KATHMANDU:

Two distinct types of paintings currently adorn the walls of the Saturday Café at Boudha. Paintings depicting Nepali lifestyle and thankas are being exhibited at the café. While the former ones are the artworks of Amir Bahadur Chitrakar, most of the thankas have been done by his son Anup Jyoti Chitrakar. This is certainly a one of a kind painting exhibition where father and son have exhibited their artworks together.

Both emphasise on the fact that it is their family claiming to be one of the oldest in the Valley, their ancestors dating back to almost 600 years, who were involved in art and it is with the wish to keep the family name and tradition alive, and give the family heritage continuity they have put up the exhibition.

Describing his paintings, Amir Bahadur said, “My paintings are mostly based on daily life of people. I have depicted traditional life, culture, architecture and heritage of our country as these manifest our identity and I believe they should be preserved.”

His works are simple and graceful works on a mother and child, the durbar squares and people’s activities, people clad in traditional attire. And the youngest of the Chitrakar clan Anup, whose impressive thanka paintings are on display said, “I came across a book titled Kathmandu Valley Paintings and saw that some of the artworks were done by my ancestors, so I felt even I needed to contribute. My works in this exhibition are based on traditional Newari thanka.”

Thanka paintings of Green Tara, Nava Durga Mandala, Shakya Muni, Amitabha Buddha and many others emphasising on the minutest details are on display. While the senior Chitrakar’s works date from almost a decade ago to the present, Anup’s works include the ones he has made in the last three years.

The exhibition has 26 of Amir Bahadur’s paintings and 13 of Anup’s works.

The exhibition will continue till May 10 — HNS