Nepal-Germany artistic partnership flourishes

Kathmandu, Mar. 27: Art, as a pure expression of human creativity and experience, transcends time, culture and language boundaries to convey the depth and complexity of human existence. 

To celebrate this universal aspect of art that knows no geographical limits, Nepal recently hosted an art workshop and exhibition in Kathmandu, bringing together German and Nepali artists in one place. 

Nepal’s Nepal Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and Germany’s Studio 20.21 and Culture Without Borders jointly organised the art workshop and exhibition as part of the Nepal Art Exchange Programme, in which 10 German and 32 Nepali artists participated in a 3-day art workshop. Over 80 artworks were exhibited as part of the programme in Kathmandu.

 With the effort of NAFA, Botti Hans-Hermann Bottenbruch, a senior German artist, and Purushottam Dangol, cultural connoisseur and art enthusiast, the art exchange programme was held.

 The good news is that NAFA and Studio 20.21 signed an MOU for the continuation of this programme in Germany as well. 

Idea of art exchange 

Botti Hans-Hermann Bottenbruch, who visited Nepal 32 years ago, was captivated by Nepal’s rich cultural diversity, the humbleness of Nepali people, and the unprecedented creativity of Nepali artists. 

Bottenbruch contacted PurushottamDangol, a cultural connoisseur and art enthusiast, and expressed his ideas of promoting Nepali arts in Germany. 

Dangol, who is involved in the cultural and tourism sectors, had no idea about art, but he thought that if Nepali artworks were exhibited in Germany, it would help promote Nepali art in Europe. With the help of artist Krishna Prakash Shah and others, they exhibited a huge Nepali art exhibition in Germany in 2015.

Bottenbruch and Purushottam Dangol coordinated the art exchange programme in Germany.

 They were the men behind organising the massive Nepali art exhibition in 2015 in Germany. In 2015, Bottenbruch organised a 4-month Art exhibition with Nepali artists, showcasing Nepali arts and handicrafts in the historic town centre of Kalkar in Germany.

 To commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Nepali art exhibition Studio 20.21 is planning a large-scale exhibition featuring about 600 Nepali artworks of various forms, including painting, handicrafts, sculpture, Paubha, Thankga, and more in Germany in 2025.

 The exhibition will be held in five different galleries and is expected to attract over 6,000 visitors. 

Who is  Bottenbruch then? An artist from Germany, he is a cultural goodwill ambassador to Germany from Nepal. Bottenbruch has been fascinated by art since the age of 12. Initially, art was not considered a viable profession in Germany, so artists had to supplement their income with other jobs.

Bottenbruch was no exception, he ventured into graphic design and advertising. 

At 18, he even opened his own advertising company, becoming the youngest person in his area to do the business. However, his passion for art persisted, and he eventually returned to it, experimenting with various concepts and galleries. Bottenbruch is known as an expressionist artist who depicts feelings, emotions and perceptions through distorted forms, bold colours and exaggerated imageries. 

Together with his daughter, Alexandra BC Bottenbruch, he has opened a studio and gallery called Studio 20.21, which features various art forms including painting, photography, designs and digital art, creating a space for art enthusiasts.

Alexandra, the daughter and backbone of Botti, expressed her excitement about discovering Nepali art. She said that although she was already familiar with Nepali arts before visiting Nepal, the experience of meeting artists and immersing herself in the diverse array of Nepali artworks left her awestruck by the sheer creativity and breadth of artistic expression in Nepal.

She appreciates the diversity of artists and artworks in Nepal. 

Currently, Bottenbruch and Alexandra are organising group art exhibitions and photography exhibitions in Germany, aiming to spread German art to the world. 

Talking to The Rising Nepal, Purushottam Dangol shared that he was in America in 2013 when his friend Bottenbruch called him to promote Nepali art in Europe. Dangol travelled to Germany, where they jointly discussed the programme to promote Nepali art in Germany.

Dangol has also planed to take Nepali artists to Germany in August and organise art exhibitions in three different locations, expecting visitors from Belgium, the Netherlands, and France. 

Dangol expressed satisfaction that despite challenges, they managed to organise the exhibition in Nepal, providing opportunities for talented but underexposed artists. 

However, he shared the difficulties they faced while managing paintings from Nepal to Germany and covering expenses, as the government does not provide sufficient support for artists.

 Nepal is rich in art, with artwork dating back to centuries, but due to the lack of archiving and government support, Nepali art struggles to gain recognition on the global stage, said Dangol.

Dangol aims to bridge this gap by connecting cultures through art and help promote Nepali art and artists in Europe.