KATHMANDU, June 16: A patchwork made out of different fabrics is hung at one end of one of the gallery rooms at Yala Maya Kendra in Patan Dhoka on June 15. This is artist Saran Tandukar’s work. Titled ‘Come Bind’, the piece of work shows the importance of unity in diversity. Different fabrics, representative of the various ethnicities and cultures of our country, are sewn together to create a colorful whole. The artist has also included fabrics that we have adopted from other cultures as a part of modernization.
“Honestly, I still don’t know a lot about federalism. I’m still confused. But I think that this confusion is obvious and always there when we talk about the future,” says Tandukar.[break]
Tandukar was amongst the 22 artists who are a part of ‘A Federal Life’, an art exhibition jointly organized by Kathmandu University School of Arts and UNDP’s Support to Participatory Constitution Building in Nepal project (SPCBN).
Two-days of residential workshop of Federalism and five weeks of work have successfully culminated to this diverse and impressive exhibition where young local artists contribute to the federalism debate, through the form of expression that they know best.
Another artist, Supriya Manandhar, whose work is titled ‘Emblem’, bases her painting on the composition of the sun, the crescent moon, and the ribbon – three recurring icons in the coats of arms of Nepal, to recreate an emblem for the federal Nepal. Playing with the game of ‘cat’s cradle’ as well as the grid-formula used to make a map of Nepal, Manandhar, through her painting, gives out the message of social inclusion and participation.
“I’ve always been interested in looking at political art and have never seen art and politics as two different things,” shares Manadhar, who is acquainted with the federalism debate and other political issues of Nepal. “Participating in this workshop and exhibition has given me an objective view of Federalism,” she adds.
The inaugural of the ceremony was attended by distinguished artists and diplomats while Rohan Edrisinha of SPCBN/UNDP, Prof Ram Kantha Makaju, the Vice Chancellor of Kathamndu University, Shoko Noda, the Country Director of UNDP and Dr Thomas Gass, the Ambassador for Switzerland took their place on the dais.
“This art exhibition is an innovative way to reach out to the audience,” said Shoko Noda, commenting that she was impressed with the explorations of the artists. While Ambassador Gass , who was touched by the engagement and passion behind the paintings ,said that the same kind of passion was required to create a successful federal nation.
‘A Federal Life’ was inaugurated on June 15 and is open to public until June 20.
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