3. Nov -Dec 2011

ART
Thanks to the initiatives of late king Birendra that a
permanent ‘Gallery’ was mercifully created then. Birendra
Art Gallery- a place envisioned to be a central repository of
all historic and modern works of meaningful consequences
was provided with adequate budget to make purchases
of monumental works every year. However without any
prejudice, it makes one really sad to note that what really
happened to this institution with such noble objectives is a
story of despicable acts. On many occasions the incumbent
members of the Academy, did succeed in transforming the
provision into a virtual cash cow to purchase own or the
works of the cronies with arbitrary price tags. A unique
example is set- it is really sad to note, by Uttam Nepali while
he was in the chair. He managed to compile as many as
seventeen of his own works in this prestigious place and
pocket the funds into the pocket. Similarly, quite a few of
his cronies each has minimum ten to fifteen works sold to
NAFA as historic pieces while many many works of historic
consequence remain grossly ignored and dismissed.
Nothing can be more disgusting show of utter disregard for
the declared objectives of the Gallery. Today if one chooses
to make a surprise visit to the ‘Gallery’- it would not be
really far from the descriptions made here. One would findleave
aside a system of proper display and the supporting
literature, it would leave an art lover literally cry at the sight
of gross negligence and mismanagement. One has to see to
believe the state of disorder and dilapidation in the creaky
dust ridden ‘Gallery’!
The other visible casualty of the recent times is the
increasing degeneration of innovation, honesty and the
sense of dignity in Nepali Art. True that advent of modern
forms has brought a visible change in the perception of
Nepali art. But it is also understood by many imposters as
an easy refuge to make a quick name – or a convenient
camouflage to brand oneself as a ‘contemporary or modern
artist’. People from different walks of life as diverse as
physical fitness trainers to men least familiar with even the
basic rudimentary knowledge about art began to emerge
as artists or art writers. Most of them continue to make
‘Shows’ at every interval with mediocre works calling
it modern or ‘abstract’. Such flagrant abuse of modern
thoughts only helps create misunderstanding about essence
of art in the minds of the people.
Recent dramas and antics
Yet another ugly phenomenon seen these days is the rise
of antics, hypocrisy and the use of gimmicks in the name
of art-primarily to draw attention of the power centers and
the public. A glaring example is made in the recent past
when someone known for gimmicks, created funny antics
by dropping bundles and bundles of cloth down the balcony
of Bhimsen tower (Dharahara) for no good reasons. With
meaningless random scribbles painted over it, bundles
of cloth rolled down the balcony and it was described as
an ‘art’. What a shameless way of fooling simple Nepali
people. Thanks to the simplicity and ignorance of Nepali
people, they had to swallow it as if it is a real work of art. It
was by all means an outright bluff of a highest order and
a ridiculous stunt. Can anyone explain to this date what
purpose did this senseless and meaningless act served to
the cause of art- except to make noise? The traders who
may have donated the cloth bundles should know it better.
Rise of Opportunism, sycophancy and Greed
In 2006 circa, the country witnessed an epochal upheaval
politically: suddenly the country got transformed into a
republic. Expectations were raised high and everyone
remained euphoric that bad days are over for good. So did
the art and the art fraternity. But the first thing to happen
in the art fraternity was to witness a set of super-jealous
artists seeking to offer themselves as the art-wings or the
art-cadres of the chosen political parties. The only reasons
behind doing so were the greed, to gain close access to
the power centers and then avail themselves of the rewards
for doing so. Primarily driven by greed and partly to
compensate their own academic short comings needed
to acquire prestigious posts- such acts so unbecoming of
true artists, remained the general pattern of their ‘Lalit-kala
Abhiyan’ or the campaign for Art. So unfortunately after
2006, the state of chaos and bluff in Art for sure, nosedived
from bad to worst. In short, it was as if a kind of vicious
viral disease was spread amongst the artists. No wonder
that today each major political party has bunch of artists
serving as sister -organizations in art– in par with labor or
peasants’ groups.
The coming of ‘Nepal Academy of Fine Arts’ in place of
earlier Nepal Association of Fine Art in April, 2010 –now
independent with more clout and hefty budget is the most
visible and glaring example of a wrong decision made in
complicity with such vice groups as stated above. By the
term ‘Academy’, one understands it is a place where a
group of wise and learned scholars from respective genres
or fields sit together to steer and provide the leadership on
the strength of their knowledge and past experiences. In
a normal circumstance, the state decision makers always
make a serious thinking on choosing the very right people
to man such an august institution – never on the strength
of continuous lobbying and caving in to such petty groups.
Unfortunately, it is really a matter of shame that the present
‘Art Academy’ remains an out right end-result of such
constant pestering and lobbying made by one of those
vice-groups seen in the Nepali Art today. The present
Academy is led by and all the Office holders have all
remained the cadres of similar groups. The result is open
and for everybody to see. It is a motley crowd of people
from extreme opportunists, monarchists to just anarchists
or with disparate back grounds. Most of the ‘Academicians’
are not only members of sister organizations, about half
of them are also still enrolled as regular students in TU to
this very moment. And paradoxically, some members have
spacesnepal.com 62
November - December 2011