Kathmandu:

An exhibition of contemporary paintings from the ‘Roof of the World’ is on at the Siddhartha Art Gallery, Babermahal.

The exhibition was inaugurated on January 9 by noted singer Ani Choying Dolma amidst many senior artists, poets and art lovers. However, the artists whose works were being displayed were not present at the exhibition.

The paintings by the 13 artists are definitely mature. They use modern style to depict the beauty, innocence and simplicity of the Tibetan life and culture. Buddhist prayer flags, images of Buddha and Stupa also find space in the paintings. While some artists have romanced more with the traditional subject matter, some have depicted the influence of modern life.

The artists, some of whom are well renowned in Tibet, have also given deeper philosophical insights into life. The paintings ‘Moon, Cloud and Fish’ and ‘Rustic Chain’ have good colour combination and show maturity. The three paintings by Jang Yung, show an doe-eyed innocent and playful girl wishing to fly, perhaps a flight of creativity. While the girl’s face and things she uses (like bicycles, helicopter-like flying object) exude western air, her dress and the spatial background are Tibetan, showing a unique hybridity of culture. In one painting named ‘Yak’, the dream and reality have been well contrasted by the use of soft and hard hues and the rough texture of the yaks. The exhibition is on till January 23.