“There are very few books on contemporary Nepali art in English and this is probably the fifth one,” announced Sangeeta Thapa, the author of the book and curator of SAG, to a gathering of over more than a hundred artists and art enthusiasts gathered there. “The art exhibition consists of Manuj Babu’s works from his early drawings made more than 30 years back to his most recent ones,” informed Thapa and added, “One can really see how he has developed and changed as an artist over the years.”
A total of 51 works by Manuj Babu are up on show at the SAG and they vary from watercolors and oil paintings to dry points and lithographs. Some of Manuj Babu’s lithographs are the last ones remaining of his editions.
The 74 year old artist has remained in seclusion for the past 20 years and has been working from his home in Bauddha which is popularly known as the Hermitage Art Cottage.
Representing the sponsors NIBL was the Chief Executive Officer Prithvi Bahadur Pande, one of the few art collectors of the country. “Manuj Babu is a visionary, a man of great intellect who is always ahead of his time,” remarked Pande, who has loaned a few of Manuj Babu’s paintings from his personal collection to SAG for the exhibition.
Also present at the book launch were Professor and litterateur Dr Tara Nath Sharma and the Director of the Indian Culture Center and art writer Dr Geeti Sen.
‘In the Eye of the Storm’ is available for purchase at SAG. The exhibition will remain open till January 21.
Related story
Veteran artist Manuj Babu passes away
