Although Nepal is recognised for its immense culture, arts and heritage, the art scene in Nepal is not seeing the growth it rightfully deserves. Artists today have broken from the confines of traditional styles and are seen exploring and experimenting with new forms and techniques. Some are creating interesting variations of old meets new, telling stories of contemporary Nepal in ink and paint. There are many galleries, a few curators and experts show openings almost every other week. But investment in art is still a new concept.
Sheelasha Rajbhandari
Sheelasha Rajbhandari is a visual artist. Her pieces are mostly based on sociopolitical works which reflect Nepal’s social, economic and political past and present. Rajbhandari is one of the co-founders of the artist collective called Artree Nepal. Currently, as part of a travelling exhibition, her works are exhibited at Dhaka Art Summit 2018, Para Site, Contemporary Art Center, Hong Kong, TS1 Yangon and in the Museum of Modern Art Warsaw, Poland.
Most of Rajbhandari’s works are resource based where she focuses more on the processes. Instead of exhibiting individual expression, she tries to bring collective voices into her works to deliver important messages.
She says:
The Art Scene
It is not that the culture of buying art does not exist in Nepal. Art pieces as decoration has always been here, but at present, people also seem to appreciate art due to the personal connections they see in the art works. Art is a big business and an important investment, which people here are slowly beginning to realise.
Can an artist sustain only on his/her art in Nepal?
Although it is not easy, it is enough for me to sustain with my art.
Name two artists whose art you would like to buy, and why?
From Nepal, I would definitely love collecting art pieces by Pramila Giri as she is one of the artists who inspired me to do art. I also want to collect pieces by Amar Kunwar as his perspectives are similar to mine and is resource based most of the time.
Future Plans
Right now, I’m working on two major exhibitions. One of them is an open studio, which is going to be held in Artree Nepal itself. Another exhibition is going to be held in Vienna, for which I was selected along with 30 other Nepali artists.
[su_note note_color="#fbf0c8"]About the featured art:
Name: Agony of the New Bed from the series ‘Marriage Taboos’
Material used: Digital Print on cotton textile, golden embroidery thread, brass
Year of creation: 2016
Inspiration behind the art: The inspiration behind the art piece are the young girls who are victims of child marriage, domestic violence and sexual abuse, often having little or no power over their reproductive rights. The piece tries to convey the terrifying and agonising experiences of the girls from being isolated from their homes and families.
Price: Rs. 5,00,000
[/su_note]Sushma Shakya
Sushma Shakya’s works range from paintings to printmaking which are mostly concept based. Born and raised in Patan, Shakya is more influenced by the traditions and culture she grew up in and prefers to engage them in her works. A lover of Newari art, she prefers to work on pieces that are influenced by motifs, designs and carvings, found in a typical Newari society.
Some of her previous works were known to be influenced by Chaitya theme. At present, Shakya is working on themes like environment and national and international issues.
She says:
Art Scene in Nepal
People are slowly appreciating and investing in artworks these days. I have foreign and Nepali buyers. However, commercial art receives wider recognition in Nepal, rather than abstract art. Due to Western influences, appreciation for art is on the rise.
Can an artist in Nepal sustain only on his/her art?
Being unmarried, I do not have much responsibilities regarding family. So, yes, it is enough for me to sustain with my work as an artist.
Name two artists whose art you would like to buy, and why?
I really want to buy Sashi Bikram Shah’s paintings. His paintings use horses as subjects, and when you understand the painting you can find the different meanings associated with it. Internationally, I would love to own prints made by Kathe Kollwitz because she was an artist who faced both World War I and II. Her works capture the feelings and expressions of people during that time.
Future Plans
I have just started doing my residency at Mcube. Besides that, I am also going to Indonesia for another residency program.
[su_note note_color="#fbf0c8"]About the featured art:
Name: Constitution
Year: 2015
Material used: A print making medium called collagraphy
Inspiration behind the art: The print was made using Newari text and was inspired after the formation of the Constitution in 2015. The idea behind it is the plaguing question - Are Nepalis satisfied after the promulgation of the new constitution?
Price: Rs. 40,000
[/su_note]
Sunita Maharjan
Sunita Maharjan is a visual artist who prefers to use different methods in her work. Most of her recent works are abstract pieces which are linked with socio-political issues. She also conducts art classes and works with Srijanalya to promote art and education in the school and community.
Although she majored in painting, at present, she is working in textile art by using printmaking and stitching.
She says:
Art Scene in Nepal
Compared to the situation in the past, people are slowly starting to invest in art these days. I feel the idea of appreciating art decoration only is changing. People are also beginning to think about the presentation and impact of art.
Can an artist in Nepal sustain only on his/her art?
It is hard to sustain with just my personal art pieces. However, my second jobs are also based on art mediums and with these I am able to sustain a livelihood.
Name two artists whose art you would like to buy, and why?
I really like Nabendra Limbu’s works. His works are mostly abstract where he plays with patterns and the inspiration behind the works are very inspiring. Internationally, I would like to collect Paul Klee’s art pieces, as he is also an art teacher and I am very inspired by his works.
Future Plans
I am working on a solo exhibition for February 2019. I am also doing another group exhibition.
[su_note note_color="#fbf0c8"]About the featured art:
Name: Terrace series
Material used: Print and stitching on cotton fabric
Year of Creation: 2017
Inspiration behind the art: The inspiration behind the art piece is the terrace space. The piece highlights how a terrace space not only creates a boundary but is also very personal to us.
Price: Rs. 198,000
[/su_note]
Kailash Shrestha
Kailash Shrestha is a contemporary visual artist based in Kathmandu and currently working on socio politically driven art pieces. Shrestha is the founder of an art space called Artudio which provides people a platform to explore various forms of art.
He says:
Art Scene in Nepal
Luckily, there are a lot of Nepalis who collect my art. People do invest in art pieces due to their personal interest, but I do not think many people understand the concept of investing in art much in Nepal.With the growing establishment of art colleges and community engaging initiatives by many artists, the appreciation for art is increasing. However, with better government policy, I feel it could get better.
Can an artist in Nepal sustain only on his/her art?
I can proudly say that I can sustain with my art.
Name two artists whose art you would like to buy. And why?
I personally adore my teacher Nabendra Limbu’s works. I have never met such a humble person who is so deep into art. I also want to collect pieces by Shashi Bikram Shah. I feel his work has power and I really wanted to buy his Dashavatar series.
Future Plans
It has been awhile since I have been working on the prime minister series. I am preparing for a solo exhibition but I have not decided when to exhibit them.
[su_note note_color="#fbf0c8"]About the featured art:
Name: Satya Sundina, Satya Boldina, Satya Dekhdina
Year: Acrylic on canvas
Material used: 2013
Inspiration behind the art: The art piece was inspired by three wise monkeys. Here, the artist has taken the three dominating political parties as subject and tried to convey the political scene through his context.
Price: Rs.350,000.
[/su_note]
Aditya Aryal
Aditya Aryal is an urban artist. After doing his major in painting, the artist has been working on the streets of Kathmandu. At present, his inspiration stems from Tibetan Thangka and Mithila art and is focusing on creating hybrid artwork. Aryal owns an art space with his friend Helena, called Kaalo.101.The artist has exhibited his works in Nepal as well as globally in New York, Copenhagen, Hamburg, Lisbon, London and Nantes.
The techniques and medium Aryal uses are solely derived from graffiti and street art. He mostly works with spray paints, stencils and paint markers.
He says:
Art Scene in Nepal
Art is a luxurious good and seeing the economic condition of the country, art works are not important for most people here. However, there are a few people and collectors who understand the concept of buying art and are investing in art pieces these days.
Also young businesses are hiring artists to make murals or do art work in their office space and restaurants.
Can an artist in Nepal sustain only on his/her art?
I can.
Name two artists whose art you would like to buy, and why?
I want to collect art pieces of Banksy because he is a street artist whose work is witty, smart and politically charged. Besides, he captures the contemporary issues in his work brilliantly. From local artists, I would love to collect Samundra Man Singh’s work. I appreciate his work because he was able to change the face of Thangka paintings by adding dimension to them.
Future Plans
We were recently involved in a project called Micro Galleries. It is an international festival which previously took place in Indonesia. However, this time it is taking place in Nepal and Kaalo.101 is the official partner for it.
[su_note note_color="#fbf0c8"]About the featured art:
Name: Bardo
Year: 2017
Material used: Mixed medium, acrylic and paint markers in canvas.
Inspiration behind the art: The artwork was inspired by Thangka paintings and philosophy of Bardo, which tell us about the cycle of life.
Price: Rs. 120,000.
[/su_note]
Anil Shahi
Anil Shahi is one of those artists who show a predilection for painting. His works usually contain figurative subjects that are part of his surroundings… that he can connect to on a personal level. Besides expanding his body of works, he also teaches 2D painting at Kathmandu University School of Arts.
He says:
Art Scene in Nepal
Although the art scene is not very conspicuous, we cannot say there is no buying art culture in Nepal. From what I have created and exhibited in Nepal, most of my paintings have been sold to Nepalis. Interestingly, at present, people are more interested in buying pieces that are different or something they have not seen before. Seeing people invest, I do think people value art here.
Can an artist in Nepal sustain only on his/her art?
The outcomes we get from our work can be unpredictable. But, it is enough to sustain a livelihood with my art.
Any artist whose work you would like to buy? And why?
If I could, I would love to collect Samundra Man Shrestha’s work. His works are of high quality and are mostly contemporary traditional paintings.
Future Plans
Since my painting process extends through a long period of time, I am planning to do an exhibition in two years.
[su_note note_color="#fbf0c8"]About the featured art:
Name: Living I numb
Year: 2016
Material used: Oil on canvas
Inspiration behind the art: Shahi has used visual metaphor of Mahabharata’s Bhishmapitamaha in this work, where he has also connected the living conditions of many people after the disastrous earthquake in 2015.
Price: Rs. 140,000.
[/su_note]
