Yatra Tattoo Exhibition begins

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Oct. 17: The ‘Yatra Tattoo Exhibition and Art Workshop’, jointly organised by the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) and the Himalayan Tattoo Summit, began on Friday.

During the opening ceremony, Chancellor of NAFA Narad Mani Hartamchhali said that folk traditions and indigenous knowledge are deeply embedded in tattoo art. “This event has been organised as part of our campaign to encompass all dimensions of art. If the concepts and content of such art forms can be linked with social and natural environments along with cultural values and beliefs, and if they are incorporated within the Nepali cultural ethos, tattoo art can evolve into a more multidimensional form,” he said.

Member Secretary Devendra Kumar Kafle ‘Thumkeli’ said that tattoo art has been practiced among various indigenous communities in Nepal for centuries. He highlighted that the exhibition provides an opportunity to view both Nepali and international tattoo artworks on a common platform, emphasising the need to preserve and document this art form.

Director of the Himalayan Tattoo Summit, Brijesh Shrestha, expressed his happiness in collaborating with the Academy and said that they intend to continue such programmes in the future, while extending gratitude to all participating artists.

The exhibition features works by artists from Nepal, Singapore, Thailand, India, Vietnam, Switzerland, Greece, the USA, Malaysia, and Austria. 

From Nepal, participating artists include Binil Bajracharya, Anil Tamrakar, Yujesh Deula, Prasanna Pradhan, Prabesh Bidari, Sagar Rana Magar, Neeraj Shahi, Dhirendra Kunwar, Sagar Magar, Kshitiz Shrestha, Laxman Pujari, Subash Maharjan, and others.

The exhibition, curated by Prithvi Shrestha, will continue until October 31. Similarly, the workshop features different disciplines such as canvas painting, woodcut, sculpture, and cartoon or caricature, with participation from Narad Mani Hartamchhali, Lalkaji Lama, Pradeep Adhikari, Saurganga Darshandhari, Dineshwar Mahato, Sanjay Bantawa Rai, Aruna Hingmang, and several others.