The miniature painting exhibition held at Museum of Nepali Art compels viewers to look beyond the ordinary. While the word “miniature” conjures images of tiny, small things, interestingly, the exhibition also features a miniature of Kathmandu valley but on a canvas that is eight-foot large.
“From microscopic masterpieces to eight-foot large artworks and everything in-between, all is embraced in this curation. Each work of art will require you to change your perspective; sometimes as a human being and other times as an ant or a whale,” philosophises the head curator, Rajan Sakya.
What’s more? For the first time in the history of art, renowned artists have recreated original miniatures of their own masterpieces. “To create miniatures of your own masterpiece is difficult. The artist needs to reflect the same energy and it has to be as powerful as the older one,” shares Rajan.
There are about 200 paintings featuring the work of 65 artists; and the curation is mastered in a way that every cove tells a story.
There’s one cove in particular which talks about how our life is a beautiful collection of miniature moments. Indeed, an exhibition within an exhibition. “We are not here to show you the painting on the wall, we are here to make you feel the connection between the artwork and the viewer. It is an exhibition to make people look beyond the painting,” he shares.
We ask the curators what led them to this exhibition. “We have been collecting miniature artworks for around two years now and we have put our souls in curating these artworks in a way that it leaves a lasting impression in the visitor’s mind. And they takeaway positive energy from it. One will be amazed by the simplicity, intricacy, fine detail, and creativity of some of the most versatile masters and young artists of Nepal,” tells Rajan.
Rasna Shrestha, a curator of the exhibition, shares, “We have tried to bring alive the festive vibe and energy of the Kathmandu valley. From the lively colours of Jatras, musical instruments, traditional dances and the deep faith of the people where even stones lying in the middle of the roads symbolise gods and goddesses. “The exhibit evokes a sense of joy and divine energy that permeates the valley,” Rasna elaborates.
There are 12 of Kiran Manandhar’s work on display alone with a caption that reads: Our one life is a beautiful collection of miniature moments.
Raj Prakash Tuladhar’s ‘Panch Buddha’ catches our attention and we learn that this beautiful work took more than a year to complete.
The exhibition weaves the different elements to capture viewer attention and imagination. Below are some examples:
Art & AI: My eternity is an assemblage of my fractions
“We worked with a Swiss company to integrate art with AI. It was an immersive experience. We wanted visitors to feel the artwork,” shares Rajan.
For the first time in Nepal, Roshan Dangol’s masterpiece can be viewed through VR assisted through AI technology. For the first time in the history of art, an artist recreated original miniatures of his own masterpieces, of the most pivotal parts. Hence the tagline, “My eternity is an assemblage of my fractions.”
Microscopic Art: Holding vast expressions of human creativity
There are artworks ofo.25 cm size, and they come to life under a microscope. This section of art bridges the traditional with the neo traditional, revealing the boundless realms of artistic expression that thrive within the smallest dimensions imaginable. It is a testament to the power of perspective. It asks its visitors to look closer, to really see, and to consider how even the smallest canvas can hold vast expressions of human creativity. One of the artworks also requires binocular to spot an oversize painting of a fly in a miniature.
Never Seen Masterpieces: Power of your dreams
In a section dedicated to legendary Shahi Bikram Shah, one can witness eight of never seen before seen masterpieces in various sizes. Shashi’s horses not only express how some dreams become big and how some dreams shrink, but his work also demands that you do not give up on the power of your dreams.
Young Artists: Creativity unleashed
The exhibition gave platform to many young artists like Dipesh Nepali, Karma Dawa Lama, Saili Bajracharya, Van Rana, Sagar Manandhar and more. Dipesh is a 21-year-old artist who works exclusively in oil paints because of the technical challenge and the blend of colours that he can achieve through them. His artwork of a sacred tree draws the viewer in.
Sagar’s “Sound of Colours” explores the musical in nature and community, focusing on overlapping sounds and shifting colours. The piece encourages listening and visual perception, capturing the artist’s spiritual path through the fusion of sounds. The melodies of the morning vibes fluctuate as the sun moves away from the horizon, creating distinct yet unclear notations. The ambiguous painting engages viewers to look at their environment with deeper understanding.
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