Living Heritage, currently on view at The Nanee in Bhaktapur, brings together traditional artists whose practices remain rooted in everyday life, ritual, and community. Curated by multidisciplinary artist Manish Lal Shrestha, the exhibition highlights artistic traditions of the Kathmandu Valley, including paubhā painting, sculpture, metal repoussé, and theatre.
The exhibition features paubhā paintings by Devendra Sinkhwal, Rajani Sinkhwal, and Ujay Bajracharya, sculpture by Indra Prasad Shilpakar, and metal repoussé by Lalitpur-based artist Rajesh Shakya, whose practice spans religious commissions and contemporary exhibitions. Together, the artists represent different generations within Newar artistic traditions.
Paubhā painter Rajani Sinkhwal highlighted how the art form carries inherited knowledge and skills passed through generations. She also noted the growing presence of women in the field and expressed hope that art will increasingly be recognised as a serious profession. Devendra Sinkhwal, who began learning paubhā painting at 13 from family members in Bhaktapur, described the practice as a centuries-old tradition that continues today, though it remains less widely recognised than thangka painting.
Hosted within the heritage setting of The Nanee, under the custodianship of Shailaja and Ajay Bahadur Pradhanang, the exhibition situates living heritage within both artworks and place. The opening concluded with a performance by Sarwanam Theatre, led by playwright Ashesh Malla, reinforcing the exhibition’s central idea that tradition survives through ongoing practice and shared experience.
