KATHMANDU: Portraying unusual images of human beings with unnatural complexion and anatomy, artist Sunil Sigdel has depicted the suffering of people caused by mistakes committed by a minority of people in power. The exhibition titled Infiltration of Darkness was inaugurated by Norwegian Ambassador Thor Gislesen on March 26 at Kathmandu Contemporary Art Centre, Jhamsikhel.

Though the paintings are figurative, they have a symbolic nature as well. Each painting acquires a human image in them. However, these human images are not the normal ones for they have a bit different anatomy from natural appearance of human beings. While the artist has used difference in shape and size of these images, most of the human figures portrayed are bald and dwarf. Similarly, many of the figures are devoid of any clothes.

The artist has used a wide range of colours but has employed a few sets of colours in one piece. Though a human image comes as a major character in his paintings, some minor characters also appear in smaller sizes on the canvas. And flower is the dominant one, which symbolically represents human feelings. In a very symbolic way the artist has also exhibited a person’s pride through the medals stuck on the human figures’ chests though they are not dressed. Memories of the lost fragrance is a painting in which a man is on his knees holding a branch with flower while an incomplete image of two gunmen is created in the background.

In a painting titled Three of Them, artist Sigdel has created three pieces of paintings each with a different image, in grey, orange and blue complexion respectively symbolising the trinity — Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwor. On top of each image, the artist has drawn small human figures while he has created two images of mere clothes standing without a body.

Explaining the piece, artist Sigdel said, “I have tried to showcase the ill-practice of our society through this painting,” adding that the larger images represent qualified people, while the small ones symbolise incompetent ones who are ruling over them.

When asked about unusual images, the artist said, “Rather than a usual image of human, these unusual images help me more to communicate messages through their impressions.”

He said that he used various colours to depict them instead of discriminating them by black or white ones.

The exhibition is on till April 18.