Birendra Pratap Singh – A Retrospective 1971-2015

Birendra Pratap Singh – A Retrospective 1971-2015

A Curatorial Note:

Although recent political history states that Nepal officially opened its borders to the world in the 1950s, its art history suggests that this was rather a re-integration. Fragments of western art had entered the country over a century before and a few centuries earlier, Nepali artists were a novelty to within the region. Since the 1950s, Nepali artists and art have lived between the pull of global art trends and local ethnic themes. Much of contemporary Nepali art is shaped by the intermittent parachuting in of multi-national and multi-cultural stimuli that have been sporadically absorbed.

A serious dearth of documented history has resulted in an ambiguity and vagueness to our recent art history. Without any records or meaningful narrative, the historical contribution of Nepali artists is poorly understood, if not entirely forgotten. A cohesive understanding of the various art movements, artistic styles and aesthetic notions that are a part of our history is sorely lacking.

Birendra Pratap Singh (b.1955) belongs to a generation of artists who studied abroad and returned home with their newfound skills to practice art. Singh and his generation of artists have embedded their knowledge into the fabrics of Nepali art. As the founder of Shrijana Art Gallery (1986), he remains one of the most active and influential artists of his generation.

A retrospective of Birendra Pratap Singh was a necessity for Nepali art to situate itself in relation to its past and to a generation of artists that occupy a particular periodic niche. Despite limited resources and considerable challenges, Birendra Pratap and his generation of artists played a pivotal role in the development of what we today understand as “modern Nepali art”. This retrospective, by an indefatigable and much loved artist, is therefore a tribute to a whole generation of artist. Through it, we hope to come to a better understanding the elements and styles that shape our present.

Exhibition Team
Organised by: Siddhartha Art Gallery
Exhibition Director – Sangeeta Thapa

Curator – Sujan Chitrakar
Assistant Curator – Palistha Kakshapati
Researcher – Dikshya Karki

Design Team
Graphic Designer – Ramesh Maharjan
Design Assistants – Saurabhi Poudel | Nitisha Wanem Subba

Audio Video – Asim Chitrakar

Merchandise
Rabindra Kapali, Fuzion Art and Design, Supply Solutions Pvt. Ltd.

Gallery Layout
Jeny Shrestha

Siddhartha Arts Foundation Team
Nischal Oli, Sanjeep Maharjan, Ankit Bilash Joshi, Binod Bhujel

Siddhartha Art Gallery Team
Binod Adhikary, Sujeena Bajracharya, Anmol Bajracharya

Personal Picture Archiving
Nepal Picture Library

Fabrication Team
Dhruba Maharjan, Rajesh Barahi, Shyam Lubanjar

Hand Painting
Uttam Shrestha, Asha Gopal Shrestha

Installation Team
Nabendra Limbu, Sujan Dangol, Prabal Bikram Shah, Roshan Sakha, Amrit Karki, Sameer Tamrakar, Santosh Jarga Magar, Dipesh Adhikari, Manoj Maharjan, Badal Adhikari, Rimesh Maharjan, Barun Pandey, Neeti Shrestha, Bharat Rai, Dujaw Chitrakar, Anushri Lama, Shyam Prajapati, Marlene Harles, Raju Shrestha, Deepak Lama, Pal Yaden Sherpa, Siddhant Rai, James Khati, Saroj Maharjan, Parish Shakya,Ximi Wang, Kunjan Tamang, Rahul Thapa, Utsav Bajracharya, Suman Rana,
Shreeti Prajapati, Subicha Gurung, Muna Bhadel, Artudio Team (Kailash K Shrestha, Obhaso Shakya, Subin Gurung, Sandup Dorje Lama, Tshering Karma Gurung)