An ongoing exhibition throws light on emerging photo narratives from our Himalayan neighbour, a decade after it ceased to be a monarchy
Nepal Picture Library; Students writing their exams in the school’s playground in Chiti Tilahar, Lamjung, 35 mm film, 1975
For Kathmandu-born, Mumbai-raised visual artist Karan Shrestha, visiting his grandmother in Nepal during summer was part of his growing up years. But in 2006, when he visited her after completing his studies, Nepal was a nation in turmoil. The decade-long people's war had just ended, and the country had shed its identity as a monarchy to become a federal republic. "It felt like light had finally begun to fall on a place that had been shadowed for two centuries. Nepal felt different and bigger," says Shrestha, who then decided to divide his time between the two cities to explore and understand Nepal better.
ADVERTISEMENT
Karan Shrestha, from the series Waiting for Nepal, 2014
But the new system of government - Nepal has seen nine Prime Ministers and six different political parties since 2006 - didn't mean all was smooth. The country has been grappling with countless issues, from redrafting of its Constitution, and riots to shortage of gas, power, water and other basic supplies. "The people of Nepal are still waiting for a semblance of normalcy," shares the 32-year-old artist, whose photo essay, Waiting for Nepal, reflects this harsh reality.
Shrestha's work from the photo essay is now part of Scope, an ongoing exhibition by PIX Photography Quarterly in partnership with the Goethe Institut. A Delhi-based publication that aims to create an archive of contemporary photography in South Asia, every PIX issue is accompanied by an exhibition. Writers familiar with the visual medium also respond to the work, which becomes a part of the exhibition.
Frederic Lecloux, Santosh and Rakesh, Ilam, March 2011 from the series Everyday Epiphanies
"Work on our Nepal issue started before the earthquake hit. While its impact is part of the exhibition, we have tried to include a broader range of topics such as communities that have been left out of the Constitution, village life in Nepal, especially in the non-touristy regions, and the quiet of everyday life. During our research trip, we could see the devastation, but we also saw hope in people," shares Tanvi Mishra, photo editor of PIX.
The exhibition, whose contributors are not restricted by nationality, travelled to Kathmandu and Delhi, before it arrived in Mumbai. Mishra adds, "When the focus of our journal's issue is a country, we ensure we exhibit there to have a dialogue with the people in their own space."
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
