A rare amalgamation of contemporary Nepali art
Conceived in 2007, Amalgam Exhibition showcases works by senior artists while also serving as a platform for young Nepali artists and some visiting international artists. The seventh edition this year features the works of 40 Nepali artists including Aditya Aryal, Bidhyaman Tamang, Dipak Lama, Gopal Kalapremi Shrestha, Hari Adhikari, Hit Man Gurung, Ishan Pariyar and Sushma Shakya.
In addition, four guest artists—Birendra Pratap Singh, S.C. Suman, Seema Sharma Shah and Uma Shankhar Shah—are the part of the exhibit this year. This edition of Amalgam embraces multiple mediums, as well as a small selection of prints by Printmaking Nepal featuring works of Lok Chitrakar and Late Manuj Baba Mishra.
Providing a rare insight into the contemporary art scene of Nepal, the exhibition spills over from the Babar Mahal main gallery into the outer Pipal bot as well. On Sept 8 and 9, there was a rare opportunity to learn raku ceramic technique with master artist Gopal Kalapremi Shrestha. The main exhibition is open until September 28, 12 pm-5 pm, every day
EVENTS THIS WEEK
WATCH
Sunday Movie Night
6.30 pm, Sunday, Sept 23
Bikalpa Art Café & Bar
Pulchowk, Lalitpur
Get the week up and off with some blasts from the past. This Sunday night features “Foreign Correspondent”, also popular as “imposter” or “personal history”, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
PARTICIPATE
3rd BASS DAY NEPAL
1 pm, Saturday, Sept 22
Shisha Lounge & Bar
Thamel, Kathmandu
Witness the performances of some of the best bass players in Nepal. Attend the Bass Clinic by Marcus Dengate and see Rizu Tuladhar present “Bass— A musical tool in context of Nepali artist”.
Entry: Rs 200
ATTEND
The Comedy Tuk Tuk Show
7:45 pm, Saturday, Sept 22
SukraBar, Lazimpat
Book tickets for a night of laughter as three amazing stand-up comedians in K-Town tickle all your funny bones! Comedians Aadarsh Mishra, Alan Jung Thapa and Rajina Shrestha will definitely help put a hysteric end to your hectic week. Pre-purchase tickets at Sukrabar or pay at the door (by 7:25 PM).
Price: Rs.100 per person
LISTEN
TMR Trio Blues Session
7 pm, Friday Sept 21
Social Café
Gairidhara, Kathmandu
This Friday night, the TMR Trio featuring Nikhil Tuladhar will be performing an intimate session of blues and rocknroll at the Social Cafe.
IT'S TIME TO..
VISIT KULEKHANI
Kulekhani is best known for its hydropower dam, which provides visitors a lake-like environment and an opportunity to boat! Its breathtaking scenery, landscapes, rivers, waterfalls and flora are well worth the time it takes to get there from Kathmandu. Once the ancient trade route with India, you can also see a number of mini Buddhist stupas on the way. Actually you can combine a trip with visiting the Buddhist town of Pharping with its monastery and sacred cave. You may also want to stop at the Bheda Farm in Chitlang.
HIKE TO CHISAPANI
This hill-station offers the perfect mini-trek amid rich flora and fauna of Shivapuri National Park, and spectacular mountains all around. Drive to Sundarijal (about 45-60 minutes by car) and walk up for a couple of hours, past the main water source of Kathmandu, and through Shivapuri National Park with its sub-tropical forests, until you reach Mal Kharka. Here you can have lunch before you hike for another two hours to Borlang Bhanjyang. Another 1.5 hours on and you reach Chisapani (2,215m). The views on the way are breathtaking. Marvel at the majesty of the Langtang Himal, Jugal Himal, Ganesh Himal and Gaurishankar Himal ranges.
RIDE ELEPHANTS IN CHITWAN
Time and experience have proved that one of the best ways of viewing life in the wild is atop an elephant. At Jungle Safari Lodge in Chitwan, they take you on elephant back to view the wildlife of the area, as far as possible in their natural habitat. Safety and security being a prime concern, you will never be alone and never without professional guides and naturalists. Go get a breath of fresh air!
Jalini: Another master production of Mandala Theater
‘Jalini’, directed by the popular Nepali actor Dayahang Rai, tells the story of the eponymous Jalini, a princess. Set in prehistoric times, it is a dramatization of a folktale written by Dhruba Satya Pariyar. (Jalini is one of the stories from Pariyar’s short story anthology ‘Kairan’.) This 1 hour 15 minutes-long play revolves around the issue of the origins of various superstitious beliefs, and how they are still being practiced. Witnessing the constricted role of women in the society of the time makes you think about the social status of contemporary women. But it is as much a story about love and sacrifice.
To watch this play, make sure you reach on time. If you are even a minute late, you will not be allowed into the theater hall. This is also important because you may be unable to understand the complex story if you are not there right from the beginning.
The play is staged at 5:30 pm every day, and will run through October 7 (except on Mondays). On Wednesdays and Thursdays, the general ticket price is Rs 300 and for students, it is Rs 200. If you go on other days, general ticket price is Rs 500 and for students, Rs 200. People who love folktales and are in a mood to see some good acting should make time. Mandala Theater at Anamnagar has over the years churned out many talented artists, a fact that is well reflected in Jalini.
