Bare and beautiful

Kathmandu:

The beauty in natural things lies in its nudity — be it a flower or the sky. And it is equally true for humans. This has been beautifully depicted in a very frank and truthful way in the artwork exhibited. It should not be seen as vulgar, but one has to perceive the artistic image created in them,” said senior artist Uttam Nepali, inaugurating Korean artist Park Geun Yong’s exhibition ‘Tantric Sculptures and Nude Croquis’ at Siddhartha Art Gallery on January 9.

Five years ago when Yong visited Nepal, he was fascinated by the erotic art done on the tundals of temples especially around the Bhaktapur area. Describing his work he said, “My artwork has been inspired by tantric artwork. These artistic pieces in the temples are not erotic but have a deep thinking within them, showcasing the relation between man and woman in a very realistic way.”

His artwork include a variety of work such as wooden sculptures (photos), polycote and paper relief pieces and croquis. Croquis or the hand sketches were made by the artist in only a minute.

Siddhartha Gallery’s Sangeeta Thapa said that paintings should not be limited to landscape or portraits only, but that the public should be given variety. This was the reason she had decided on this exhibition.

“These artwork are based on the rich cultural heritage we have, which includes erotic art but with Korean interpretation,” she added. The exhibition is on till January 23.