It’s up to us to put out this fire, says artist BK

KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Durbar Square is a favourite haunt for many of Capital denizens whether to sit just around and chat with friends, or sit alone. And artist Joyti Prakash BK chose Kathmandu Durbar Square, Basantapur Dabali on November 26 to unleash his feelings about ongoing Madhesh movement and the blockade letting his canvas, colours and brushes do the talking. His on-the-spot art included completing a painting and giving a performance at the same time titled ‘Dignity’.

BK created a painting with a symbolic meaning that Nepal is capable of looking after her people and it’s in her people’s hands how to save the dignity of the country. BK created images of keys and locks, where the locks are open. He created people in never-ending line — a direct reflection of the current state of affairs here, faces of people with agony and pain using hues like red, blue, green, brown and more. He used a canvas that was in the shape of the flag of Nepal that was eight feet long.

But this art was rather dramatic because as BK was busy with his canvas, his helpers made a circle around him with a rope doused in kerosene oil which they set alight. As he worked, BK also put out the fire with his hands and legs crawling like a baby symbolising that the fire that has been burning in Tarai has to be put out by us.

As BK was busy with his art, there were many curious ones in the audience — a few asking about the painting, some appreciating the work and some just confused. Fourty-six-year-old Maila Lama from the audience shared, “I enjoyed the artist’s work and looking at his work made me feel good. Him working within the circle of fire and putting it out made me realise, we should not stop what we are doing and that we should find a solution to our difficulties on our own.”

For BK working on-the-spot was a chance to learn more while working without the luxury of his studio. “Through my painting and my performance I aimed to tell the public that we have to tackle this difficulty and that the solution is within us. We should be independent and being so is the solution to uphold our dignity.”