This year’s Miami Art Week brought high-profile openings and exhibitions with some exciting exhibitions and installations from South Asia and Nepal. The event was a dynamic mix of galleries, immersive installations and schedule packed with must-see art fairs, pop-ups, and cultural events with Art Basel taking centre stage.&nbsp; This was the 22nd edition of Art Basel and brought in 286 galleries from 38 countries, the largest contemporary art event in US with 75,000 visitors, collectors and art lovers.&nbsp; The Art Week has the NADA fair featuring the work of Nepali ceramic artist Shushank Shrestha, who had a whole booth by the French Gallery, Galerie Lefebvre &amp; Fils. Louis Lefebvre, director of the gallery had reached out to Shrestha last year after seeing photos of his graduating show in New York. &nbsp; A whole booth for a single artist is an honour, and it showcased Shrestha’s 14 brightly coloured ceramic figures that playfully explore mythical characters from Nepali culture and blends it with the artist’s fascination for super-heroes. The figures evoke a touch of humour, childhood memories of fun and family moments.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024122508128_49675d8240747eaa76403605db7a0b6767952b0198ab565f65026e3dc9ec9870.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2024122508128_49675d8240747eaa76403605db7a0b6767952b0198ab565f65026e3dc9ec9870" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Nepali artist at Miami Art Week NT"> </figure>  Shrestha’s mastery in the techniques of ceramic making can be observed from the glazed gigantic, free-standing multi-coloured Garuda with extended wings that take centre stage. It has minute details providing an emotional connection to viewers familiar with Nepali culture.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/amalgamation-of-nepali-art">Amalgamation of Nepali art</a> The exhibition drew much attention from visitors, with many marveling at its attractive presentation and the artist’s ability to maneuver the flexible medium into imaginative characters through the coiling technique.&nbsp; The challenge of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/take-to-pottery-during-the-pandemic">ceramic making</a> is that the process from the start to the finish is delicate, the clay itself being sensitive to moisture when moulding and to heat when firing.&nbsp; Shrestha’s booth is a powerful reminder that <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/nepali-art-going-places">Nepali artists have entered the world stage</a> following the footsteps of Lain Singh Bangdel, Siddhimuni Shakya, Lok Chitrakar, Mukti Singh Thapa, Udaya Charan Shrestha, Ang Tsherin Sherpa, Hitman Gurung, Koshal Hamal, Sneha Shrestha, and others.&nbsp; Shushank Shrestha is a Kathmandu-based artist and a graduate of New York State College of Ceramics at Alfred University. He received his BFA from Kathmandu University School of Arts in 2016, and his work has been exhibited in Nepal, Pakistan, China, France, and the United States.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024122508128_ebfae6a66c43872b968e76df82ca8189b93ca28a5ffe17e5c93ae295953b4ba4.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="2024122508128_ebfae6a66c43872b968e76df82ca8189b93ca28a5ffe17e5c93ae295953b4ba4" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Nepali artist at Miami Art Week NT"> </figure>  Galerie Lefebvre &amp; Fils was founded by Henri Lefebvre in 1880 with an eclectic collection and has a legacy of exchanges with museum curators and ties with private collectors. In 2009, the gallery started to focus on contemporary ceramics, highlighting the renewing nature of the medium and its relevance to society.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/nepal-art-now-in-vienna">Nepal Art Now in Vienna</a> Another highlight of the art week was the Great Elephant Migration from India. The installation on Miami’s South Beach featured a hundred life size elephants from the <a href="https://www.unesco.org/en/mab/nilgiri">Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve</a> in South India. The individual elephants were all hand crafted by <a href="https://www.therealelephant.com/coexsistence-collective">Coexistence Collective</a>, a group of 200 local indigenous artisans and designed by <a href="https://www.shubhranayar.com/">Shubhra Nayar</a>.&nbsp; The elephants are made from an invasive weed that crowds out other native species and reduces biodiversity threatening to overtake the natural habitat of Indian elephants. The project also provides sustainable income for the local community through 20 villages with workshops that make the elephants.&nbsp; Ashish Kapoor, a London-based Indian artist, sucks viewers into a vertiginous concavity that confound our perception. &nbsp;Wangechi Mutu, a Kenyan American multi-disciplinary artist presents culturally specific and transnational presentations of contemporary realities, while offering new models for a radically changed future informed by feminism, Afrofuturism, and interspecies symbiosis.&nbsp; Swosti Rajbhandari Kayastha is curator at the Nepal Art Council.&nbsp;

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Nepali artist at Miami Art Week

When Tsherin Sherpa was growing up, his grandmother told him tales about spirits that were attached to mountains and rivers. That bond with the spiritual resides deep within Sherpa’s psyche still, and informs his art to a large degree. After living and working painting thangkas professionally in the United States for 10 years, he realised that he wanted to use the skills he had developed after years in that rigid art form to paint in his own voice, and comment on personal, political, and social issues. “I saw exhibitions adapting traditional art techniques, and thought I could do something similar with thangka,” Sherpa told us in an interview at Takpa Gallery in Lazimpat, which is showing Spirits in Transition, his latest work. “I realized that I needed a secular form of art to communicate to a non-Buddhist, non-Nepali audience.” Sherpa returned to Nepal in 2018, and a lot had changed in the 20 years he had been away, and so had he. The changes in Nepal were both good and bad, but the artist decided to focus on the positive. He was commissioned by the Visit Nepal 2020 Campaign to make 108 larger-than-life fiberglass sculptures of the yeti mascot to be displayed in public places. But because of the pandemic, the Visit Nepal campaign was shelved. The yetis vanished, but not before stirring some controversy because some of them had religious motifs deemed to be irreverent. This was an attempt to create a buzz around Nepal's tourism by having a mascot, just like Berlin’s Buddy Bear, or the New York Cow Parade. But many Nepalis were not exactly ready for it. These days, many of Sherpa’s paintings and sculptures have the figures blowing pink bubble gum. Intrigued, we ask him about it. “It’s a small, modest object that can signify a lot,” he explains. “In my art it tells about the modern time, and also lends a certain playfulness to a rather serious art piece.” He adds, “Having said that, I love it when viewers relate to it in their own way. People see what they see: nobody’s perception of the art is valid or invalid.” Although rooted in Nepali and Tibetan devotional art, Sherpa’s work transcends cultures. It is as if the spirits travelled with the artist to the US, and returned after assimilating the new world. “In our generation, the West had a grandeur about it. We had limited media and no internet, and thought West was best,” he says. “What I found in the US was that many of my heroes, like George Lucas, were inspired by the East. I realised that I had been ignoring my own identity.” Sherpa noticed that the new generation already regarded all cultures, heritage and identity as being valuable, and none of them were superior to any other. “Look at any of my spirits,” he says. “You can see their posture. There’s a confidence, a self-pride in who they are.”  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241212091252_3a6582865573e0ccf9935b76751a3bcbff99b3ce143da9551fb29801fdd7539b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20241212091252_3a6582865573e0ccf9935b76751a3bcbff99b3ce143da9551fb29801fdd7539b" data-rendition-name="original" width="5163" height="4313" loading="lazy" alt="Tsherin Sherpa"><figcaption>Photo: RICCARDO TOSETTO(Photo: Riccardo Tosetto)© Riccardo Tosetto Photography</figcaption></figure>  For the artist, this exhibition also represents a transition as he explores what creative arena he wants to pursue next. He says, “In Buddhism, when a person dies, there is a 49 day period called ‘bardo’ before the consciousness takes rebirth. This work is also a transition, like a layover on a long flight.” All of the paintings at the Spirits in Transition exhibition have already been booked, by the same collector. Each painting takes Sherpa about a week. He starts with a small drawing of a figure, and undertakes a rigorous step-by-step process, influenced by his thangka background. “Once I find a posture I like, I keep playing around,” he says. “Painting the pattern on the spirit takes at least four layers. The first is almost translucent, and each layer adds vibrancy and makes the colours pop. This is the most time consuming part. I add the bubblegum last.” And what’s with the fiery red hair? Sherpa remembers while learning the discipline of thangka, there were very strict, rigid rules. Every line had to be exactly how it should be. But with the bubble gum and red hair, he says he wants to explore an abstract, fluid aspect. Sherpa is drawing from a technique he first did in Grade 3: dipping a thread in ink or watercolour, and dragging it across the page. “It’s what I paint last, because the red hair has to be done in one stroke. You can’t make mistakes. There is no room for a correction.” The artist uses 3D generated models to decide on the postures, starting with a skeleton, and adding features to the shape. “I am very bad at drawing straight from imagination,” he adds, laughing. Despite modern elements in Sherpa’s work, keen viewers can detect elements of thangka painting: rocks, water, curly clouds. And all figures wear snake jewelry. In the context of a thangka painting, that represents conquering your anger. Tiger skins represent overcoming fear. “After I came back to Nepal, I started combining my protector series with the spirit. The meaning is: whatever we are on the outside, we carry an appreciation for our identity on the inside,” he says. He just follows his instincts when painting and lets his imagination take over. He says, “My style has emerged out of a collision of thangka, comics, and Bollywood. I read a lot of Marvel and DC when I was young, and hand-painted billboards of Bollywood movies at the movie theatre fascinated me." Spirits in Transition by Tsherin Sherpa Takpa Gallery, Lazimpat Until 29 December 11am-7pm (Friday to Sunday) 11am-6pm (Tuesday to Thursday)

Vishad Raj Onta

Tsherin Sherpa in body and spirit

At the age of five, Dorjee Karmarong fell sick and his local healer-slash-thangka painter cut him a deal: in exchange for treatment, the young patient had to promise to become a painter. The shaman may have been joking, but 38 years later, Karmarong is a successful international artist, and now has a solo exhibition at the Siddhartha Art Gallery. ‘Karmarong: Hidden Valley in the Himalayas’ is a collection of 27 paintings spread across two floors that give the viewer a comprehensive feel for life among the Karmarong community in the remote Mugu district of Karnali. Karmarong has a distinctive style featuring clean outlines, vibrant colours and detailed natural landscapes. Animals, mountains, trees, and the sun and the moon appear constantly. It is a style that took 20 years to perfect, as the painter practised teaching in monasteries of Bangladesh, India, Singapore, and most recently in Vietnam. Mugu is one of the remotest districts in Nepal, but the Karmarong community of about 3,000 people live in about a dozen small villages in the remotest northern corner of the district near the Chinese border. They speak their own dialect. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/the-present-meets-the-past">The present meets the past</a>, Pinki Sris Rana  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241004111032_46339bbefd7b9007dedde289f8c4db9980a60e19ab5a7e0c11c5f1ba4817ba68.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241004111032_46339bbefd7b9007dedde289f8c4db9980a60e19ab5a7e0c11c5f1ba4817ba68" data-rendition-name="original" width="3600" height="2400" loading="lazy" alt="Dorjee Karmarong NT 1"></figure>  Some of the paintings show general goings-on in Karmarong, such as harvest time. ‘The Hospitality of Karmarong’ shows residents gathering to formally welcome an important guest. “In front is someone who is still lucky to have both parents,” explains the painter. ‘Magic of Milarepa’ is a closeup of a grey, cracked yak horn on the floor. There is water on the ground next to the horn, and inside is a green-skinned monk, meditating in robes. “Milarepa was travelling with one of his students in Tibet, who was starting to act a little arrogant. They were suddenly caught up in a storm, and the saint shrank himself and sheltered in the horn, humbling his disciple,” Karmarong explains. Yaks are a constant feature in the exhibition, and the painter Karmarong has given them sentient eyes, with emotions like anger, introspection, suspicion, and even wide-eyed and crazed. “I was once told to study as voraciously as a yak grazes,” says Karmarong. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/human-spiritual-existence-in-a-digital-ecosystem">Human spiritual existence in a digital ecosystem</a>, Kashish Das Shrestha  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241004111032_271aba25a6f1eb642433ef504880407a9b36fea72a85e793a6d70e12299d9274.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241004111032_271aba25a6f1eb642433ef504880407a9b36fea72a85e793a6d70e12299d9274" data-rendition-name="original" width="2400" height="3600" loading="lazy" alt="Dorjee Karmarong NT 1"></figure>  In the middle of ‘The Dance of the Elements’ is a face that is half yellow and half black holding a cigarette around which is coiled a multi-headed serpent. “Thia represents our animal impulses,” Karmarong explains. “It is about how nature makes beautiful things. But when humans tamper with it, something usually goes wrong.” Other pieces are even more abstract. ‘Mandala Fragment’ shows geometric shapes in vibrant colours. Says Karmarong: “It may seem chaotic to a viewer, but I can step back and see something different.” Behind Karmarong’s extraordinary skill and output is a rare life lived in harmony with fate. Even his birth was auspicious: Karmarong was born in a cave to parents returning from working in Himachal Pradesh in India on the eve of Buddha Purnima and Thursday. By age seven Karmarong’s father took him to a cave to learn Tibetan. At 13, the boy was sent to a monastery in Kathmandu and after six years he decided to pursue painting and became an apprentice to master thangka artist Palden. Karmarong trained intensively under the rigid rules of thangka painting. He then met Tenzin Norbu from Dolpo, who helped develop his spiritual connection to art. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/turning-legends-into-games">Turning legends into games</a>, Vishad Raj Onta  <figure><img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241004111032_3f2d5f809a4230bbee885a2832c2e6872b743343581a96d177fae87885759d76.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20241004111032_3f2d5f809a4230bbee885a2832c2e6872b743343581a96d177fae87885759d76" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="1412" loading="lazy" alt="Dorjee Karmarong NT"></figure>  As Karmarong developed artistically and spiritually, he saw art as a fulfilment of his karma. “I started feeling that, in a past life, I had been a yogi who had wanted to build a monastery but couldn’t find an artist,” he says. The yogi committed to a life of dharma to be reborn as an artist. Indeed, there are records of a yogi from Karmarong region named Jimpa Therchan, who struggled with building a monastery and was also a renowned poet and singer. Karmarong also sings, and has written ‘Turquoise Mountain: A Folktale of the Karmarong.’ The titles of the paintings are evocative: ‘Yak’s Reprieve’, ‘Echoes of the Sacred Route’, ‘The Black Yak’s Grace’, or 'The Yak and His Young Keeper.' He is also a YouTuber and his channel has singing performances, rap songs and travel vlogs. Karmarong has depicted his village as a religious, harmonious Shangri-La, although it leaves the viewer a little curious about the darker realities of the place like Milarepa’s own murky past. Karmarong has perhaps consciously or unconsciously woven his own life into the paintings: stories and destinies that translate into the real world. They show travellers leaving from or returning to Karmarong the place, or going on a pilgrimage, reflecting the artist’s own artistic, spiritual and religious journey that has taken him back to his roots. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/mask">MASK</a>, Sonia Awale ‘Karmarong: Hidden Valley in the Himalayas’ Dorjee Karmarong Siddhartha Art Gallery

Karmarong in Karmarong

The ongoing Deities of Nepal II exhibition at Nepal Art Council coincided this week with the Conference on the Restitution of Heritage where questions were raised about whether it is appropriate to charge a fee to look at gods in glass cases in museums and galleries. The answer from some experts was that a statue of a deity is a work of art until it is consecrated in a temple, after which it attains a divine status worthy of worship. Only 149 of the tens of thousands of sacred objects stolen from Nepal have been returned.&nbsp; Early guidebooks on Nepal used to say that there were more gods than people and more temples than houses in Kathmandu Valley. That probably has not been true for a long time, but the Deities of Nepal II exhibition tries to do justice to the sheer diversity in the Hindu-Buddhist faith that has enriched Nepal’s art and culture. Much like there are gods and goddesses in every alley corner in Kathmandu Valley, the exhibition’s maze of grey-white corridors lead us to various depictions of deities in sculpture, paubha, painting and carvings. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-godhead-of-pharping">The godhead of Pharping</a>, Alisha Sijapati  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240527200524_18279b8c0f3396953295dfab001c57cbf672532e0641e8deb670033caedbac63.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20240527200524_18279b8c0f3396953295dfab001c57cbf672532e0641e8deb670033caedbac63" data-rendition-name="original" width="1625" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Deities of Nepal NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240527200524_cf028a19ae4d2fb54dbc14707ea55d41c74f89c155e52d2c43a15c64d2f27abb.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20240527200524_cf028a19ae4d2fb54dbc14707ea55d41c74f89c155e52d2c43a15c64d2f27abb" data-rendition-name="original" width="1438" height="1108" loading="lazy" alt="Deities of Nepal NT"> </figure>  In the middle of the exhibit is an intricately crafted wooden temple with a bronze Ganesh at the centre. On both sides are wooden pillars with bells, and there is space to circumambulate as if it were a real shrine. Nepal Art Council’s Sagar SJB Rana explains that the exhibition’s design was a deliberate attempt to recreate Kathmandu’s sacred urbanscape in a gallery setting. He adds, “We are trying to look at art galleries beyond the maths of the selling and buying of arts, to have an exhibition that is new, innovative as well as having an educational element.” Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-house-of-chitrakars">The house of Chitrakars</a>, Anita Bhetwal  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240527200524_ca458b71917eb6517233ccd081355e9375714ff174d909aa85aad3097f3b0c40.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20240527200524_ca458b71917eb6517233ccd081355e9375714ff174d909aa85aad3097f3b0c40" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="1200" loading="lazy" alt="Deities of Nepal NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240527200524_1e56a270ad04e9d635070648d44907c08236313d8118b7a4ca8bc347877744ab.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20240527200524_1e56a270ad04e9d635070648d44907c08236313d8118b7a4ca8bc347877744ab" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="1200" loading="lazy" alt="Deities of Nepal NT"> <figcaption>Photos: SAILESH RC</figcaption> </figure>  This is the second Deities of Nepal show, after the success of the first one in 2022. It features over 200 creations by 163 artists. Except for Nelson Ferreira’s Nocturnal Paintings of Kathmandu Valley which gleam only after turning on the phone’s flashlight towards the painting, all the other artworks are by Nepal-born artists.&nbsp; “Deities are popular among both artists and audiences,” says curator Swosti Rajbhandari Kayastha. “The first exhibition gave us the confidence to be more ambitious and have a bigger show.” Deities of Nepal II took a year of preparation, and the featured artworks were selected from a pool of over 500 items from more than 400 artists. “Exhibitions are a way of introducing Nepal’s heritage to the younger generation which may be more interested in going to an exhibition than paying a visit to a temple, and that is why we decided to give this exhibition continuity,” adds Kayastha. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/kathmandu-s-gravity-defying-chariot-festival">Kathmandu’s gravity-defying chariot festival</a>, Alok Siddhi Tuladhar  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240527200524_dbb589a2ac205d403a7b12464e6a36aef9926ce096f70b4fc169095e127ff8a4.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20240527200524_dbb589a2ac205d403a7b12464e6a36aef9926ce096f70b4fc169095e127ff8a4" data-rendition-name="original" width="1200" height="1600" loading="lazy" alt="Deities of Nepal NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240527200524_5b994b5f3520b9d3b743a7c6c8450d2070763a3f2d44d559b8c12a67f02baa4a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20240527200524_5b994b5f3520b9d3b743a7c6c8450d2070763a3f2d44d559b8c12a67f02baa4a" data-rendition-name="original" width="1548" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Deities of Nepal NT"> </figure>  The audience one afternoon this week was made up of different age groups and from different walks of life. There were art connoisseurs, college students, the middle-aged, senior citizens and even parents with children. In addition to paintings, thangka, paubha and charcoal drawings, the exhibition features stone and bronze sculptures, and immersive media using the motion graphics of a lotus painting. Says Rana: “Divine art fuses deities and handicrafts, and we have tried to recreate that here.” While the first gallery room is a replica of Kathmandu, an adjacent one is devoted to the stolen deities of Nepal. The second floor has more Hindu gods, and Mithila paintings from the Ramayana and the third floor is mostly made up of sculptures.&nbsp; The exhibition reaches beyond Kathmandu Valley to Tibetan and Mithila art, with some artists having added their own improvisations to reimagine our gods. All this makes Deities of Nepal II a fine showcase of Nepali faith and craftsmanship.&nbsp; Deities of Nepal II 10AM- 5PM (Sundays to Thursdasy) 10AM- 4PM (Fridays) Till 10 June Nepal Art Council, Baber Mahal

Pinki Sris Rana

In the realm of the gods

Manish Dhoju’s parents did not see much prospect in art, and persuaded him to study architecture. But the young man’s passion and creativity could not be quenched. The carefully drawn lines needed for architectural designs pushed him to become a self-taught hyperrealist artist. Watching YouTube tutorials and practicing endlessly on his own, Dhoju started by making exquisitely detailed sketches of people’s eyes and faces. Every strand of hair, pore on the skin, and wrinkle was drawn with photographic accuracy. But it was the eyes that were the main focus, mirroring the soul of the person with more depth than mere photographs.&nbsp; Hyperrealism is a genre of painting resembling high-resolution photography and entails a softer, more detailed focus, differentiating it from photorealism, which is just the copying of a photograph.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/giving-a-face-to-a-deity">Giving faces to a deity</a>, Shaguni Singh Sakya  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024022317020_2af8118875413d92fa54ab87bbe820530955bef606ae1b053882ce944632f2d6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2024022317020_2af8118875413d92fa54ab87bbe820530955bef606ae1b053882ce944632f2d6" data-rendition-name="original" width="1438" height="1998" loading="lazy" alt="Manish Dhoju in hyperrealism NT"> <figcaption>Maa (2020), Graphite on Paper, 66 x 55cm</figcaption> </figure>  Hyperrealism creates the illusion of reality not seen in the original photograph as it also imbibes the emotional journey of the artist during the painting process. Through subtle lighting and shading effect, it is a visual illusion that tells a deeper story, not just through the artist’s draftsmanship but the ability to bring out the emotion of the subject more intensely.&nbsp; Hyperrealism is almost surrealistic because, in reality or in photographs, nobody can see or feel such profound depth. Hyperrealists like Dhoju possess the innate talent to understand their subject’s core emotions without even knowing them in person. In the age of Instagram, instant gratification and visual overload, an artist like Dhoju is a rebel. Photographs are no longer ‘real enough’ and exaggerated depictions of tiny details carry a shock factor.&nbsp; Dhoju’s works, Baa and Maa show the tragedy of senior Nepalis living the remaining years of their lives alone, a story familiar in many households in contemporary Nepal. Every wrinkle and line on their faces, their aching eyes express loneliness. Could this be longing to meet children and grandchildren settled abroad? &nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/unnamed-masters-of-nepal-s-art-identified">Unnamed masters of Nepal’s art identified</a>, Shaguni Singh Sakya  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024022317020_7ac1fffa410ca2090d785bb868b5bf14b305724017c4fe7cf1c1e06d48db1173.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2024022317020_7ac1fffa410ca2090d785bb868b5bf14b305724017c4fe7cf1c1e06d48db1173" data-rendition-name="original" width="1438" height="2000" loading="lazy" alt="Manish Dhoju in hyperrealism NT"> <figcaption>Baa (2020), Graphite on Paper, 66 x 55cm</figcaption> </figure>  Another painting is of temple architecture with careful renditions of carved struts, doors, and windows that seem even more detailed than the carvings themselves.&nbsp; Dhoju uses hyperrealism to show dimensions that even the carvers may have been amazed by. A sculptor is focused on chiseling the wood, but Dhoju sees beyond this perfecting micro details of the wood, copper, and bronze.&nbsp; The sculpted work is then enhanced through an array of lenses giving a depth of field to the objects and deities. Dhoju first takes pictures and then enhances them in photoshop before sketching with spatial 3D visualisation. The Royal Golden Window of Patan Durbar Square above the entrance to Sundari Chowk is one of Dhoju’s finest hyperrealist heritage pieces. The central figure is the Buddhist deity Shristi Kanta Lokeswor with Shiva, Parvati, Ganesh, Saraswati, other deities on top and the Garuda below.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/history-on-canvas">History on Canvas</a>, Shaguni Singh Sakya  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024022317020_55797b3733d3b48d7d86b7630ed24d9bac0c58540bef0cd4e1e7892930432c9e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="2024022317020_55797b3733d3b48d7d86b7630ed24d9bac0c58540bef0cd4e1e7892930432c9e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1495" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Manish Dhoju in hyperrealism NT"> <figcaption>The Royal Golden Window (2023), Graphite and Charcoal Mixed, 6 x 4ft</figcaption> </figure>  Built in the 17th century by King Srinivasan Malla, it portrays a perfect amalgamation of two religions that the Malla kings promoted to maintain social harmony. The window is an artistic marvel and Dhoju has enhanced the genius of the unknown carver(s) with a three-dimensional effect.&nbsp; Since there are no old reference drawings of many ancient Newari architecture masterpieces, Dhoju’s hyperrealism could serve as blueprints for the future.&nbsp; The Narasimha statue at Bhaktapur Durbar Square is one of the finest stone sculptures in Nepal. Installed in the 17th century by King Bhupatindra Malla, the half-man-lion is a mythical incarnation of Vishnu. The Narasimha is close to Dhoju’s heart as his mother used to take him to the deity to cure his colic.&nbsp; Narasimha is believed to cure sick children, and the hyperrealistic version of this ferocious avatar tearing out the stomach of the demon Hiranyakashipu feels more powerful as the disembowelment is enhanced through lighting, shading, and multi-dimensional layers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/five-decades-of-lok-chitrakar">Five Decades of Lok Chitrakar</a>, Shaguni Singh Sakya  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024022317020_bbd0bcb45a25100aff2623714289eec7df4253505b2ea8f1b4477b1271d60c18.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="2024022317020_bbd0bcb45a25100aff2623714289eec7df4253505b2ea8f1b4477b1271d60c18" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1489" loading="lazy" alt="Manish Dhoju in hyperrealism NT"> <figcaption>The Mighty Narasimha (2023), Graphite on Paper, 6 x 4ft</figcaption> </figure>  Dhoju is now using his interest in science, philosophy, and psychology to explain the complexities of our ancient texts in a hyperrealistic form.&nbsp; His conceptual art, Bhairava’s Radiant Embrace, depicts the creation of the universe as explained in the Chandogya Upanishad – the Hindu text that unravels the mysteries of the cosmos. Using the new 3D software Blender, Dhoju chose a 16th-century Bhairav mask, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, to define the concept of Hiranyagarbha which resonates with the Big Bang theory.&nbsp; Bhairava represents the divine trinity of creation, sustenance and destruction and Dhoju is syncing religious philosophy with astrophysics on canvas in a dynamic and continuum of parallel universes. This is a novel art form in the hyperrealism genre. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Dhoju’s technique requires patience and dedication. He spends up to seven hours at a stretch without rest, so engrossed is he in sketching that he does not feel tired or notice the passage of time.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/kathmandu-art-biennale-begins?utm_source=newsletter&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_id=epaper">Kathmandu Art Biennale begins</a>, Anita Bhetwal  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024022317020_27aa9cb2aa27e52d0a094b6c92459ca65ccd7db874ae0052ba597edaeea834cb.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="2024022317020_27aa9cb2aa27e52d0a094b6c92459ca65ccd7db874ae0052ba597edaeea834cb" data-rendition-name="original" width="1506" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Manish Dhoju in hyperrealism NT"> <figcaption>Bhairava's Radiant Embrace (2023), Graphite and Charcoal Mixed, 160 x 100cm. Photo: ANISH DHOJU</figcaption> </figure>  The 3D visualisation is not just a technical skill, but the ability to convey and capture feelings at a more intense level, almost having an extrasensory perception.&nbsp; Dhoju has only sketched in black and white, and his next challenge is to paint in colour and further develop the art form. It is said that time and space exist in the 11th dimension, and humans can see and capture only three dimensions. Perhaps the hyperrealist in Manish Dhoju can see and render the fourth dimension? &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/nepali-art-finds-a-new-home">Nepali art finds a new home</a>, Shristi Karki Shaguni Singh Sakya is Director of the Museum of Nepali Arts (MoNA) and KGH Hotels. Manish Dhoju's exhibition is part of the Kathmandu Art Biennale at MoNA, Thamel and is on till April.

Manish Dhoju in hyperrealism

With over 80 participating artists and 100 paintings, sculptures and installations, the Kathmandu Art Biennale has kicked off and will be showcasing contemporary works till 18 April. The <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/nepali-art-finds-a-new-home">Museum of Nepali Art (MoNA) </a>housed at Kathmandu Guest House in Thamel has grown into a hub for artists and the public through landmark exhibitions and workshops. Now, the museum and gallery has launched its inaugural Biennale. “Nepali visual arts breathe life into the country's culture, traditions, and way of life,” says MoNA’s founder Rajan Sakya. “Despite the recent impact of technology and the rise of artificial intelligence, these exhibitions remain crucial for recognising and expanding the artistic capabilities of individuals.” Despite state neglect of the arts and artists, private galleries have been building on Nepal’s artistic heritage to promote contemporary works. This has contributed to stepping the outflow of professionals from the country, potentially resulting in a shortage of creative talent. “We need a concerted effort to safeguard art and support artists, which is why the Biennale has an important function,” Sakya adds.&nbsp; Here we feature three artists Udaya Charan Shrestha, Meena Kayastha, Manish Dhwoju, and their noteworthy creations. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-s-pavilion-afloat-in-venice">Nepal’s pavilion afloat in Venice</a>, Ashish Dhakal <div class="embed-block"><div><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%;"><iframe src="//cdn.iframe.ly/api/iframe?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fembed%2FfXaGqNTR_wI%3Fsi%3DsfPoEItpCdQfr-1E&key=87ca3314a9fa775b5c3a7726100694b0" style="top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute; border: 0;" allowfullscreen scrolling="no" allow="accelerometer *; clipboard-write *; encrypted-media *; gyroscope *; picture-in-picture *; web-share *;"></iframe></div></div></div> Patan in pencil Manish Dhwoju, 23, depicts the iconic golden window of the Patan Darbar Square in ‘Hyperrealistic Drawing’ meticulously crafted using pencils. He has an intricate fusion of wood and gold on the window to represent Hindu and Buddhist gods and goddesses. The golden window is one of the first things that visitors to the old palace square notice, and at the Biennale too, the artwork gets special prominence on the second floor. For up-and-coming artists like Dhwoju, who spend months or even years creating a piece of art, an opportunity to showcase their work at a grand exhibition is a dream come true. Says Dhwoju: “New artists need a platform more than those who are already established. Exhibitions are not held that frequently, and even when they are, established artists dominate, making it difficult for new artists to find space.” Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/seeing-the-forest-and-the-trees">Seeing the forest and the tree</a>s, Alisha Sijapati Giving faces to a deity  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240124070152_f09e6c09c96f49149ca6be4f802cbe4d975b2dfae410762d2ca785c443132a66.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20240124070152_f09e6c09c96f49149ca6be4f802cbe4d975b2dfae410762d2ca785c443132a66" data-rendition-name="original" width="1625" height="1083" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu Art Biennale NT"> </figure>  Titled <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/giving-a-face-to-a-deity">Gayatri</a>, this masterpiece in devotional art by Udaya Charan Shrestha took over 20 years to complete and is the first time an artist has given a face to the goddess of the revered Gayatri Mantra. The goddess, crowned with a crescent moon, gracefully holds various objects in her ten hands, including a conch, discus, mace, skull, and lotus flower. She is portrayed in a state of deep meditation and has a serene disposition. “I started working on this during my studies at Lalitkala College, and I was initially inspired by a postcard of Gayatri,” says Shreshta. “I am rather pleased with the outcome, if I may say so myself.” The artist diligently researched sacred texts, tantric literature, periodicals, the Swasthani, Purana, and other references to authentically represent the goddess. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/giving-a-face-to-a-deity">Giving faces to a deity</a>, Shaguni Singh Sakya A wedding for the ages  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240124070152_fa882524595fe70ac94688b3c74a69701145eaaefb7e2386963061f161fd3d14.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20240124070152_fa882524595fe70ac94688b3c74a69701145eaaefb7e2386963061f161fd3d14" data-rendition-name="original" width="3000" height="1909" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu Art Biennale NT"> </figure>  Meena Kayastha invested nine months in crafting this distinctive sculpture titled Gham Pani Gham Pani Syal Ko Bihe that takes off from a Nepali ditty about the sun shining through the rain. The sculpture portrays a one-of-a-kind marriage ceremony, with a Brahmin cat officiating the matrimonial joy of a fox couple. In this whimsical celebration, a dog, donkey, lion, frog, monkey, among others, are seen frolicking. Kayastha is working from childhood memories in Bhaktapur when she used to go home from school drenched in the rain and get scolded by her grandparents who were worried about her catching a cold. “In retrospect, those days feel like a spiritual journey and meditation,” she explains. Kayastha created numerous prototypes until she drew a cat in a palanquin and a donkey carrying a bride. Two additional donkeys were crafted for the musical and dance elements of the wedding, and a Bhairab and a cat were added to further showcase the celebration. “Seeing everything come together was a good feeling, and the joy in the sculpting process was profound,” says Kayastha. &nbsp;“If it sells, that will be an encouragement to create another.” Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/unnamed-masters-of-nepal-s-art-identified">Unnamed masters of Nepal’s art identified</a>, Shaguni Singh Sakya

Kathmandu Art Biennale begins

As part of a broader series of international displays, <a href="https://www.bonhams.com/auction/28762/lain-singh-bangdel-mountains-and-migration/">‘Lain Singh Bangdel: Mountains and Migration’</a> will be put up at the fine arts auction house and valuer, Bonhams, London till Tuesday. The exhibition turned auction has been held from 11-21 November, and features twenty-four selected paintings by Bangdel, an acclaimed author, art preservationist, and art historian who died in Kathmandu in 2002 at age 83. His daughter, <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/On-the-way-up/complete-projects-of-Dina-Bangdel,977">Dina Bangdel</a>, who was also a scholar of Asian art, died in 2017. &nbsp; The artist’s son-in-law and Dina’s husband Bibhakar Shakya says he is seeking to immortalise the Bangdel family influence, keeping their passion for art alive in the art scene in Nepal and internationally. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/for-arts-sake/lain-singh-bangdel-s-sigh">Lain Singh Bandgel's 'sigh'</a>, Rajan Sakya “The opening night at Bonhams was a huge success and garnered significant attention with a considerable turnout, a testament to Owen Duffy, the curator and the extremely supportive team at Bonhams,” Shakya told Nepali Times over the phone from London.&nbsp; He added: “I was truly delighted at how well the exhibition was received and I know my late father-in-law and late wife would have been proud.” Initially intended for viewing only, the exhibition became an auction in an effort to test the market. One painting, Song of Himalaya, sold to a private buyer for a significant amount, vindicating Shakya’s value of his father-in-law’s works.&nbsp; “Now that we have a record”, he said, of what an original Bangdel is worth, “we can only go up from here”.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023111912110_55d5258fdeec25808e4808b14262ed76a179c600e3065e341b6e10cfff5ff444.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2023111912110_55d5258fdeec25808e4808b14262ed76a179c600e3065e341b6e10cfff5ff444" data-rendition-name="original" width="1674" height="1183" loading="lazy" alt="Lain Singh Bangdel"> <figcaption>Lain Singh Bangdel (1919-2002) paints a portrait of Balkrishna Sama in 1975. Photos: AGAINST THE CURRENT</figcaption> </figure>  Born in Darjeeling, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/lain-singh-bangdel-s-legacy-lives-on">Lain Singh Bangdel</a> (1919-2002) lived a multifaceted life, embarking on a dynamic journey across continents and cultures. He was a friend of Indian film director Satyajit Ray whom he knew in Calcutta. In the 1960s he was invited to Nepal under King Mahendra’s initiative to bring creative Nepali intellectuals home, and this marked a watershed in Bangdel’s career. He was General Secretary of the Nepal Art Council and fronted a Nepali artistic renaissance, writing many books, one of which, Stolen Images from Nepal (1989), served to return stolen artefacts back to their rightful home.&nbsp; The various socio-cultural influences that surrounded Bangdel's upbringing shaped him into not only a prominent artist, but also an acclaimed author, art preservationist, and art historian.&nbsp; In his early years in art, Bangdel graduated top of his class from the Government College of Art &amp; Craft in Kolkata and continued to pursue his passion at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris. The dynamic artistic atmosphere of Europe at the time meant Bangdel encountered and developed connections with celebrated contemporaries like Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/lain-singh-bangdel-in-new-york">Lain Singh Bandgel in New York</a>, Ashish Dhakal “These artists had an influence on Bangdel's works in the 50s, one can discern the essence of Picasso's Blue Period, evident in the ‘Lady in Blue’ that employs the palette to evoke a sense of melancholy in the viewer,” explained Shakya. He added: “Bangdel conveyed traditional Nepali concepts through the medium of modern art. This unique harmonious fusion of traditional and modern themes, represent the structures and landscapes that shaped his formative years and highlight inspiration he drew from peoples and culture in Nepal.” Dina Bangdel was a respected expert of Asian art and had her father’s passion for Nepali art as well as a commitment to championing emerging Nepali artists. Her early demise in 2017 created a significant void in the South Asian art scene.&nbsp; Dina had a strong wish to continue the legacy woven by her father and wanted to hold exhibitions of her father’s art. “Tragically, that could not happen,” recalls Shakya.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023111912110_cf3e51425f718d4fc152d87256ceaae52229043119b93d94ccb2ee51672de528.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="2023111912110_cf3e51425f718d4fc152d87256ceaae52229043119b93d94ccb2ee51672de528" data-rendition-name="original" width="2020" height="1538" loading="lazy" alt="Dina Bangdel"> <figcaption>Dina Bangdel (1963-2017) with husband Bibhakar Shakya who is supervising the auction in Bonhams.</figcaption> </figure>  Shakya is an economist turned art curator, and says he underwent a transformative shift and immersed himself in the art scene after his wife’s death, assuming the responsibility to complete her vision. &nbsp; Shakya acknowledges that Bangdel is not as well-known as his contemporaries in Paris, and through the Bonhams auction and future exhibitions he seeks to broaden his recognition while simultaneously challenging the prevailing belief that one can make a living as an artist in Nepal today.&nbsp; “This perception has hindered the relationship between Bangdel and the modern Nepali, particularly those in the diaspora,” he said. “I’m inspired by the responses of young Nepali professionals in London to the exhibition, and their excitement at having a Nepali artist being exhibited here. I believe that this is what Dina and Lain would have wanted as well.” Shakya says he now wants to fulfill Dina’s vision to trace the artistic journey from Lain Singh Bangdel till the present day art scene, and will be bringing some emerging Nepali artists to Baltimore for an exhibition in 2026.&nbsp; Shakya’s extensive collection holds between up to 770 original Bangdel artworks, with another 60 or so in public institutions. Some of them will be displayed in exhibitions over the next two years in the United States, Hong Kong, and Kathmandu.&nbsp; There is more: Shakya hopes to adapt one of Bangdel’s novels, Langadako Sathi into a movie to be released in early 2024.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023111912118_08433274961c7e02be63e646b94a20e992c5b6bc8ece230ad10068953f478434.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="2023111912118_08433274961c7e02be63e646b94a20e992c5b6bc8ece230ad10068953f478434" data-rendition-name="original" width="1166" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="Lain Singh Bandgel"> <figcaption>Lain SIngh Bandel's self-portrait. Not part of the auction. </figcaption> </figure>  ---  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231119121112_8572059366f4b03736be93ebb1ba2a5268bcdc03ee913568dda56742345403ed.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20231119121112_8572059366f4b03736be93ebb1ba2a5268bcdc03ee913568dda56742345403ed" data-rendition-name="original" width="3707" height="2880" loading="lazy" alt="Lain Singh Bandgel painting"> <figcaption>Song of Himalaya, Oil on canvas. Bangdel utilises abstraction to capture a moment where the Himalaya emerge out of dense fog. The painting aims to provoke the viewers imagination sonically, to query the sounds from the atmosphere, lending the artwork its name. SOLD</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231119121112_50cc232f510fb2f33aaf986d8a0c9fdab74020c15f69ed13b76e1caf7fadcdc9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20231119121112_50cc232f510fb2f33aaf986d8a0c9fdab74020c15f69ed13b76e1caf7fadcdc9" data-rendition-name="original" width="1936" height="2880" loading="lazy" alt="Lain Singh Bandgel paintings"> <figcaption>Moon Over Kathmandu, Oil on canvas. Bangdel paints a copper full moon beaming over the fragrant urban tapestry of Kathmandu at dusk. The moon glows over twin peaks and reflects on the cityscape below, encouraging a sense of intrigue as to what the following day holds. </figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231119121116_3056005d630703dba313e0e3fa2eecf0d81dc73f119e20b4b492950ed4553732.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20231119121116_3056005d630703dba313e0e3fa2eecf0d81dc73f119e20b4b492950ed4553732" data-rendition-name="original" width="3607" height="2880" loading="lazy" alt="Lain Singh Bangdel paintings"> <figcaption>Kathmandu Valley, Oil on canvas. Bangdel highlights the Kathmandu Valley, and in doing so captures the juxtaposition between the bustling inner city and the calm surrounding landscape.</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231119121116_460a14c031a72b1687359ab2e3636c9026539157b0d4dbde3cd5c6100d950c7f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_11" data-image-id="20231119121116_460a14c031a72b1687359ab2e3636c9026539157b0d4dbde3cd5c6100d950c7f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1781" height="2880" loading="lazy" alt="Lain Singh Bandgel paintings"> <figcaption>Lady in Blue, Oil on canvas. The utilisation of a blue palette in this painting nods to Picasso's renowned Blue Period. With a brooding subject at its centre, the strategic use of colour seeks to evoke a specific emotional response from the observer — a sense of melancholy.</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231119121116_2961dfaf984246978a1e9739fa82cf4242ca693da62596f43af666a8b3b8ecaf.jpg" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="20231119121116_2961dfaf984246978a1e9739fa82cf4242ca693da62596f43af666a8b3b8ecaf" data-rendition-name="original" width="2008" height="2880" loading="lazy" alt="Lain Singh Bandgel paintings"> <figcaption>Full Moon Night, Gouache on paper. Painted during Bangdel’s time in Paris, this artwork employs distorted scales and non-linear angles to represent the nocturnal modern city scape – empty yet awaiting exploration.</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231119121116_8aad13a2d1805f1a0e98f51c0cb190d5f7e4707203a28778c3121d83b9baaecd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_13" data-image-id="20231119121116_8aad13a2d1805f1a0e98f51c0cb190d5f7e4707203a28778c3121d83b9baaecd" data-rendition-name="original" width="2065" height="2880" loading="lazy" alt="Lain Singh Bandgel paintings"> <figcaption>Lady, Oil on canvas. The artwork seeks to represent a recurrent theme in Bangdel’s work: melancholy. The subject is purposefully hunched to address the suffering experienced by an impoverished society. Bangdel wanted to bring awareness to broader social issues.</figcaption> </figure>  &nbsp;

Lain Singh Bandgel lives on

“No other people on earth, Watson, has produced such intricate beauty in as small a space as the Valley of Kathmandu. One trenchant observer has described it best as a kind of coral reef, built up laboriously over the centuries by unrecorded artisans. As a human achievement, it ranks with the creations of Persia and Italy.” This imaginary dialogue between Holmes and Watson, penned by Ted Riccardi, in his novel The Oriental Casebook of Sherlock Holmes, captures the true essence of Kathmandu. These lines have since been repeated in several articles to describe the city over the years. Many artists worked anonymously behind the scenes for Kathmandu to flourish as a hub for devotional art in the Licchavi and Malla periods. Their sculptures, temples, jewellery, paubhas, paintings all perished without a trace of their names. They themselves lived and died without realising the worth of their talent and contribution. A creation of rapturous devotion and dedication never withers with time or age. It is pure and invaluable. Many traditional Nepali artists even today feel that personal aggrandisement ruins the art of its integrity. Such values are ingrained from ancient times when artists simply worked for the higher purpose of their craft and not personal identity.&nbsp; Ego and personal affirmation were qualities limited solely to the ruling class. The rest, however skilled, dared not have any sense of individuality. Their responsibility was solely to obey superiors, priestsor donors. The writing of the artist’s name in paintings was, therefore, uncommon. The only ancient Nepali artist who has been posthumously known is Arniko, primarily because he went to China and earned international renown during the Kublai Khan reign. We did not know the others.&nbsp; Till now. Fortunately, by some stroke of luck, a few names were written.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/history-on-canvas">History on Canvas</a>, Shaguni Singh Sakya <h2>Kesaraja Chitrakar - Manjuvajra and Vajradhatishvari, 1409 (The Jucker Collection)</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231027041016_186719f999cc0f0232227aef5bd39ae16f051ae839645de4b51341c4fca33879.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20231027041016_186719f999cc0f0232227aef5bd39ae16f051ae839645de4b51341c4fca33879" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1237" loading="lazy" alt="Kesharaja Chitrakar"> <figcaption>Kesaraja Chitrakar - Manjuvajra and Vajradhatishvari, 1409 The first known artist after Arniko (12th century) who brought developments in paubha painting with richer color tones and more exquisitely sketched deities. Reference: HUGO E. KREIJGER</figcaption> </figure>  The inscription of artist Kesaraja Chitrakar in this painting is a surprise. Was the donor generous enough to include the artist’s name or was he so happy with the artwork that he felt compelled to credit Chitrakar? Was it the priest’s random decision or could the artist have humbly asked for his name to what he felt was a masterpiece? Was he thinking about his legacy? We will never know, but are grateful we know his name. The priest’s name is also written, Acharya Kulabha and the donors who commissioned the paubha are Hrasarama Chitrakar and his wife Raya. The shrine of Manjuvajra (an esoteric form of Manjushree) and his consort Vajradhatishvari dominate the composition. Both are important deities that are considered to have played a role in the formation of Kathmandu Valley. They are bedecked in jewels and their crowns are painted with intricate details. Each detail in their garments is executed elaborately. The backdrop with turquoise scrolling vines, the upper canopy peaks and the base exemplifies extraordinary talent. The paubha showcases the level of artistic accomplishment in the early 15th century, and many continue to draw inspiration from Kesaraja’s pioneering efforts till today. One can also see some evolutionary developments that Kesaraja introduced from this painting when compared to the paubhas of the late 14th century. Every element in this artwork is detailed even the background scrolls, giving the paubha a much richer tone.Perhaps this is why the artist’s name was written in the painting. Post Arniko in the 12th century, Kesaraja is arguably the most well-known artist. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/five-decades-of-lok-chitrakar">Five Decades of Lok Chitrakar</a>, Shaguni Singh Sakya <h2>Adyayaraja Pun and Udrayama Pun - Gagansim and his two wives, circa 1470 (private collection)</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231027041016_261d64c9cd369376a1079ce87412846544257f20a8ac69ac6056199fdd32ca34.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20231027041016_261d64c9cd369376a1079ce87412846544257f20a8ac69ac6056199fdd32ca34" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1376" loading="lazy" alt="Adyayaraja Pun and Udrayama Pun"> <figcaption> Adyayaraja Pun and Udrayama Pun - Gagansim and his two wives, circa 1470. The first known artists to paint focusing on people rather than deities. Reference: GAUTAM V VAJRACHARYA</figcaption> </figure>  This painting of Gagansim Bharo, a military governor of Dolakha and his two wives Ashayani Laxmi and Jivatana at 191.8 x 161.9 cm is monumental in many ways. It is the largest Nepali painting discovered so far. The inscription is in Sanskrit and Newari by a priest whose name surprisingly did not make it to the artwork even though it is claimed the concept for the painting was his idea. Artists Adyayaraja Pun from Yambu and Udrayaram Pun from Kisilagla are Kathmandu locals and their work is one of the few depicting personalised portraits and not a deity. The painting shows Gangansim and his wives in their chamber with luxurious bedroom items and traditional Newari toilette requisites. It is both traditional and contemporary in style.&nbsp; It has a deep red colour background as in most paubhas throughout history. The upper portion is flanked by five Hindu deities – Shiva, Parvati, Ganesh, Brahma, Vishnu and Kartikeya, giving it a religious touch. The lotus pedestal and stylised rocks at the bottom are another traditional elements. This piece is also unconventional in that it portrays a bedroom scene with amorous gestures, and is rather audacious for the period. The first wife offers a pan to her husband which is a gesture of passion as prescribed in the Kamasutra. This is also one of the first paintings where the donor and the family is the main focus. The two artists did something novel in placing the donors up front showing their glorious Newari lifestyle with a detailed focus on the facial features, attire and traditional bedroom paraphernalia.&nbsp; In many ways, the artists seem to have introduced a new genre of lifestyle art of the 15th century showing Jain, Indo-Persian, and Rajput influence. Surprisingly, their names are also in another painting titled Vanaratna’s Nirvana which shows the Buddhist monk Vanaratna and his female partner in tantric rituals; an indication that the artists must have been of high prominence to have their names written in all their work. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/tsherin-sherpa-returns-home-to-takpa">Tsherin Sherpa returns home to Takpa</a>, Aayusha Pokharel <h2>Jivaram – Rakta Ganesh (location unknown)</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231027041020_cf0bdd82692a12b0240929e05a45761a0a08efccbad4f8acb1d22d9e5b303c84.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20231027041020_cf0bdd82692a12b0240929e05a45761a0a08efccbad4f8acb1d22d9e5b303c84" data-rendition-name="original" width="981" height="940" loading="lazy" alt="Jivaram"> <figcaption>Jivaram – Maharakta Ganesh, circa mid 1400s. The next known artist after Arniko who went to China to teach Newar paubha art. Reference: JIVARAM MANUSCRIPTS, SURESH NEOTIA COLLECTION</figcaption> </figure>  Jivaram was a 15th century Newar artist who went to Tibet and taught Newari paubha art while learning artistic styles himself. Parts of his sketchbook that is now in the Suresh Neotia Collection in Calcutta has 39 remaining pages from an unknown number of the manuscript with records of iconography and artistic style that he learned in Tibet. He captured a variety of Chinese, Tibetan, and Kashmiri techniques. Jivaram infused Yuan and Ming dynasty styles in Newar art and also mastered new expressive facial portrayals. Most facial expressions before his time were flat with hardly any emotions, they were one-dimensional or a Rajput-style side profile. It can be assumed that he introduced vibrant expressions and two-dimensional facial sketching to Nepali art. Another accomplishment is the mastery of Kashmiri motifs which Jivaram levelled up from the previous artists. &nbsp;The vibrancy and intricacy of the vine scrolls are an extraordinary representation. The differences are clear to anyone comparing his work to Kesharaja’s background scrolls. &nbsp;&nbsp; Jivaram's masterpiece that remains today is the Maha Rakta Ganpati which inspired present-day artist Lok Chitrakar to do his version. The piece is an amalgamation of the various styles that Jivaram learned and which many artists henceforth have adopted.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20231027041020_37fc475f1842a195a4b624e88e16c94408e6332eadfaf2e8f247dfed153be2fd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20231027041020_37fc475f1842a195a4b624e88e16c94408e6332eadfaf2e8f247dfed153be2fd" data-rendition-name="original" width="1790" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Jivarama"> <figcaption>16 Arhats (Buddha's first disciples) and Dharmatala (attendant of the 16 arhats) and also Fa Xiang ( 4th century Chinese traveler to Nepal). The earliest two-dimensional facial sketches from a Nepali artist, Jivaram.</figcaption> </figure>  After Arniko, Jivaram is the only known artist who can be credited with transmitting Newar and Buddhist art forms to Tibet and China. His notebook is dated 1435. This is even before the renaissance period started in Europe and before the birth of Leonardo Da Vinci (1452-1519) and Michelangelo (1475-1564). These three ancient works of our art history lie in private collections or museums abroad. &nbsp;&nbsp;Paintings of Western Renaissance artists are displayed in all the famous museums all over, but we only get to read about ours in books, if at all. Nepal’s art schools should be teaching about Jivaram, Kesaraja Chitrakar, Adyayaraja Pun and Udrayama Pun when in fact we should be studying them. But in a country where the education system has overlooked much of our history, the names of a few pioneer artists hardly seems to matter. Hopefully, now these and other past masters will be given stronger prominence to reinforce Nepal’s historical and cultural identity. Artists also had a role in nationbuilding, not just kings and generals.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/nepali-art-finds-a-new-home">Nepali art finds a new home</a>, Shristi Karki Shaguni Singh Sakya is the Director of the Museum of Nepali Arts (MoNA) at Kathmandu Guest House in Thamel.

Unnamed masters of Nepal’s art identified

The oil paintings hang in sharp relief against the white walls at Siddhartha Art Gallery, and have a distinct sepia tint reminiscent of historical images from the early days of photography. &nbsp; And just like the sepia tone protects prints and keeps them from ageing, artist Mann Gurung uses the warm monochrome tint to preserve the history and identity of his indigenous community in the mountains of central Nepal.&nbsp; Gurung’s collection of 24 burnt umber paintings titled Lost in Translation II is a continuation of his<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/review/lost-in-transition"> 2019 exhibition</a> of the same name. His art depicts real men, women and children from up country villages in his native Gorkha district, and are as much an act of cultural conservation as a homage.&nbsp; Born in Gorkha’s Khorla village, Gurung grew up away from home to attend school in the neighbouring towns. As a child, he would draw pictures of gods and goddesses and create his own comic strips, which eventually gained the attention of an INGO worker who suggested he study art in Kathmandu.&nbsp; For a long time after he left home, Gurung took comfort in the memory of his village where people still wore their customary jama, bhoto, lungi and cholo, sang dohori during Dasain, &nbsp;and were self-reliant in agriculture and trade.&nbsp; But when he returned after completing his Master’s in the United States, Gorkha had changed. The district was just getting over the trauma of conflict, and traditional attire and customs had given way to new influences. T-shirts had replaced bhoto, film songs on mobile phones had taken the place of dohori and ghatu. Just like he had, many young men had left the village, and only the elderly, women and children remained.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/at-the-edge-of-tomorrow">At the edge of tomorrow</a>, Mark Turin  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230712100744_1da3e2e936ab582955cf91d92c3cf759ac9d89a2e6d539a837e1c2185bc81e3f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230712100744_1da3e2e936ab582955cf91d92c3cf759ac9d89a2e6d539a837e1c2185bc81e3f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1714" loading="lazy" alt="Lost in Transition"> <figcaption>Photo: MANN GURUNG</figcaption> </figure>  “Our identity was being wiped out in front of our very eyes with no visual reference point and archive,” explains Gurung. “I knew that if we did not document our history and culture, they would become a mere memory.” The artist travelled through 13 villages in Gorkha documenting what he saw for his Lost in Transition exhibition in 2019. And in 2021, he started work once again to create a second collection.&nbsp; Gurung paints his subjects as if they are posing in front of a camera, a calculated choice to reflect the indigenous community’s unfamiliarity with modern devices even as they move towards modernity.&nbsp; Their smiles are careful, stances self-conscious. An elderly woman looks out at visitors, clad in lungi, cholo, ghalek, and patuki. Her head is covered with a pachyeuri, and she wears gumboots. Another man has a tungna strapped to his jacket, and a patuki around his sweater, and smiles beatifically as he glances away. &nbsp; But the most striking work in the collection is the only one in which Gurung deviates from his monochromatic style. A single family of eight women and children are standing as if to get a family portrait taken at a photo studio. The men are present only in the background, in colourful signages of remittance companies.&nbsp; In another part of the gallery, Himalayan Light Award 2022 recipient Riti Maharjan is wrapping up her own migration-themed exhibition, Awaiting. The theme here is more contemplative, and portrays the longing and waiting for a faraway relative.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/chitwan-s-bote-people-in-a-changing-world">Chitwan’s Bote people in a changing world</a>, Sravasti Ghosh Dastidar  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230712100744_a4c5c06b34fdeb7df36d78ab01d20b44d936b3c36fc7f755e5f3cc7b9135d1e7.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20230712100744_a4c5c06b34fdeb7df36d78ab01d20b44d936b3c36fc7f755e5f3cc7b9135d1e7" data-rendition-name="original" width="1009" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Awaiting"> <figcaption>Photo: RITI MAHARJAN</figcaption> </figure>  Maharjan uses vibrant colours that are also poignant, and feature women and children as they wait for their migrant sons and husbands and fathers to return home. Maharjan completed her Masters in Fine Arts in China, and that was the first time she had been away from her family for an extended period. She says, “It hit me that many Nepalis are far from their loved ones, and on return I began to notice that there wasn’t a family in my community that didn’t have someone living abroad.” Born in Kathmandu, Maharjan married into a family in Lamjung after graduating. On visits to her in-law’s village, like Mann Gurung in Gorkha, she noticed that there were only women, children and the elderly. She also noticed how the women tended their homes with dedication and care, painting murals on the walls that are traditional to Brahmin communities in the region. “These women might not realise that they are folk artists, and I felt that their work should be honoured,” adds Maharjan. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/no-country-for-young-men">No country for young men</a>, Shristi Karki  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230712100744_ae35181903d7b20b2bba96b580d04a36c45b0f332c952f40b643e138ab5debe6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20230712100744_ae35181903d7b20b2bba96b580d04a36c45b0f332c952f40b643e138ab5debe6" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Awaiting"> <figcaption>Photo: RITI MAHARJAN</figcaption> </figure>  Geometric murals are a recurring motif in her paintings which have rich reds, yellows and greens, providing a backdrop for a depiction of a young girl longing for her father as she sits in her mother’s lap. In My Father’s Hat another toddler has on his father’s too-big Dhaka topi while his mother looks on at a framed photograph of her previously intact family.&nbsp; The Melting Emotion shows an elderly woman standing and waiting for somebody, longing etched in her wrinkled forehead. Maharjan has painted her as if she is dissolving away with age and grief, her entire being dripping with tears.&nbsp; Curator Sangeeta Thapa of Siddhartha Art Gallery notes that although migration is the central theme in both exhibitions, the artists employ differing stylistic approaches which provide entirely different perspectives.&nbsp; “Both of these collections are representative of how communities are impacted by Nepal hurtling from tradition towards modernity for the last seventy-odd years, while our culture and traditions have failed to catch up,” says Thapa. “What we need to figure out is how we balance progress with preserving culture and identities.” Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/multimedia/the-last-of-the-kusunda">The last of the Kusunda</a>, Sewa Bhattarai Mann Gurung’s Lost in Transition II is on exhibit at Siddhartha Art Gallery until 18 July. Riti Maharjan’s collection, Awaiting, can be viewed online <a href="https://www.siddharthaartgallery.com/online-gallery/394-awaiting-riti-maharjan" target="_blank">here</a>.

Shristi Karki

Home and away

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20230228150232/63fe113c9c7e80680e0da4cfjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3000" height="1688"/><figcaption>Photos: SURESH L YONJAN</figcaption></figure>Taragaon Next’s ‘Object in Focus’ is a unique series that brings one object by one artist addressing one big idea.Envisioned by curator Roshan Mishra to invite contemplation of contemporary art in Nepal, the series also featured the works of visual artists Koka Vashakidze from Georgia and Alicia Junissaliyeva from Kazakhstan about the origins of Boudhanath next door in a symbolic reprise.Now, Kathmandu’s own Bidhata KC takes centre stage to depict the interconnectedness between daily life, consumerism, globalisation and spirituality.A single installation connects heaven and earth through a metallic pole, like a bridge for elementary particles to commute. Two circular bars spread out, between which are the unmistakable mani prayer wheels.Auspiciously and coincidentally 21 in number, something is different about these wheels – they in fact look like tin cans, with corrugated bands an abstraction for the mantra that traditionally decorate the wheels. For support, oblique rods slant out from the circumference to the base of the pole.‘Object in Focus #6: Out of emptiness’ has a myriad of figures in addition to the mani wheels: a slightly open upside down umbrella, a downward arrow, or maybe a funnel. Such inversion may come naturally, especially with the overall and immediate image of things pointing towards the ground. Yet, the longer one looks, there is a sense of calm, an echo or reflection of shifting perspectives.The viewer may even rotate the wheels and reproduce for themselves the feeling of walking through a sacred shrine, participating in the great cosmic churning of consciousness. One of the many theories behind the mani wheel, after all, is that rotating mantra relate to yogic or Tantric practices whereby practitioners visualise the mantra revolving around their nadi. It is doubly symbolic to consider that the rotations also indicate reading or chanting.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20230228150232/63fe11409c7e80680e0da4d0jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">The exercise in abstraction does not end there. When we consider the material design of KC’s artwork, it opens several other cans of worms (as it were). The use of tinplate cans, steel coated with a thin layer of tin, is climate-conscious art since steel cans are the most recycled closed-loop packaging material. These increase the shelf-lives of products, protect them from damage by light, oxidation, extremes of temperature and contamination, safeguarding flavour, appearance and quality from factory to consumer.Now, transform this thought on to KC’s artwork: this striking marriage of generations-long spiritual traditions and a corrosion-resistant symbol of consumerism with an ecological meaning gives one pause. What is KC trying to say here? One does not arrive at a conclusion, and that may be KC’s intention.Instead, the viewer is asked to think outside the box – or cans. The tug-of-war between history and traditional values, practices, and modern politics, luxury, hunger, etc is often indispensable in Nepali contemporary art. Aptly so, considering the unique position of the country’s many living cultures.KC’s work gives this a little spin: not so much of a tug-of-war here, but something more fluid. Rather than being at opposing ends, KC invites us to consider how culture and modern life may in fact be informing each other, especially among the Himalaya, and people are not so much rejecting one in favour of another, but building practices and lifestyles that incorporate both ideas.“The artwork is inspired by my own experience as a traveller, through my observations and memories,” says KC, who also wanted to see what reaction would bringing a mani wheel to a gallery space evoke. “How does a wheel embossed with prayers compare to a simple tin can?”KC believes that adding embellishment and confounding jargon would limit the art experience. Viewers also take a leap of faith when engaging with the piece, which itself necessitates the act of letting go, without which the boundlessness of a prayer wheel may never be reckoned with.Object in Focus #6: Out of emptinessby Bidhata KCCurated by Roshan MishraWith support from Aakar Kalaghar and Contemporary Art of Nepal FoundationTaragaon Next, BoudhaTill 15 February 2023, 10:00am – 5:00pm

Ashish Dhakal

Giving prayer wheels an arty spin

One smoggy winter morning in February 2019, Ekta regretted coming to her sculpture class. It was the first day of her period, and the 19-year-old wished she was home, curled up in bed with a hot water bag to soothe her cramps.
Her class was at Kalapremi Ceramic Studio, a dark room on the ground floor of a house in Maharajganj, and Ekta’s teacher was the artist Gopal Das Shrestha ‘Kalapremi’, a noted sculptor.
Two other students were already there, using all their muscle strength to knead the sculpting clay. Ekta, now 24, recalls how Kalapremi asked her if she was feeling all right. She avoided him, as she did not want everyone to know she was menstruating.
Kalapremi repeatedly asked Ekta what was wrong. She finally muttered that she was having her period, after which he grabbed her hand and led her to a partitioned corner of the studio and sat her on a chair. Before she could stop him, he slid his hand under her dress, and started massaging her abdomen.
“I was horrified,” Ekta recalls. “I told him to stop, but he didn’t listen, asking me not to be shy, saying he knew how to relieve my pain. He stopped only after I protested furiously.”&nbsp;
The art tutor then said, “You’re like my daughter. I’m doing it out of love to make you feel better, but you’re so stubborn.”&nbsp;
“Instead of saying sorry he acted like I was the one having crazy thoughts,” remembers Ekta, adding that from April 2016 to August 2020 beginning the time she was 16, the artist sexually abused and harassed her on several occasions. &nbsp;
Now, Ekta and the artist’s other former students are finally sharing their experiences and some are pressing legal charges against him, hoping that others do not have to endure what they did.&nbsp;
Award-winning artist and teacher Gopal Das Shrestha ‘Kalapremi’ (the name means ‘Art Lover’) is known for his ceramic art, sculpture, and contemporary pottery. He was <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/the-house-of-kalapremi">profiled in Nepali Times after a collaborative exhibition</a>, ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ at the Siddhartha Art Gallery three years ago.&nbsp;
His pieces, titled Gaalis, featured sculpted female figures with the heads of dogs, sheep, and donkeys (pictured) to depict derogatory terms for women. Some critics said the collection was a satire on feminists.
Kalapremi started his artistic and teaching career in 1983 and over the years taught at Bhanubhakta School, Kathmandu University School of Arts, Lalitkala Campus and at his private Kalapremi Ceramic Studio. He has also lectured at Jeonju University in South Korea and recently at Tabor Academy in the United States.
Seven of Kalapremi’s former students were interviewed for this story. Five female students said he touched them inappropriately in his studio or at Kathmandu University. Two male students said they witnessed him abuse and harass the women. In all cases, the students struggled to recognise the abuse when it occurred, and the lack of reporting systems left them to cope on their own for years.&nbsp;
Earlier this year, students shared a social media post hinting at Kalapremi’s history of abusive behaviour following which more students of the artist reached out sharing similar experiences. Some students spoke of abuse that happened as long as 20 years ago.
Kalapremi, 60, has denied the allegations. He told Nepali Times: “Some years ago, there was a movement encouraging people to hug and kiss. I used to do it purely out of friendship and love. But after seeing posts on social media last year calling out my behaviour, I realised my actions may have hurt some people. I understand now that I should have been more mindful.”
He added: “I am also an auxiliary health worker, so I know the exact points to massage to relieve menstrual pain. It’s not just menstruation, I take anyone who is ill to the hospital.”
Sexual abuse is much more rampant than reported given how difficult it is to prove it in court. The law defines sexual abuse as occuring when someone touches another’s private parts, coerces them into touching theirs, uses vulgar language, shows degrading images, or behaves indecently towards them without consent.&nbsp;
Ekta and her fellow students are consulting lawyer Suneeta Regmi Pokhrel, who says they know that even if the court decides in their favour, it is difficult to survive after speaking up, and influential men defend themselves saying they are being framed.&nbsp;
“They are in a lot of pain and weep when recalling how he abused them,” Regmi Pokhrel told us. “They are angry and have filed a case against him, but they are also terrified. They know he is a powerful man and they have seen how our society treats women who speak up against abusers. Unless people speak up, perpetrators will be emboldened.”
Art and academia in Nepal simply reflect the power imbalances in society where people with intersecting identities experience worse forms of abuse. Theatre actors Raj Kumar Pudasaini, Rajan Khatiwada, and Sunil Pokhrel were called out during the #MeToo movement in the Nepali theatre scene in 2019. Even after the allegations Pokhrel went on to receive national awards, while others continued to work without repercussions.
“If you speak up against abusers, you gradually get sidelined from projects,” explained a theatre artist who wished anonymity fearing professional setbacks. “The theatre scene in Nepal is quite small, you just have to make peace with the perpetrators and work with them if you want to sustain yourself.”&nbsp;
In academia there is a history of faculty members sexually harassing students and getting away with it. After Tribhuvan University (TU) lecturer Krishna Bhattachan was accused of harassing women students, the university said it would follow Nepal’s sexual harassment law and set up a reporting mechanism. But nothing happened to the professor, who had already retired. Instead, he counter-accused the students of 'attacking the indigenous people’s movement with baseless allegations' as <a href="https://kathmandupost.com/letters/2019/01/29/bhattachan-responds">he told the Kathmandu Post in 2019</a>. He continues to be featured as a prominent speaker including at TU.
Other faculty members previously accused of sexual harassment include Jagadish Murti Koirala from TU, Bishnu Prasad Acharya from Ratna Rajya Campus, and Bodha Raj Tripathee from Lalitpur Madhyamik Vidhyalaya. A woman staff member from TU also filed a sexual abuse complaint against Dambar Chemjong from TU.
Prominent figures like <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/the-rise-and-fall-of-nims-purja">mountaineer Nims Purja</a> have been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/31/sports/mountaineering-sexual-harassment-abuse-nims-purja.html">accused of sexual assault</a>, and cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane, actor <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/celebrity-rape-case-spotlights-nepal-laws">Paul Shah</a>, and former speaker of Parliament <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/mahara-arrested">Krishna Bahadur Mahara</a> have been accused of rape, but society-at-large has let off the alleged perpetrators amdist a larger debate about justice for survivors and punishment of perpetrators.&nbsp;
‘Gaushala-26’ is the court name given to the 18-year-old who accused Sandeep Lamichhane, former captain of Nepal’s national cricket team and skipper of Biratnagar Kings in the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/here-comes-the-nepal-premier-league">ongoing Nepal Premier League</a>, of rape. She left the country citing society questioning her character affecting her mental health while Lamichhane got an outpouring of support. In May, the Patan High Court overturned a prior verdict that found Lamichhane guilty of rape and had sentenced him to eight years in prison. During the 23-month legal battle to pursue justice, Gaushala-26 faced threats of gang rape and acid attacks.&nbsp;
Exhausted by the struggle, Gaushala-26 sought to “move to a new world” where she could live free without hiding her identity.
Actress Samragyee Rajya Laxmi Shah in an Instagram video now deleted detailed the harassment she faced from a filmmaker during a movie shoot. She did not name any name but veteran actor Bhuwan KC filed a defamation case against Rana, but the court ruled that the charge lacked sufficient evidence.&nbsp;
Former Kathmandu mayor <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/theytoo">Keshav Sthapit also mocked the #MeToo movement</a>, calling accusations against him by journalists Rashmila Prajapati and Ujjwala Maharjan “a rape of men’s rights”.
Serial Abuse
Back at the Kalapremi Ceramics studio, another former student, 24-year-old Rajiv, says he felt the need to speak out after seeing his female classmates being abused.&nbsp;
“He frequently kissed them on their cheeks,” he told Nepali Times. “Whenever they walked into the studio he flailed his arms like a child asking for a hug. They awkwardly hugged him from the side, but he pulled them closer, held their chin, and kissed their cheeks.”&nbsp;
Rajiv says he also saw Kalapremi pull the women’s bra straps, touch their breasts, and slap their buttocks. The young students would freeze, not knowing how to react, and if they protested, he would say it was “normal in art”. Rajiv, 19 at the time like his classmates, remembers thinking perhaps the well-respected artist was right after all.
Another student, Luna, who took lessons at Kalapremi’s studio from 2020 to 2022 did try to confront the tutor after he made an obscene proposal to her. She recalls: “One day when the other students had left the studio and it was just the two of us, he told me that God had given him special artistic talent and he could transfer those powers to me. But to do that both of us will have to be naked, inside a dark room, and have sex.”
Luna, who was 18 then, was livid and told him she did not want any of his powers, but she says he laughed at her as if he was joking. She did not tell her family about the incident because she thought no one would believe her.&nbsp;
“They were all in awe of this famous artist and felt I should be grateful that to be learning sculpting from him,” she says. “I was scared to be alone with him in case he talked about sex again. My coping mechanism was to be rude so he wouldn’t try to come close to me.”
Seeing how some classmates were standing up to Kalapremi, Ekta too tried to push back against his advances, but she said he found ways to coerce her. Since Ekta, Rajiv, and Luna could not afford Kalapremi’s Rs30,000 monthly fee for lessons, he had offered them all a stipend to assist him in the studio.
“He had spondylosis and took me to his therapy sessions to learn massage techniques, then he often made me and other students massage him,” says Ekta. Whenever she refused, he would feign pain to make her feel sorry for him. “He would insist that I put my hands under his shirt so that I could massage him better,” she adds.
The art tutor often tried to “seduce sympathy” from Ekta by sharing how he had never been loved as a child and was “sexually frustrated” as an adult.&nbsp;
“At 7PM, he would pour himself Signature whiskey and immediately go off again about how he was sex-starved. I didn’t know how to respond. It took me time to realise alcohol was just an excuse to talk about sex,” Ekta says.
If convicted, Kalapremi could face financial penalty and/or a prison sentence of up to three years according to Section 224 of National Penal (Code) Act 2017.&nbsp;
Data suggests that victims of child sexual abuse on average take nearly 24 years to tell someone about their trauma, and some may never disclose it at all.&nbsp;
“In our culture, children are rarely taught about boundaries. They often react, show anger when adults pinch their cheeks. But adults insist they did it out of love, and force the children to accept it,” says Sita Lama, a psychotherapist at Manka Kura. “And even when someone touches them inappropriately they struggle to identify and verbalise it.”
When perpetrators claim to be “acting out of love”, Lama says survivors are likely to perceive it as something safe, rather than recognising it as abuse.&nbsp;
“It may take years for them to realise they were abused,” she explains. "And even when they become aware, the power imbalance with the abuser and the associated shame often prevents survivors from speaking up."
Other former students from the School of Art at Kathmandu University have also come forward years later, saying Kalapremi sexually abused them. As young adults, they felt his behaviour was off but were uncertain if it was inappropriate, illegal, or they did not know how to respond. After having understood that it was indeed abuse, they say they are speaking out now to protect others.&nbsp;
Amina Singh, a visiting faculty member at Kathmandu University, says there is no clause against sexual abuse in contracts of teachers, and there is no formal grievance handling mechanism for the students.&nbsp;
“So the only way students can to deal with sexual abuse is approach someone they trust,” she says.
Eight other former art students of Lalit Kala Campus and Srijana College of Fine Arts of Tribhuvan University and other private art studios in Kathmandu say they were also sexually abused by their art teachers. Three faculty members interviewed from these institutions said they saw the abuse, but felt it was futile to report it given how powerful the teachers were.
In the absence of a formal system, some longtime women artists warned each other about “problematic” artists. They shared &nbsp;a “heads-up” to be more cautious when collaborating with them, and avoided responding to their calls and texts after work hours.
To ensure art institutions are safe for all, galleries, museums, artist studios, and smaller art spaces need to develop policies on sexual harassment. This would include a code of conduct or studio policies that hold the leadership accountable and outline the principles of professional ethics.&nbsp;
Students and employees should inquire about accountability mechanisms for raising concerns, both formally and informally, advocates say.
Three years after Ekta left the ceramics studio, she learnt that Kalapremi had harassed many other women. Still trying to get a footing in the art industry, she attended a workshop in Kathmandu where women artists discussed ways to stay safe in the art sector.&nbsp;
Since it was a close-knit group Ekta opened up about how she felt violated and realised she was not alone, he had been abusing underprivileged students for years, and this was common knowledge among artists in Nepal.
Ekta says that even after she quit, Kalapremi continued sending her text messages like ‘I am thinking of you’, ‘Why have you stopped speaking with me’, or ‘I am waiting for your call’.&nbsp;
But what really forced her to act was when Ekta found out that he was sending similar texts to her younger sister.&nbsp;
“I’ve had enough,” she told us. “He abused me all these years but I won’t let him abuse my sister.” &nbsp;
Ekta, Rajiv and Luna are not the real names of the students.&nbsp;

‘Art Lover’ accused of sexual abuse

It was 8:15 in the evening of 25 March 1968 when everyone in the village of Batulechaur near Pokhara heard a deafening sound like thunder as a bright flashing object hurtled down to land in a field.&nbsp; That field belonged to Kul Timilsina, and the next morning he retrieved a sheet of metal about 2m by 1m and carried it home with the help of a few others, thinking it would be useful for his buffalo shed.&nbsp; Before he died at age 83 three years ago, Timilsina had told photo archivist Sunil Ulak that the black metal sheet was not rectangular and had rounded corners. There are a few witnesses still alive who have a clear recollection of the object that fell from the sky that night.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024120707128_75cc85aac56b9cc4a77366471f058d7b3eb6868776811b0923845c2d0a61f014.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2024120707128_75cc85aac56b9cc4a77366471f058d7b3eb6868776811b0923845c2d0a61f014" data-rendition-name="original" width="1170" height="601" loading="lazy" alt="UFO over Pokhara"> <figcaption>The field in Batulechaur belonging to Kul Timilsina where fragments of a flying object fell from the sky in 1968.</figcaption> </figure>  One of them is Timilsina’s wife Gyanu, who was 22 at the time. She had been at home, and remembers hearing the big bang and the sky becoming very bright. “We saw the thing in the field in the morning,” she told us. “It looked like a lid, a covering of some sort. The way it was stuck in the ground, it must have fallen from the sky. We thought we could use it to dry clothes on, and took it home.”&nbsp; Another witness is Kul Narayan Paudel. “I was only eight then. We ran to the field to see what had fallen. It was a four-sided metal sheet. The elders took it away, and I don't know what happened to it.” &nbsp; Ram Bahadur Baniya, a teacher at the local school, says he had heard the sheet had been brought to the school, and later handed over to the Zonal Commissioner at the time, Nanda Prasad Malla. “But that is all hearsay,” he says.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024120707128_0bf207a12063fb8155b3c8d9a00a94887b126380c9e0627527c84cf5e1101f54.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2024120707128_0bf207a12063fb8155b3c8d9a00a94887b126380c9e0627527c84cf5e1101f54" data-rendition-name="original" width="1170" height="610" loading="lazy" alt="UFO over Pokhara"> <figcaption>Gyanu Timilsina, wife of Kul Timilsina.</figcaption> </figure>  There are two versions of what happened to Kul Timilsina’s metal sheet. One is that an American Peace Corp Volunteer teaching at the nearby Bindyabasini School took it, and another is that it was handed over to the government. Recently declassified Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and US State Department documents from the time say that the US Embassy in Kathmandu tracked down the object two years later and had it shipped back to the US. A telegram from the Department of State and Department of Defense tagged as ‘MOON DUST / Space Fragments’ dated 1 March 1972 stated: ‘1. Restored space fragment will be on board Embassy support flight 115 arriving Kathmandu on or about March 10. Fragment is packed in shipping crate (cargo no. 72-33365) marked in care of DAO.&nbsp; 2. State and Defense representatives examined fragments prior to shipment finding restoration acceptable.’  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241207071212_929d903ee06d41baa4f6040e981cd7c7d7bd75cc9c37c9b617d307fc8538d2df.png" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241207071212_929d903ee06d41baa4f6040e981cd7c7d7bd75cc9c37c9b617d307fc8538d2df" data-rendition-name="original" width="856" height="568" loading="lazy" alt="UFO over Pokhara"> <figcaption>Declassified CIA documents about the investigation into the object sighted in Pokhara. </figcaption> </figure>  The documents show that the US government, military and intelligence agencies investigated this incident thoroughly when it occurred, and have continued to revisit it ever since, as recently as five years ago. What is even more intriguing is that the object that fell in Pokhara was not the only unidentified space object that fell to earth that year. There were similar sightings of objects falling from the sky in Ladakh, Sikkim and Bhutan between 19 February and 25 March 1968.&nbsp; These mysteries were the subject of a CIA investigation in 1968 titled ‘<a href="https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070007-8.pdf">Sighting of Unidentified Flying Objects in Ladakh, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan</a>’, and the report is part of the recent online declassification of 800,000 top-secret documents from the period.&nbsp; &nbsp;Although unidentified flying objects (UFOs) have a connotation now of being alien craft, it could be pieces of satellite, missile, rocket or even aircraft. The CIA report documents six sightings in 1968 and quotes local sources as describing all of them having similar characteristics: bright blue or red streaks in the sky accompanied by loud sounds like lightning and thunder and objects falling to the ground. Aside from the metallic object that was found in Batlechaur, there were other items also found nearby in Tallakot, Tureypasal, Armalakot and Maidan. Whatever the object was, it seems to have disintegrated even before it hit the ground.&nbsp; The CIA report records the first sighting on 19 February 1968 in various parts of Sikkim and Olangchung Gola and Ghunsa in eastern Nepal. The light was said to be ‘long and thin’ and giving out ‘green and red light’. &nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241207071212_c3c825027d966a2aedc846970390eebe063957503c7eacc8e01e0517843f9bbb.png" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20241207071212_c3c825027d966a2aedc846970390eebe063957503c7eacc8e01e0517843f9bbb" data-rendition-name="original" width="892" height="596" loading="lazy" alt="UFO over Pokhara "> </figure>  Two days later on 21 February, a soundless blue object was seen traveling fast across the sky above Thimphu in Bhutan. Then on 4 March there were multiple daytime sightings or white streaks in the sky at Chang La Pass, Fukche and Koyul in Ladakh. There were more sightings in Ladakh on the very day fragments fell near Pokhara on 25 March 1968.&nbsp; After the sightings in Pokhara, rumours started flying in Kathmandu that these were aliens trying to land on Earth, it could be Russian or Chinese spy planes or satellites, and some even say it as a sign from heaven that the end of the world was near. This was at the height of the Cold War. The Russians and Americans were testing their thermonuclear devices as well as intercontinental ballistic missile delivery systems. The Washington-Beijing rapprochement had not yet happened, and China was making quick progress testing atomic bombs. Within two years after its first atomic test, in 1966 China exploded its first hydrogen bomb at the Lop Nur site in Xinjiang, 3,000km to the north from Nepal. After neary six decades, what is still intriguing is that all the sightings within a few months of each other in 1968 were along the Himalayan arc bordering Tibet: from Bhutan, Sikkim Nepal, to Ladakh. The US military intelligence seems to have concluded that this was not a coincidence and there were frequent research trips to the site in Pokhara by American officials in the months after the incident. With the help of the Royal Nepal Army, the region north of Pokhara was thoroughly searched.&nbsp; A confidential memo dated 25 June 1968 by Jerry C Trippy to a ‘Mr Farley’ mentions that the US Air Force’s Foreign Technology Division had decided that the debris could be important because it may be related to a Chinese missile test or a Soviet ‘Vehicle Venik’ rocket.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241207071216_feb5425692dc36b20187de4e4fcc2ce9fd12b6d9e1b8724398e50bcdbf9032fe.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20241207071216_feb5425692dc36b20187de4e4fcc2ce9fd12b6d9e1b8724398e50bcdbf9032fe" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="UFO over Pokhara"> </figure>  On 28 August 1968 the US Embassy in Kathmandu sent a letter to Washington DC saying that the object could be of Soviet origin, possibly from when the rocket carrying the ‘Kosmos 208’ satellite re-entered the atmosphere. But why were the fragments falling to earth several weeks apart, and in the same region? No one knows where the metal sheet that Kul Timilsina recovered is now. It was definitely packed in a crate and taken to the US, and although it is rumoured that it was returned that is not very likely. Archivist Sunil Ulak heard from the Timilsina family that CIA officials had returned to the site five years ago. &nbsp; Interest in UFOs peaked in the US in the 1950s, with the Cold War space race and tests of atomic weapons and delivery rockets. CIA and scientists were being sent to investigate sightings, both publicly and privately. Could the Pokhara fragments as well as the sightings in Ladakh and Bhutan actually be alien craft falling to earth? The renewal in interest in space travel in large part due to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, UFOs and sightings are again subjects of public interest.&nbsp; Even 57 years later, even if there was definitive proof about whether the Batlechaur fragment was from a Chinese missile or a soviet rocket, it has not been made public in documents declassified so far. We may never know.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241207071216_b6938795f40731e7657fd6dcbb3cf460a326186a15eb11d4f832f602201ff598.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20241207071216_b6938795f40731e7657fd6dcbb3cf460a326186a15eb11d4f832f602201ff598" data-rendition-name="original" width="642" height="320" loading="lazy" alt="UFO over Pokhara"> </figure>  Sunil Ulak speculates if the debris actually came from an American aircraft, perhaps on an intel mission upon China. “Which could explain why they were so thorough in collecting the fragments in Pokhara,” he says. But that still does not explain the multiple sightings weeks apart in 1968.&nbsp; Indeed, US military aircraft were at that time flying frequent night-time missions from air force bases in India to supply weapons to Khampa guerrilla camps in Nepal located north of Pokhara in Mustang. It could very well be that the Chinese shot down one such aircraft. The other sightings could have been contrails of US spy planes, or Chinese anti-aircraft missiles.&nbsp; There were quite a few developments regarding UFOs in 2024. In a US congressional hearing in July, former intelligence officer David Grusch claimed that the government had long been involved in a program to investigate and retrieve non-human craft crashes, and then try to reverse engineer them. However Grusch did not show any evidence.&nbsp; The UAP Disclosure Act of 2024 was signed into law by Joe Biden in December 2023. It plans to oversee the public disclosure of UFO information. However, there is a clause in it that prevents disclosure if it would cause threats to military defense, intelligence operations or foreign relations.&nbsp; It is unlikely that the declassified documents about sightings in the Himalayan will cause any real surprise about definite evidence of alien life even if it was found. It seems humanity will continue, at least for now, to wonder about curious lights in the sky and whether there is anybody out there.&nbsp;

UFO over Pokhara

Four international names in architecture, Shigeru Ban, Rem Koolhaas, Tadao Ando and Louis Isadore Kahn, all left their mark in Nepal. But despite their best intentions, the ambitious designs fizzled out. Ban, Koolhaas and Ando won Pritzkers, the best known international award for architecture, and Kahn could have won it had the prize been given in his lifetime. But their designs fell short of transforming Nepali architecture and did not help inspire local architects.&nbsp; Why were these four ‘starchitects’ unable to pull off their Nepal projects and enrich the country with exemplary contemporary designs? The failure, especially the violation of Kahn’s design, also raises larger questions about how much contemporary architecture is valued in Nepal.&nbsp; Whereas Sri Lanka had Geoffrey Bawa and Bangladesh had Mazharul Islam, the pioneers of contemporary architecture in Nepal have had far less public appreciation. One wonders if Nepali architecture only refers to the monuments and heritage of the past. Nepal does have examples of outstanding modern architecture such as the &nbsp;पाङ्रे घर ‘Wheel House’ and खुट्टे घर &nbsp;‘House on Legs’ by Shankar Nath Rimal in the 1960s. These are the best examples of how some Nepali designers successfully tailored modern architecture to the Nepali context.&nbsp; Ten years ago, Nepal had three architecture magazines, SPACES, praXis and Business Architecture, but none of these survived. This newspaper has prominently covered contemporary architecture, and the built environment, but these are exceptions in Nepal’s media. There have been a few encouraging signs. The 2024 exhibition Modern Encounters in Architecture in Kathmandu Valley (1945-1985) at the Taragaon Museum had many visitors and its accompanying book is a seminal document.&nbsp; In 2023, the Mountain Architecture Dialogue (MAD) that focused on examples of good-practice sustainable contemporary architecture for the mountainous terrains of Nepal was a packed event with over 300 young architects, engineers, environmentalists and architecture students. <h2>Shigeru Ban</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024122003128_8bb8dde080c5698c2585966bef27ce4c08e4ee488d3432b2caac98b9de762dfe.png" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2024122003128_8bb8dde080c5698c2585966bef27ce4c08e4ee488d3432b2caac98b9de762dfe" data-rendition-name="original" width="990" height="1074" loading="lazy" alt="Forgotten international starchitects in Nepal NT"> </figure>  Shigeru Ban had already built a name for himself in post-disaster construction when he came to Nepal following the 2015 earthquakes in which 500,000 people lost their homes. The basic design and its 3D-rendered images were reviewed in upbeat articles on DOMUS, Architectural Review, Dezeen, and Arch Daily.&nbsp; But his signature cardboard tubes could not handle the monsoon and the roof structure had to be re-designed with timber. Only two shelters were completed in Sindupalchok, and only one of them still stands at the Hyatt Regency grounds today, as Ban’s souvenir to Nepal.&nbsp; <h2>Rem Koolhaas</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024122003128_58afec9b57accfa38327af0936648c6eb2f2e11ff18f1af8ca27383dc57dc222.png" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2024122003128_58afec9b57accfa38327af0936648c6eb2f2e11ff18f1af8ca27383dc57dc222" data-rendition-name="original" width="750" height="722" loading="lazy" alt="Forgotten international starchitects in Nepal NT"> </figure>  The designs of Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas have a specific signature: bold shapes and an intriguing architectural typology that challenges standard building blocks. Some designs even seem to defy gravity, like the CCTV headquarters in Beijing: an angular, continuous geometry of glass and steel.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241220031216_a18dc8a8d6b97bc6fa9d590036cf374f9dc3709c699fe5c5787304bbd05cb17d.png" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241220031216_a18dc8a8d6b97bc6fa9d590036cf374f9dc3709c699fe5c5787304bbd05cb17d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1812" height="1168" loading="lazy" alt="Forgotten international starchitects in Nepal"> <figcaption>Rem Koolhaas' design for Ullen's School in Khumaltar.</figcaption> </figure>  Koolhaas was commissioned by Belgian billionaire Guy Ullens to design a new building for Ullens School in Khumaltar. The most prominent feature is its vertical glass block staircase. Some interior spaces have lowered windowsills, which provide ample views and daylight. But the school building has gone unremarked in Nepal. <h2>Tadao Ando</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241220031212_cc16bd6feb8be07a7198285b847a45d2126dc3a479e0cc7370331861fc544675.png" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241220031212_cc16bd6feb8be07a7198285b847a45d2126dc3a479e0cc7370331861fc544675" data-rendition-name="original" width="626" height="628" loading="lazy" alt="Forgotten international starchitects in Nepal"> </figure>  Doctors providing aid to victims of the Great Hanshin earthquake in 1995 in Japan requested Tadao Ando, who had donated his Pritzker money to the victims, to also make a design for a hospital in Butwal.&nbsp; Ando’s contribution would be pro-bono and the construction was funded by the Hanshin Earthquake victims and by the popular Japanese newspaper Mainichi, as a tribute to Nepali doctors. The first block that Ando designed for the Siddhartha Children and Women’s Hospital (SCWH) was the out-patient department. He quickly realised that he would not be able to pull off structures with his typical style of smooth-finished, high-quality concrete.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241220031216_73ec0950d52320277ccc81d4a66fa6aa6acb38141e7b7633683e4cf8179dc579.png" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20241220031216_73ec0950d52320277ccc81d4a66fa6aa6acb38141e7b7633683e4cf8179dc579" data-rendition-name="original" width="1594" height="958" loading="lazy" alt="Forgotten international starchitects in Nepal"> <figcaption>Tadao Ando's Siddhartha Children and Women Hospital in Butwal.</figcaption> </figure>  Ando wrote in the online architectural catalog Architectuul, that the two main problems with the project were costs and the availability of local technology. ‘It became a facility that has a slightly different expression from the buildings I have completed so far,’ he wrote. He designed a colonnade for the west façade that would provide shelter from harsh sunlight, and the exposed brick walls were locally manufactured bricks.&nbsp; The hospital is characterised by modernist cuboidal massing, but the outer brick façades now appear unintentionally badly weathered by monsoons. The interiors lack both sufficient natural light and natural ventilation. <h2>Louis I Kahn</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024122003128_612e199d62fb3e72b6b8f6a936b0fa0451d8c0aa3d831c071320bf423ee3d67f.png" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="2024122003128_612e199d62fb3e72b6b8f6a936b0fa0451d8c0aa3d831c071320bf423ee3d67f" data-rendition-name="original" width="694" height="926" loading="lazy" alt="Forgotten international starchitects in Nepal NT"> </figure>  American architect Louis I Kahn had experience of projects in South Asia, and several were under construction when he died suddenly in 1974. Amongst these were the National Assembly complex in Dhaka, the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad and the Family Planning and Maternal Child Welfare Centre in Kathmandu.&nbsp; Kahn had started the USAID funded project in Nepal by developing a master plan for the government institutional zone in Kathmandu, which included a building for the Health Ministry. The building’s façade in exposed brick has deeply recessed vertical windows for shading.&nbsp; The balancing of accentuated horizontal lines in the brickwork with the verticality of the larger composition is the work of a master. The brick walls rise up into punctured parapet walls at the roof level. These square apertures ‘frame the sky’.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241220031216_69c2e4972dbe38773e0a3a3f1129485c9c87033ee84cd454e24ae0dc772d05cf.png" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20241220031216_69c2e4972dbe38773e0a3a3f1129485c9c87033ee84cd454e24ae0dc772d05cf" data-rendition-name="original" width="1924" height="1242" loading="lazy" alt="Forgotten international starchitects in Nepal"> <figcaption>Louis Kahn's plan for the Ministry of Health.</figcaption> </figure>  When Kahn died, only the eastern half of the building was finished. The Western part was never built and Nepal’s bureaucrats decided that without paint, the exposed brick façade was not finished. Then in 1995, citing roof leakage and a space crunch, the Health Ministry added a floor.&nbsp; The frames-to-the-sky in the roof parapet were converted into windows and topped off with a sloping roof of corrugated steel sheets, whose only virtue was that it was cost-effective.&nbsp; Kahn’s orthogonal composition, which clean horizontal and vertical lines, was desecrated despite a public outcry and legal challenges from architects and cultural organisations. A version of this article was first published in HIMAL Southasian. Illustrations by Varun S Bapu.

Forgotten international starchitects in Nepal

If you were raised in Nepal, you must have picked up its unique set of vocabulary: आन्दोलन, चक्का जाम, बन्द, राँके जुलुस, आफ्नो मान्छे, हाम्रो दल, कर्फु and many more words connoting political protest.
We became familiar with the acrid smell of burning tyres, and eyes smarting from tear gas. And yet, everyone speaks of another revolution in the making. Not by desire, but by suffocation.
We heard speeches about नयाँ नेपाल, but the New Nepal never arrived. The governance system changed, but it did not reflect on people’s lives — except for those close to centres of power. The state is still unreachable and is not bothered about <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/matter-of-life-and-debt">victims of loan sharks</a>, cooperative scams and other injustices.
Politicians continue to speak in sound bites, but fail to deliver. They have mastered the game of pointing fingers towards an external enemy and convincing people that they are never at fault. The political narrative is so disconnected from the actual analysis of the problem that suffocation doesn’t go away after every revolution.
No genuine effort has been made to deliver at all, which is why there is a palpable sense of disillusionment in the air forcing us to seek another revolution, even if Nepal may not be able to afford it.
How has the current system successfully held power, even if the public is deeply frustrated? How is it that for three decades we continue to be led by the same faces, who have time and again, proved to us that they may be great politicians but not national leaders?
<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/improving-internet-governance-in-nepal">My experience at the epicentre of politics</a> has led me to identify three cultures that have enabled political parties to keep a tight hold on power: acceptance, silence and dependency.
We accept things the way they are. We use fatalistic phrases like “नेपालमा यस्तै हो” or “नेपालको कानुन दैब जानुन”. While this resilience enables us to rise back up from devastating calamities, it is also a reason for our compliance with the status quo.
Despite so many ‘revolutions’ that have led to significant reforms, these phrases keep getting reinforced, to the point that the upcoming generations have made it their lingo.&nbsp;
This acceptance is not a symbol of law-abiding citizens, but citizens living in fear of those in power, unable to ask the whys and why-nots.
Innovation suffocates in this culture of acceptance of the status quo. This is manifested in remarks like “but we don’t have any laws for this,” or “we don’t have the capacity to implement this”. An innovator or entrepreneur therefore has to spend that energy to become a political lobbyist, often educating and convincing the bureaucracy.&nbsp;
Remember when locally assembled <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/designed-and-made-in-nepal">Yatri motorbikes</a>, despite having willing customers, had to suffer to secure license numbers because of a lack of regulations? Instead of creating new laws, the government kept chanting the “We will promote Nepal-made goods” mantra, leaving entrepreneurs in a labyrinth of bureaucracy. The weight of acceptance of the law lies heavily on innovators. Fatalism is a tactic used by those in power to generate mass fear in society.
When we accept, we become silent. This is a pervasive phenomenon. We are trained to keep quiet, lest we ruffle feathers, burn bridges, or not get the help we need in future. We know, yet we don’t speak.
Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/bureaucratic-hurdles-in-researching-nepals-bureaucracy">Bureaucratic hurdles in researching Nepal's bureaucracy</a>, Daniel W Edwards
Here is one example: the 2021 census shows that the number of baby boys born for every 100 baby girls is 112. This is a clear indication of female foeticide because of boy preference in society.
Despite such horrifying realities, there is finger-pointing within the government between the Ministry of Health and Population with the Ministry of Home Affairs. At the citizen level, we know those who are involved in killing girls. Yet, we don’t speak up. The Nepal Medical Council reports state that despite this gender imbalance at birth, there is no indication of any action.
But why would anyone speak against one's own fraternity, no matter how vile the act is?
When we accept and keep quiet, we become dependent on those who yield power. From getting our government procedure completed on time to getting transfers, to accessing any of our legally protected rights as well, we are forced to depend on our networks of चिनेको मान्छे people we know by blood, village, relations, political affiliation.
The culture of dependency has been the established way in Nepal. If you drive a two-wheeler or four-wheeler, and you get into a small accident, you will be asked to sort it yourself, dialing up the most powerful person you know. It becomes a competition of who knows who.
Recently I was told that there were calls from the Ministry of Health and Population and another from the Prime Minister's Office for just one medical position in a private hospital. Each was pushing its own candidate. Guess which candidate got the position.&nbsp;
The dependency of people is not on the laws or the state, it is with people in power, a reliance on the network of somebody who knows somebody, including those not officially in power.
These cultures are deeply ingrained in our heads, and in society. Collectively they form a vicious circle that helps those in power to retain power. This is not the society we want to live in.
Then, what do we do as a collective to break away from this? How do we break away from the cultures of acceptance and silence that have created this dependency? What can we do to ensure that our children do not have to learn the jargon of आन्दोलन before they learn about the state?
These are the cultures political parties need to shed rather than use them to perpetuate their power. This is what <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/an-alternative-to-alternative-politics-in-nepal">alternative politics</a> needs to be about.
Sumana Shrestha is a member of Parliament’s Education, Health and Information Technology parliamentary committee and represents the Rastriya Swatantara Party.

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