KATHMANDU:

“Exchange of cultures between two nations will always enrich both the countries involved,” said Hong Sungmog, Ambassador of Republic of Korea, while opening the exhibition by Erina Tamrakar on December 12.

Titled ‘My days in Korea’, the exhibition being held at The Art shop, this collection includes Tamrakar’s vision and perspectives of the Korean culture. She witnessed different aspects of Korean culture when she was there as part of a six-month residential programme.

Tamrakar said that she was very much influenced by the Lotte Folk Museum in South Korea. “The whole history of the dynasty has been depicted through dolls.”

This influence can be seen in her paintings, in the way she has drawn small figures representing South Korean and Nepali women. She has also presented the geographic aspect of Korea in one of her painting with figures resembling the countries geographical structures.

The use of Korean paper with text on it in her collage and the presence of fish in

her paintings also portray her experience in the country. Talking about the latter she said, “It was there that I came across a lot of sea food, so in a way fish will always remind me of Korea.”

Gold in the most dominant colour of her collection and for the artist this colour represents purity. In some she has used golden colour just as highlights but some of her works are totally done with that. Buddha is another symbol of purity for Tamrakar and thus her paintings have the beautiful face of Buddha with a golden touch. “We have a saying soon jasto pavitra (as pure as gold) and since this collection is more about cultures, purity is the essence of it all and thus I have used more of gold,” she said.

She has used small figures to represent people but her portrayals of faces are more of silhouettes.

The exhibition is on till December 24. — HNS