Multicultural vision

Surendra Tandukar

KATHMANDU: Be it paintings or installations, photos or videos, each artwork being showcased at ‘Separating Myth from Reality — Status of Women’ — International Art Festival at Nepal Art Council (NAC) represents an aspect of woman.

‘Case Note’, an installation of petroleum measuring vessels by Loren Beven (UK), stands at a corner on the ground floor. From a distance six vessels of different sizes with writings on the surface allure the viewers. When one gets closer, it spells out the story of Sita, a Nepali woman. It includes how she became a widow and her sufferings.

The painting by Indian artist Jaya Ganguly is acrylic on canvas but the impression is that of cloth. She has portrayed a man’s face with one eye closed. The artist has chiefly used black and white colours to develop the image where the face is white but covered with a black net.

‘Tree of life’ by Indian artist Seema Kohli is pleasing though it depicts a Jesus-like figure standing on the head of a woman and two women suspended holding his hands before a tree. Golden colour chiefly dominates her paintings and the golden frame highlights the piece.

‘Jumble 3 and Memories’ — two paintings by Indian artist Manjari Chakravarti has light colours with words artistically written over them.

‘And she’s buying a Stairway to Heaven’, a life size painting showcases a masked woman with wings climbing up a suspended ladder of ropes leading to the sky from where a red lion like creature stares at her. Artist Chandrima Bhattacharya (India) uses ladder as a major component in her painting. Her collection has mostly vibrant hues like blue and red.

A face emerges from the middle of Jayshree Chakravarty’s painting where the canvas is entirely covered with abstract figures except for some images of insects.

‘Cell’ is yet another interesting installation by Dutch artist Desiree de Baar where a rectangular life-size prison cell of pink wool has been erected. “Reconstruction of actual places always has been the theme of my creations,” said Baar adding ancient women of Netherlands used to work staying in such congested cells.

Dedicating his installation ‘Black Rainbow — Breath of women’ to his grandmother, another Dutch artist Joncquil de Vries has set an installation, where everything is black depicting the dark and cloudy weather after a storm with black balloons representing black clouds. “Art lovers in Nepal are so warm and interactive that most of them did ask about the installation,” said Vries stating that viewers aren’t so in Netherlands.

Photographs by Leena Saraste (Finland) showcase the suffering of women in Afghanistan and Beirut while that of American photographer Thomas Kelly depicts the condition of Nepali women who are victims of human trafficking.

Nepali artist Kalapremi Shrestha’s ‘Jamara (Sacred Yellow Grass) is an attractive piece. The artist has grown plants of wheat, paddy and barley in some nine sacks full of sand. The sacks are plied up one over another while at the top a pinnacle is placed, structuring it like a temple.