Yasmin Taj

Kathmandu:

Simplicity is the best expression of art” is what patrons of Zen Art say. Which was implicit in the creations on display at the exhibition at Buddha Gallery in Thamel on January 20. The exhibition presented 36 paintings by renowned Buddhist Korean artist Kang Chan-Mo, who has adopted an experimental approach to great effect in his series of works, restricting himself to the use of only one colour. The exhibition is on till 26 January.

Kang Chan-Mo’s paintings are a result of inspiration derived from a recent trek in the Nepalise Himalayas, the Khumbu region of Everest providing most of the motivational energy of his work. He was accompanied by good friend Kim Hong Sung, himself a photographer and poet, on his tour. “Amadablam” in particular is imbued with many images of the Buddha in repose, not real but within the realms of imagination. Kim reflected that their progress during the trek was very slow as Kang stopped frequently to worship every Buddha image that appeared in his mind’s eye. “It was like a Tibetan’s pilgrimage,” said Kim, who also has a healthy appreciation of the mountains as a mountaineer. Kang Chan-Mo was born in 1949 in Non San, Choong Nam Province, Korea. He completed a BA in Fine Arts at Joong Ang University and also graduated from the Japanese Art School. He has had 11 solo exhibitions by far at venues all around the world.

Krishna Manandhar inaugurated the exhibition, being a very renowned artist himself. He said that either a very experienced artist or a very young child could do art like this by using only a few strokes and just one colour. He said that Zen Art is the simplest form of expressing one’s feeling. “Nepalis and Korean Art are different. I want the people of Nepal to experience the essence of Korean Art,” said Choi Go Dam, the organiser of this exhibition, owner of Buddha Gallery.

Overjoyed with his recent success, the 55-year-old artist wants to stick to the minimalist approach that gifted artlovers such an awesome experience…