Fusion of old and new

KATHMANDU, April 15: Bhaktapur has always been revered for its traditional beauty - its traditional masterpieces and traditional art. But Bhaktapur, like its neighboring cities, is looking to grow out of its traditional motifs and open up to the global contemporary art scene.

The ongoing group exhibition “Steps” at Jhaurbahi, a monastery at Golmadhi, by seven young artists from the city proves just that.[break]

While the artists worked on a theme that relates to Bhaktapur, individual works of every artist come out as unique creations.

Narayan Prasad Bohaju paints inanimate objects like bicycles resting on the rails or slippers hanging on bare tree branches with sullen grey background in an attempt to portray evanescent existence. His paintings have an easy-to-locate focal point that makes the paintings so calm yet so salient that they seem to be speaking out to the viewers.

Rabin Yakami has carefully sketched buildings of and around Bhaktapur in pen and ink. Made on Lokta paper, his work has wonderfully used the traditional mediums, not in praise of the traditional beauty but in calling for its preservation.

Satya Shila Kashajoo and Rabita Kisi take inspiration from the Navadurga ganas and masks for their paintings. Kashajoo’s work Shaktipuja portrays the feminine force of Durgas with the use of triangles, traditional masks and Pancharang threads with a sense of clarity. Kisi’s works, on the other hand, are more abstract and her theme of the festivity and rebirth does not perceptibly connect to the audience.

With the dominant use of black and red – two emblematic colors of Bhaktapur – Bal Krishna Banamala uses the motif of Haku Patasi in his paintings of mortal women and divinity such as Buddha and Kumari.

Experimenting regularly with art mediums, this time around Laxman Karmacharya has tried his hand out at embossing Astamangal signs into aluminum plates. Use of cultural symbols such as the Shankha and Chakra continue in his acrylic paintings. And here, his concept of modernity proudly embracing the traditional is exemplified to its full stature.

Sudeep Balla’s works stand out like rebel amongst his colleagues’. In one of his work, he uses colored bottles to form Salvador Dali’s mug shot against his own, both staring out with a look of malicious attitude. It was interesting to see quite a stream of local audience, kids and elderly, squinting their eyes to see Dali clearly.

Radical in concept and presentation, Balla’s youth culture art signifies a commendable effort for Nepali art to take a new direction away from the set standards of our rich traditional art and crafts.

The show will last till April 18.