National Fine Arts Exhibition concludes

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, June 14:The 15-day ‘National Fine Arts Exhibition-2080’ concluded amid programmes held at Nepal Academy of Fine Arts and Nepal Art Council on Tuesday.

 The exhibition that began on May 29 showcased 695 artworks of 609 artists from 755 submissions by 653 artists.

This year, the exhibition took place at two different locations, the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts in Naxal and the Nepal Art Council in Babar Mahal.

 The Nepal Art Council displayed artworks belonging to folk art and traditional painting, while the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts exhibited modern paintings, Vastu (a traditional architectural concept), other creative arts, handicrafts, traditional sculpture, and modern sculpture. NAFA honoured over 30 artists for their significant contributions to fine art this year.According to Devendra Thumkeli, the Member Secretary of NAFA, approximately 40,000 visitors attended the exhibition. On a daily basis, around 1,500 to 2,500 people visited and observed the exhibition. Thumkeli also mentioned that over 100 schools from all three districts of the Kathmandu Valley participated in the art exhibition.

Political leaders like Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal (Prachanda), Finance Minister Dr. Prakash Sharan Mahat, Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud, Minister for Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation Sudan Kirati, former President Bidya Devi Bhandari and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli,  as well as various litterateurs, artists and musicians visited the exhibition, informed Thumkeli. 

After observing the exhibition, Minister Kirati also expressed his gratitude through social networking site Facebook. He wrote, “After viewing the National Fine Arts Exhibition, the art really blew my mind. History, present and future were seen there.”

Thumkeli said he was amazed by the great enthusiasm and appreciation shown for the exhibition. He stated that the response encouraged them to further develop Nepali art in the coming days. 

Additionally, he also announced that an art conference would be held in the last week of June or the first week of July in Kathmandu.