Nepali zero waste art in Zurich

East meets west, traditional meets modern at a gallery in Zurich, where two Nepali artists are exhibiting their art using digital frames cycling multiple works in a single slideshow.

Kailash K Shrestha and Krisha Tamrakar, the founders of Artudio in Kathmandu are presenting In Between the Unseen at HeLai Art Gallery in this Swiss city using digital frames by AELIG to present their work as dynamic digital papers, cycling multiple works in a single slideshow.

Powered by batteries, the frames make exhibitions more sustainable and adaptable to smaller spaces. The digital frames bring art into the real world, verifying the authenticity of the work through non-fungible tokens (NFT) and displaying them simulating natural light.

Tamrakar’s Between Colors and Spaces was previously featured in Nepali Times, and traces the delicate interplay of memory and transformation. Through layered imagery and nuanced use of vibrant colours, she meditates on the quiet tension between tradition and consumerism. The brass utensil shops of her community in Patan, once central to local life, have been replaced by rows of clothing and shoe stores.

Similarly, Shrestha’s Phantasmal Series nestles on the boundary between illusion and reality. Drawing on glitch-inspired repetition, he distorts familiar sociopolitical imagery — speaking to the instability of memory and the disorientations of the present in Nepal with its ever-changing but recurring faces. The personal is political through his art.

The exhibition transforms Shrestha and Tamrakar’s works into spaces of encounter, where what is hidden, erased, or displaced becomes momentarily tangible. Together, their works probe what lies in between and in the unseen threads of daily existence.

Using digital frames allows them to facilitate circulation and sales, including transfers for NFT collectors. This can be useful in expanding the reach and longevity of Nepal’s contemporary art.

“Nepal’s art scene is often misunderstood,” Shrestha told us on a call from Zurich. “Many still assume that we only have traditional art. Our collectors and the international art community are frequently surprised by the vibrancy of contemporary Nepali practices.”

These young Nepali artists serve as Nepal’s cultural ambassadors to the world, and use international collaborations through residencies, curatorial projects, intellectual exchanges to network.

“Nepal is an ideal landscape for contemporary art interventions. Compared to other South Asian countries, there are unique opportunities here,” adds Shrestha. “Geopolitical contexts and cultural history provide artists with freedom and space to explore. There is immense potential for art to thrive.”

Yet, both artists feel Nepal needs to nurture a supportive environment for artists.

“Celebrating and documenting art, music, film, and literature, and creating feasible working conditions needs conducive policies. The government should invest in the talent that already exists.”

Digital innovation is also transforming the field. The artists have noticed how digital certification, NFTs, and tracking databases are the next frontier in art, and these mediums are needed for contemporary Nepali artists to expand reach and visibility globally.

Back home, at Artudio Center for Contemporary Visual Arts, the duo is constantly uncovering overlooked narratives and promoting sustainable art. It is now a dynamic hub for Nepal’s contemporary art, pioneering transformative practices, experimental exhibitions, residencies, and educational programs to create a vibrant, interconnected art community.

The artists are giving a special talk at the gallery, sharing insights on the stories behind their works, the evolving Himalayan contemporary art scene, and their ongoing projects in Nepal.

HeLai Art Gallery, Zurich, Switzerland

Till September 19, 2025

Curated by Miao He

Presented by Swiss Nepal Chamber of Commerce (SNCC) and HeLai Art Gallery