
The famous crown of the Shah kings of Nepal hangs in the air, heavy, unsure. Who will grab it next?
The painting is also aptly titled Occurrence before Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal – words that once were so full of promise, now reduced to being the punchline of a disillusioned joke, a mere vanishing act.
The painting invites a more abstract reading. A viewer’s eyes shift from one point to another as there is no face and no immediately recognisable human trait.
Faces and names have been pared off to reveal an institution of glittering crowns and thrones – a statement on the nature of power and the meaning of monarchy itself.
Curated by Ujen Norbu Gurung, Kholo 25 brings 22 artists working in Nepal to address the shifting tides, perception and faith in Nepali society and politics.
The exhibition is named after the Mani-kholo, prayer wheels in Buddhist shrines, to symbolise cycles of time, thought, experience and growth, and to expand the dictionary of creativity and expression.
A collateral event with the ongoing Kathmandu Triennale 2077, the exhibition showcases 14 young and rising Nepali artists alongside eight established and senior ones, also highlighting the significance of helping launch younger artists in the current climate of Nepali art.
Kishor Jyoti, "Shifting cages" (left) and detail of "Clash of the class" (right), Acrylic on canvas.Kishor Jyoti’s Clash of the class is a semi-mythical painting that looks like a panel from the Mahabharat, if not for the leopard-headed naked torso attached to another robotic body.
It is a fitting companion to Kailash Shrestha’s work, showing the battle between the elite and the working-class, as the middle-class tries to referee, or even join in.
An andromorphic jackal (wolf?) snarls from a golden chariot, brandishing a whip over its head. There is a dog in the middle, also barking at the leopard. It is a ferocious work, loud and violent. One can almost hear the growling tension and the thundering sky behind.
Moreover, on the opposite wall is the true horror: a real clash of arms and ideologies, suffered by the Nepali people whose loss and grief continues to be unaccounted for.
Photographs from the 2007 book A People War curated by Kunda Dixit taken during the Maoist insurgency show people hugging the bodies of their dead husbands, children hurt, a woman washing blood off the front of her shop, several men carrying moving the dead remains.
Visitors before the photographs taken during the war.“Most discourse on the war is only in terms of the numbers,” says curator Gurung, who compares the different political establishments in Nepal to shifting cages (a subject of Kishor Jyoti’s another painting in the exhibition).
“But the meaning behind those numbers is being forgotten, erased. What was the price the people were really made to pay?”
All this reminds us of the violent reality of the world outside — Ukraine, Yemen, Syria and the never-ending brutality in world history.
Installation by Ashim Shakya.The politics of being is central here here. From the meditations of memory – Teesha Shrestha’s mixed-media works depicting the deities and Newa heritage (in gold) being swallowed by the dark clouds of ash and thoughtless urbanisation – to masked shapes, faces, ideals and cages, the art is linked by the questions of body, of freedom, history, and individual and collective responsibilities.
Above on the first floor, however, the atmosphere is the exact opposite. Following the traditional paubha paintings above of deities on various kholo around the room call for introspection and compassion.
Paubha paintings arranged in kholo.The two floors are not so separate as may seem at first glance. Both the harsher reality downstairs and the calmer, philosophic upstairs encourage the viewer to ask: what is धर्म (Dharma)?
“Despair is so commonplace now,” says Gurung, “that we don’t even think about it anymore. There is a disconnection with our Dharma, and we are not even compassionate to our own family members.”
As one stands before Saru Prajapati’s Padmapani Lokeshvara or Rabi Shrestha’s Avalokitesvara, under the warm, lulling lighting, there indeed arrives a deep sense of love and awe.
Pratham Raj Bajracharya, "Buddha and Rahula", Wood carving. Inspiration crosses all borders as in the case of this sculpture which shows hints of Greco-roman influence.
Krishna Bhakta Dangol, "The Great Wave at Khokana" (left) and "Bagh Chal" (right), Oil on canvas.Reality is often overwhelming and disturbing, and we look for a recourse to help us heal and deal with it. Religion, gods, philosophy is one way: perhaps, art is another.
Gurung recalls an artist friend of his jokingly asking him once: “When shall we pick rocks and take to the streets?”
He believes that we are all contributing one way or another, whether subtly from our homes or on the road tackling expired tear-gas shells.
“As artists,” he says, “our craft, their voice and expression are just as loud and forceful as sticks and stones.”
Kholo 25
32 Cycles of Life
Dhokaima Café, Yala Maya Kendra, Patan
Contemporary section: Till 15 March 2022
Traditional section: Till 29 March 2022
Closed on Mondays
Source:
https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/the-wheel-of-time-and-thought