Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, March 16:

After a tranquil session of meditative classical music, the renowned intellectuals of Nepal troop down the stone stairways for dinner. They are participants of ‘Genius at Work: A Creative Art Camp of Senior Nepali Professionals’ and they are hungry.

Who are the Geniuses? Tulsi Diwas, Bhuwan Dhungana, Khagendra Sangraula, Durga Baral, Tirtha Shrestha, Prakash Pradhananga, Sashi Shah, KK Karmacharya, Sailendra Sakar, Ram Dayal Rakesh, Batsa Gopal Vaidya, Shankhar Raj Singh Suwal, Madan Chitrakar, Yuyutsu RD Sharma, Sashikala Tiwari and more. Phatteman and Deep Shrestha were also scheduled to join but due to various illnesses, they could not make it.

The camp, organised by Sutra Art Centre, was held at Osho Tapoban, Nagarjun Hill. It called senior artists, musicians, filmmakers, writers and performers to share their experiences.

The first day was spent in settling down and relaxing to enchanting classical and fusion music. March 15, all woke to a day overcast with rain. It seemed like an indication of the expressions that needed to be born. Sashi Shah, KK Karmacharya and Madan Chitrakar made a whirlwind entrance and began painting. “We wanted to bring them out from beyond the conventions,” said Ashmina Ranjit, chairperson Sutra. The canvases came in all shapes and sizes. Sashi Shah painted 16 canvases in a matter of hours. Horses and terror-stricken faces dominated his works. “These are our times,” he said, sketching some more.

The writers let their pens fly. Tulsi Diwas and Tirtha Shrestha sat in their rooms composing poetry, reading out to each other, sharing ideas and criticism. “To be here among the trees, you need to let them inspire you,” said Diwas to Shrestha. Bhuwan Dhungana had been sitting in her room writing away. “We have to write a diary on this workshop. I am not writing on the day-to-day happenings but the impressions left by the people I’ve come into contact with,” she shared.

Every day, a discussion was held where the professionals would share their search for identity. The works by these artistes will be open for public viewing on Thursday, March 18 from 11 am to 4pm at Osho Tapoban Forest Retreat.