Hundreds of artworks from over 400 artists are being showcased at Nepal Art Council, Babarmahal, Kathmandu in the eighth edition of ‘National Lalitkala Exhibition’, that was kicked off on Wednesday. The annual exhibition is organized by Nepal Academy of Fine Arts. 

Artists from various parts of the country are participating in the exhibition. As many as 436 artworks of 401 artists are being showcased at this 15-day event.

The artworks like contemporary paintings, contemporary sculpture, traditional paintings, traditional sculpture, handicrafts, folk arts, photography, cartoon, installation, video art, posters, digital arts and performance arts are being showcased in the exhibition.  

The exhibition was inaugurated by Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari on Wednesday. Amid an inaugural program two legendary artist of Nepal, Bijaya Thapa and Kalu Kumale were felicitated with ‘Araniko Rastriya Lalitkala Pragya Samman’. 

Minister Adhikari and Chancellor of NAFA Ragini Upadhyay jointly handed over Rs 100,000 and a certificate as an honor to artists Thapa and Kumale.  Similarly, other seven artists bagged ‘National Lalitkala Award’ during the inaugural program. Cash prize of Rs 60,000 was provided to the seven artists each. 

Likewise, other 16 artists were given Special Award with a cash prize of Rs 25,000 each. Similarly, Province Special Award of Rs 25,000 was also given to other seven artists.

One of the installation arts of the exhibition titled ‘Ostracism’ of Lavakanta Chaudhari shows the issues related to Tharu community. 

Special award winner for contemporary art, Sundar has showed myth of Lama family through his contemporary paintings. He has painted one traditional lama face with one flower and crow on his head which shows that he is dead. 

“It is believed that snake used to bother some Lama community and their traditional drum gives them strength so I have painted one Lama face with a snake and drum in his hand. There is one horse that indicates the means of transportation,” said Lama.  

The art works of various themes are being showcased in the exhibition that is slated to continue till May 3.