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An expedition to explore art in different regions was a desire I had harboured in my introverted art world. New cultures, new people and art styles unheard of and unseen are what really got me into thinking of getting into this journey of art. Yes, it was art that pulled me into it.
Inevitability or indulgence? I wouldn't dare calling art any other than necessity. Art is not just an expression, it is us, it is everything that has been in the universe. This could be the reason why I didn't think twice before saying yes when the opportunity to go to Bangladesh to be a part of an art exhibition came knocking at my door.
The journey of a thousand miles began with that single step. Everything was beautiful, and nothing was perfect throughout the travel. To begin with, the warm gesture of welcome and hospitality portrayed a nice picture of the Bengali people in my head.
The convivial nature of the Bengali people there at the exhibition was meritorious. This element caught my emotion whilst the artwork being exhibited there caught my eyes. All those vivid colours around me made me realise it was something that I subconsciously wanted to be in, turning my brain into a garden of radiance.
I was amused by how the artists there pulled off such colours that completely contradicted the conventional method of art and brought new ways of doing it.
The rainbow colours they used in their paintings were something I never dared doing.
Bengali artwork reflects something deep, yet it is so transparent.
Taking abstract painting for reference, it is considered as a remarkable form of art in the Bengali art world.
To me, age is never a barrier in the field of art. Following this philosophy, even the preschoolers were being encouraged to create something meaningful.
This observation led me to conclude that acceptance of art in diverse age groups is a major difference if we compare it to what we see here in Nepal.
I must confess that I was a little demotivated when I found the artworks created by the preschoolers to be more appealing, conceptual and overall better than mine.
However, all my dubiety flew away when people started commending my work, which was being exhibited there. I even got interviewed by a renowned TV channel. That's when I realised that art in Bengali society is appreciated as a profession, and an artist as a valuable member of the society.
In conclusion, this trip of mine wasn't only a visit to widen my knowledge of art but also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to figure out what really was the missing piece in the jigsaw puzzle in Nepali art culture.
