Faces of tomorrow

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: While thinking about children, one can instantly visualise their cuteness, innocence and playfulness. In the art exhibition by Spanish artist Andrea Lopez Iglesias titled ‘The New Faces of Tibet’, beside these qualities of children, one can see hope, anxiety, pain, fear and more. The exhibition started at the Siddhartha Art Gallery, Baber Mahal Revisited on May 11.

As the title suggests new faces of Tibet, artist Iglesias has managed to capture the faces of Tibetan children living in the refugee camps of Pokhara and Kathmandu where their family members have been exiled to a life in Nepal after the political change in Tibet.

On the ground floor of the gallery, paintings in watercolours of older Buddhist monks and children are displayed. The techniques used are monotype, dry point with Chine-colle, linocut and more.

In each painting using drypoint with Cine-colle, a Buddhist monk has been displayed joining both hands in prayer creating two different layers with this technique. The portrait at first look like as if it has been cut then pasted, while the visuals are firmer where she has used colours like red, white and black.

Meanwhile, on the first and second floors of the gallery are displayed a total of 14 larger than life portraits using oil on canvas where individual stories on how they got to Nepal and their expectations about future are hung beside the paintings.

She has captured the emotions of the children in a very vibrant and lively manner using bold bright colours which have given definition to the children’s expressions by using various curved lines on the faces. She has shown hopes and feelings of the children through her work which has become a visual narrative about their emotions and way of life. Her paintings have captured the inner soul or the hope for a new future where they are hopeful to retain their culture and language.

About working with the Tibetan children living in Nepal artist Iglesias expressed, “I got a chance to know their personal stories on how their family came to Nepal. The children in the portraits were listening to the stories told by the oldest member from their families when I took their photographs for my paintings. It was amazing working with them where some children were shy and some were furious at me about why I was taking photographs and asking so many questions.”



The exhibition is on till May 24.