Exhibition of authentic Nepali traditional art begins

Kathmandu, Aug. 23:An art exhibition titled ‘The Himalayan Now’ began at the Kala Salon Gallery at Chhaya Centre, Thamel, on Thursday.

A total of 30 artworks and two sculptors are on display, and the exhibition will continue until September 9.

‘The Himalayan Now’ is not just an exhibition, but an initiative started by five artists, Umesh Shrestha, Rakhi Karn, Subhadri Subha, Chepal Dorji Sherpa, and Kumar Thapa.

Umesh Shrestha, the coordinator of the exhibition, said that ‘The Himalayan Now’ is a journey to promote Nepali traditional art both at home and abroad. He further added that they plan to organise more exhibitions under ‘The Himalayan Now’ in the coming days, with a special focus on the true and original traditional art of Nepal.

This is the first exhibition under ‘The Himalayan Now’ series, with many more planned both in Nepal and internationally, said Shrestha. 

The idea took shape when Shrestha visited Europe for a month-long exhibition in 2012.

 During the visit, he felt proud to showcase Nepali art in Europe, believing that his works represented authentic Nepali art. However, when European artists asked him about the trends of Nepali art, he showed his works and told them that this kind of art is the original Nepali art.

 Their response shocked him but also sparked a realisation about the importance of authenticity in promoting Nepali art. According to Shrestha, the European artists told him, “These kinds of artworks have been practiced in Europe for hundreds of years. Even our children can make such art. How is this considered authentic Nepali art?”

This conversation inspired him to strongly commit to promoting authentic Nepali art, not only in Nepal but also globally. He began consulting other artists, which led to the formation of the five-member group, and they remain open to adding more artists in the future to promote authentic Nepali art. 

One of the team members, Chepal Dorji Sherpa, created ‘Green Tara Mandala,’ made from jungle rosewood, Fevicol, and colour. Sherpa is a traditional Thangka painter, Buddhist practitioner, and a teacher. As a Buddhist practitioner, he blends Buddhist philosophy into his creations. Over the past two decades, he has completed more than 16 major art projects for monasteries across Nepal, Sikkim, and internationally. Currently, he is working on mural art and mandalas. He said that through his art, he seeks to serve the Dharma and bring sacred imagery to life honouring tradition while transmitting peace across borders for generations.

‘The Himalayan Now’ is a confluence of creative styles where Thangka, Modern, and Mithila art forms are interwoven with elements of consciousness.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Raghuji Pant, Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Badri Prasad Pandey, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, and others have expressed their best wishes for the exhibition.