SPACES Nepal NOV-DEC 2011

NOVEMER - DECEMBER 2011

ART - ARCHITECTURE - INTERIORS - ACCESSORIES

www.spacesnepal.com

From

Necessity to Luxury - the Flow of Furniture

Design

Excellence The Rhythm of

WOOD… NICK SIMONS

INSTITUTE

station BBQ Price NRs. 100/- IRs. 65/-

Volume 8 Issue 1

November - December 2011

16 ACCESSORIES Necessity to Luxury

by Ar. Swati Pujari The origin of furniture, as with any other object in history, can be speculated seen as an organic development caused by need, and perhaps even accidental discoveries.

22 ACCESSORIES D’Décor

by Kajal Pradhanang Emporious has brought the world’s third largest producer of curtains and upholstery offering an array of products that include furnishing fabrics, embroidered fabrics velvets, rugs and bedding.

30 INTERIOR

Unfinished yet complete

by Ar. Dikshya Poudyal Surrounded by other apartments as well JB Complex is four storey tall and the access is from the 10 feet wide road in Pulchowk. Minimalism in the finishing works is the forte of the designer here

25 ACCESSORIES

House of Furnishing

by Kajal Pradhanang It is only with proper furnishing that a house begins to turn into a home. Ambience Life Style has helped transform many such houses into homes since 2000 A.D.

38 INTERIOR Station BBQ

by Ar. Shivendra Patrabansh A residential building to be converted into a thriving restaurant brought in many challenges, as well as opportunity to amalgamate the coziness of a home to a retail dining experience.

44 ARCHITECTURE Nick Simons Institute

by Ar. Bibhuti Raj Pradhan John Sanday Associates Pvt. Ltd. (JSA) was one of the selected architectural firms for the design competition. JSA won the design competition and was therefore awarded the design and supervision contract. The design reflected the Nepali Style building accommodating the requirement of modern office facilities.

54 ACCESSORIES

The rhythm of wood

by Ar. Sushmita Ranjit Playing with the rhythm of wood, Mr. Ronesh Das Shrestha delves into the business of furniture and wooden accessories with the background of interior knowledge which lasts more than three decades.

COVER PHOTO : Ashesh Rajbansh

IN FOCUS 58 www.spacesnepal.com

DESIGN EXCELLENCE

by Ar. Sushmita Ranjit Mr. Trilokesh SJB Rana has so far worked with companies like Contract Chair England, Christian Liagire England, Castlebrook Funriture & Design Ireland, Model Shop Assistant USA, Office Suites Inc Illinois USA to name a few. He is now based here in Nepal.

ART

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NEPALI ART HAS UGLY FACES - TOO

by Madan Chitrakar But today in view with the emerging not so pleasant developing culture amongst our artists brethren, a question troubling us today is whether we are carrying this legacy with equal honesty and dignity?

Volume 8 Issue 1

November - December 2011

Contributors Regd. No 30657/061-62 CDO No. 41

Madan Chitrakar, a regular contributor to SPACES, is an artist, art critic, writer, and holds a masters degree in History and Culture besides a degree in Applied Art from J. J. School of Arts in Mumbai, India and Iconographic Design from the Netherlands. His writings on art include the book on his late father Tej B. Chitrakar, ‘Icon of a Transition’, published in 2004. He is presently associated as visiting faculty in the KU Centre for Art & Design. (madanc@ntc.net.np)

Managing Editor / Editor Photography / Production Control Public Relations Editorial at Large Marketing

Uday Sunder Shrestha, B.E, B.Sc. Ashesh Rajbansh Prakash Bahadur Amatya Siddhartha Lama Kripa Shrestha

Marketing /Correspondence

Kajal Pradhanang

Subscription/Marketing Ass.

Anish Shrestha

Contributing Art Editor Contributing Editors

Madan Chitrakar Kasthamandap Art Studio Ar. Sworup G. Koney (President - Society of Nepalese Architects) Ar. Debesh Raj Bhattarai (General Secretary - Society of Nepalese Architects)

Bibhuti Raj Pradhan is an architectural graduate from ‘Sushant School of Art and Architecture’, Gurgaon, Haryana in India and he has been working in John Sanday Associates Pvt. Ltd. for last eight years. Currently he is the senior architect and associates of John Sanday Associates Pvt. Ltd. Some of his prominent projects include ‘Patan Hospital Maternity Ward – Nick Simons Block’ at Lagankhel, ‘Sel-In Pvt. Ltd.’ at Panipokhari and ‘Gurkha Welfare Scheme Residential Home’, an old age home for ex-British Gurkha Servicemen at Pokhara.

Swati Pujari graduated in architecture form K athmandu Engineering College in 2009. Since then she has been involved in research, design and publication.

She was an Editorial Assistant at SPACES and is currently working in the establishment of Devi Trust, a conservation organization dedicated towards preservation of not just monuments but also the intangible tradition and skills of society. (swati.pujari1@gmail.com)

Shivendra Patrabansh, runs his design studio ‘Seed’ and is involved in architecture and interiors.

Rather than random concepts and forms, he believes in working with human experience in his designs. His inclination towards green architecture interests him in experimenting with building materials as well as climatic elements of design.

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Ar. Jinisha Jain (Delhi) Ar. Chetan Raj Shrestha (Sikkim) Barun Roy (Darjeeling Hills) Contributors

Accounts / Admin Correspondents Design / Colour Separation

Printed at

Madan Chitrakar Ar. Bibhuti Raj Pradhan Ar. Swati Pujari Ar. Dikshya Poudyal Ar. Shivendra Patrabansh Ar. Sushmita Ranjit Dipa Shrestha Ar. Bansri Pandey Digiscan Pre-Press Naxal, Kathmandu. Phone: 4436817 Format Printing Press Hadigaon, Kathmandu. Phone: 4010160

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Those submitting manuscripts, photographs, artwork or other materials to SPACES for consideration should not send originals unless specifically requested to do so by SPACES in writing. Unsolicited manuscripts, photographs and other submitted material must be accompanied by a self addressed return envelope, postage prepaid. However, SPACES is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. All editorial inquiries and submissions to SPACES must be addressed to editor@spacesnepal.com or sent to the address mentioned above.

I AM

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KITCHEN SPECIALIST

Master Chef Sanjeev Kapoor

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"Opening shortly at Koteswor, Kumaripati & Chitwan".

from the editor ‘THE BRIGHTER SIDE OF AN EARTHQUAKE’ Ever imagined that such a statement could be true? Well it seems so, as I came to find out while reading an article in one of the national daily newspapers. The article was about the author’s ‘petrified situation’ as he lived through the recent 6.8 magnitude earthquake on September 18 and his consequent realization of how we have been wasting time on futile issues rather than being aware of what is happening with our lives. Yes, if taken positively, we definitely have been forewarned, as this earthquake, although of a larger magnitude than the one at Dharan in 1988 which took 138 lives, was not as catastrophic. And as the author of the article lived to write his tale, we too are lucky to have been able to read it.

While the city planners dream of underground/ overhead trains, children in villages go to school on such precarious transport.

Such glazing may be the aesthetic design demand of the day, but these same aesthetically beautiful pieces can be lethal in the event of an earthquake.

In such a backdrop, I was invited to present my views on an interesting and unusual program, ‘Pecha Kucha Night, Kathmandu, Vol. 4’, with the theme, ‘ENVISIONING NEPAL IN 2020’ – unusual in the sense that one had to put forward his/her presentation within twenty slides, each lasting not more than twenty seconds! Interesting, as the twelve speakers from different walks of life presented how they saw the year 2020. And more so since each speaker based their vision on their individual field of interest approaching the subject either in a negative or positive perspective, but all with a common ground of concern - a hope for a better future.

Good to dream, no doubt, but then the dream becomes meaningless if we leave out the word ‘faith’ – something that we are fast losing to false promises, assurances, mismanagement and practicality. At the same time, we must realize that to do something right, we have to analyze where we have gone wrong. Widening of roads by pulling down structures and dismantling pedestrian footpaths may be the immediate solution, but will it solve the ever increasing traffic jams in the city? Or is the recent announcement of the government’s plan for an underground / overhead passenger train in the city, a constructive long term vision towards its solution? Definitely not, as this will not only invite more traffic, but will also be economically unfeasible simply due to the seismic vulnerability of the Valley. Such glaring examples of impractical visions abound all around us since we prefer to look through coloured glasses and opt for easy and immediate solutions failing to realize that we ourselves are also a part of the system and that tomorrow, if not the day after, our misguided visions will definitely get back to us…

Editor's Note: In spite of the inevitable earthquake, the concerned authorities are oblivious to the hazard posed by the construction of such slender structures.

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If you are Looking For A Platform: • To publish your Architectural / Interior Design / Research Works.

• To explore your writing abilities on Architecture and Interior Design.

• To voice your opinion on Planning, Environment and Design Issues.

Write to editor@spacesnepal.com

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A C C E S S O R I E S

From

Necessity to Luxury - the Flow of Furniture Text : Ar. Swati Pujari

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A C C E S S O R I E S

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A C C E S S O R I E S

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The word ‘“Furniture’”, is defined as “the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things”(www.en.wikipedia.org). This definition sums up a near entirety in our homes, workplaces or any other space we use. From the moment one wakes up in their ‘bed’, the ‘chair’ one sits on during breakfast, the ‘desk’ at their workplaces, to the ‘couches’ one rests on after a long day of work, our lives are made comfortable by the furniture we use every hour of every day.

The origin of furniture, as with any other object in history, can be speculated seen as an organic development caused by need, and perhaps even accidental discoveries.

Basic furniture could develop with the onset of a non-nomadic lifestyle, but superfluous furniture probably originated much later in the evolution process. One can imagine prehistoric furniture to be basic and simple in design and construction, and to be made of materials that were easy to work with and naturally and indigenously available. In this respect, the use of materials such as straw, twigs and timber can be accepted as

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A C C E S S O R I E S

primary, but with some simple tools, and abundant supply, furniture, especially for outdoors, could have also been created using stone. Prehistoric furniture made of wood, straw etc, due to their perishable nature are not preserved, but a range of stone furniture have been excavated from a Neolithic Village in Skara Brae, Orkney Islands, Scotland. Stone was probably used in this area due to its availability, and also because of the scarcity of much easily workable timber.

Furniture ranging from Cupboards, Dressers, Beds, Shelves and Seats has been excavated on this site.

Stone furniture in Nepal, even though stone is not an indegenous conventional furniture material, has also been recorded. A stone bed near Tusa Hiti in Patan Durbar Complex, where, legend has it, Siddhi Narsimha Malla prayed after bathing in the Tusa Hiti, is present till date. Although records of furniture history in Nepal is sketchy at best, the use of traditional products like hand woven mats and metal accessories - for both daily as well as ritual use, are visible even today, and are have been handed down from generation to generation. Many of these

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A C C E S S O R I E S

accessories have a special place at the fifty-five window palace of Bhaktapur, where the walls of the King’s room were found to house alcoves shaped according to the accessories that fit into them.

As we move away from Nepal and into the rest of the ancient world, the presence of furniture in ancient Egypt is preserved and proved by the offerings made to the deceased pharaohs found in their tombs. Offering tables to present food to the dead, and chairs for them to rest on, as well as trunks with possessions that they may use in their afterlife, paint a picture that indicates the use of furniture in ancient Egyptian life, both before and after death. Other depictions of furniture use in ancient times come from Egyptian hieroglyphics and Greek pottery, both of which portray people using furniture. The authenticity of these portraits, either as genuine scenes from the lives of people, or as artistic representation, cannot be entirely verified. Studies have shown however that furniture gradually became an integral part of life for affluent people in the past, whereas for the commoners furniture was quite basic and sometimes even nonexistent.

The ancient Greeks developed their furniture based on some basic ideas borrowed from the Egyptians, which were gradually modified to form furniture pieces in Greek designs. The Greeks used a variety of furniture ranging from stools, couches (which were used for both sitting and sleeping), tables (used to place food), chests spacesnepal.com

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and chairs. A notable type of chair designed by the Greeks is the Klismos, with slight curvature in its back and legs and a shapely free flowing design. The design trends in ancient Greece were largely modified and developed to account for practicality and comfort, thus influencing ideas of design even today.

When looking into the materials that furniture is made of there are literally hundreds of materials one can use, but the dominant material through history has been, and continues to be, wood. Wood is naturally available in almost all places that humans have inhabited; it is easily workable and is capable of carrying load. Some of the popular kinds of wood that are used in furniture are oak, walnut, mahogany, pine, cherry, teak etc. The reason why wood has also been popular through the ages is because it can render to the different needs of different taste. One can see how during the decorative Gothic (and post Gothic) ages, carved wood was used in the panels, legs and stands of furniture, and how simplistic designs were later made using thinner slices and veneers. Use of wood is predominant in the minimalistic Japanese as well as the highly decorative Chinese furniture of the east. As technology gradually developed, designs could be as minimalistic or as extravagant as one wished, and wood was a material that provided the flexibility and the capability to do all that.

Today furniture is a branch of design that can, and has, used almost any material imaginable. These have

A C C E S S O R I E S

included the familiar wood and stone to laminates, cane and wicker as well as the more ‘new age’ metal, glass, plastic and almost any kind of polymer created by man.

They can all either be joined, weaved or molded to create furniture. The contemporary trend in furniture can no longer be defined by one material or one style.

There is a variety prevailing in every aspect, be it design, material, decoration or finish. A rich development history has made possible an eclectic ensemble to choose from thus taking the development trend away from aspects only concerning style or material and into new ventures like environment responsive designing and technologies, that have made possible the Aeron chairs that naturally adapt to the user.

With an all encompassing definition, and a development history that has in fact encompassed every aspect of life; a discussion on furniture can only be concluded by establishing its a vital need (?). As we expand our horizons towards extremities of physical space, furniture still plays a necessary role in our lives as it gives us a medium for primary interaction with the space we use. It is one of our basic requirements and yet it has developed into something that not only fulfils our needs and provides us comfort, but can also bring in a sense of luxury. The essence of furniture as the most basic product, and its culmination into a luxury item, creates a diverse range, making furniture something we simply cannot live without. ď Ž November - December 2011

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D’Décor

Author Joyce Maynard once quoted, “A good home must be made, not bought.”

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Text: Kajal Pradhanang

And indeed, with its mission set as “Making homes beautiful on every street in every city of every country in the world”, D’Décor, a premium home furnishing brand, been successfully helping people transform their ‘house’ into ‘homes’ for more than a decade now.

The world’s third largest producer of curtains and upholstery offers an array

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of products that include furnishing fabrics, embroidered fabrics, yarns, ready-mades, velvets, wallpapers, ladies’ wear fabric, rugs and bedding. Their products, designed by top-class in-house and Italian designers, are exported to 65 countries worldwide, Nepal being among them. The brand is well known in Kathmandu through promotions that include endorsement by Bollywood’s glamour couple, Shakrukh Khan and Gauri Khan.

A C R C T E S S O R I E S

D’Décor has been distributing its products in our home country for the past one and a half years through its authorized dealer, Emporios, located at Kathmandu Business Park, Teku.

Emporios currently offers variety of D’décor products, mainly upholstery, curtains and wallpaper. ‘Emporios will add more to its D’Decor collection’, promises Mr. Ravi Agrawal, CEO of Emporios. He noted they will soon cater cushion covers of the same brand.

The brand is preferred by many facets of customers, from walk-in customers to corporate customers. Corporate customers of Emporios for D’Décor’s products include housing complexes such as Binayak Colony, Valley Homes, Sunrise Apartment, Kalash Apartment and Downtown Housing.

Customers can choose from the available materials that are on display on the 2nd floor of the showroom. You can even select fabrics from D’Decor’s swatch

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catalogues available at the showroom.

Emporios will ship the material through its own channels upon requirement and order.

With so many choices available one can even feel overwhelmed, however, as Shahrukh Khan cites in D’Decor’s TVC, “No matter what you choose, it’s always the right choice.”

D’Décor does indeed create “Fabrics that touch your life.” 

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HOUSE OF

Furnishing

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Everyone who buys a new house learns in due time that no house is complete without furnishing.

It is only with proper furnishing that a house begins to turn into a home.

Ambience Life Style has helped transform many such houses into homes since 2000 A.D. At Ambience, new and veteran house owners alike can find varieties

One can select from their available stock and from their extensive swatch catalogues.

of furnishing products.

Their specialties include curtains, upholstery, spring mattresses and wallpapers.

Each person has their own unique requirements for mattresses.

Ambience caters to such requisites through Springfit mattresses, to suit your different types of needs.

Ambience is the authorized dealers for Seasons Furnishings Ltd., Springfit Mattresses and Maspar Products.

Through Seasons, Ambience provides different kinds of furnishing fabrics for curtains and upholstery.

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Text: Kajal Pradhanang

Their collections of wallpapers are brought in from various countries.

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Seen as a better alternative to conventional paint, wallpapers add more appeal to a room. With assortment of design, colour and quality made available by Ambience, one can even choose to according to one’s own requirements.

With all these products, Ambience Life Style is surely worthy of the name “House of Furnishing”.  spacesnepal.com

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I N T E R I O R

WE SHAPE OUR DWELLINGS, AND AFTERWARDS OUR DWELLINGS SHAPE US. Â CHURCHILL, WINSTON

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UNFINISHED YET COMPLETE Text: Ar. Dikshya Poudyal

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It was shaped for a purpose but destiny had planned different outlook for it. Unfinished yet complete; I am talking about one of the apartments in Kathmandu which goes by the name JB Complex. Spectacularly it hides itself from the busy city road of Pulchowk by some yards and gives us that expression which says ‘welcome home’. The rectifications can clearly be seen and the facades have been designed to give that look which reflects symmetry and balance.

Special attention has been given to create greeneries by virtue of plants and flowers in the pots. They are placed in balconies and along the stairways as such we don’t have to depart from the nature as well.

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I N T E R I O R

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This building intends to commercialize by means of rental flats in the upper floors along with a restaurant and office in the ground floor. Minimalism in the finishing works is the forte of the designer here. The exposed concrete slabs and columns without any finishes give a rusty appearance. Also the floor finish is a mixture of cement punning and apex paint. The use of terracotta tiles in many places along with dachi apa floors in balconies brings versatility in flooring materials.

So finally apartment concept penetrates in this historic city. Surrounded by other apartments as well JB Complex is four storey tall and the access is from the 10 feet wide road in Pulchowk. There are two separate entrances; one which leads to the apartment from the right side of the building and one on the left leads our way to the restaurant of the ground floor which calls itself CIBO, Bristo. Between these two units the building finds itself commercialized as there is the office of Sunco which deals in solar panels. Parking being on the right side of the building and a very small yard at the back.

The aim to deliver some quality living spaces. The design is such that there is a feeling of smooth flux within inner and outer spaces. The main concept of the designer was to penetrate light into the building avoiding passages and providing open spaces and balconies. The open kitchen concept along with application of materials gives this design a minimalist approach.

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The design is such that there is a feeling of smooth flux within inner and outer spaces. The main concept of the designer was to penetrate light into the building avoiding passages and providing open spaces and balconies (above, below left and facing page).

CIBO Bristo; a western name and so is the restaurant. You enter the cafĂŠ and you find yourself departed from the fast city life to enjoy a sip of your own time. The restaurant aims 30 to 40 people and the open kitchen along with the little garden at the back gives us that homely feeling. The rough finishing along with use of slate in some places gives that accomplished yet crude look.

The upper floors are all about rental apartments. First floor and second floor is occupied by the owner himself for private use.

Overall there are six units of flats which can be divided into large and small ones. The first and second floors have three bedroom flats each. These are the bigger flats of area 2800

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November September - December - October 2011

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The open kitchen concept along with application of materials gives this design a minimalist approach. The kitchen flooring is done in local tiles and use of wooden furniture is done in plenty.

sq.ft. while the smaller ones contained in third floor and fourth floor are 1200 sq.ft. each. The third and fourth floor contains two numbers of two bedrooms flats which completely targets rental returns. These rental flats aim to deliver some quality living spaces. The design is such that there is a feeling of smooth flux within inner and outer spaces. The main concept of the designer was to penetrate light into the building avoiding passages and providing open spaces and balconies. The wide panels of glass separating the outer spaces with inner ones connect them visually. The open kitchen concept along with application of materials gives this design a minimalist approach. The kitchen flooring is done in local tiles and use of wooden furniture is done in plenty. The visual association

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between living, kitchen and dining has impression of modernized living spaces yet the interior can find some local decorations that blends the two differences. The use of color white has predominance along with some splatter of orange color.

The parquetting along with decent furniture and the attached balconies which is common to both bedrooms completes their elegance.

Special attention has been given to create greeneries by virtue of plants and flowers in the pots. They are placed in balconies and along the stairways as such we don’t have to depart from the nature as well. The topmost floor has a service room and the terrace is enclosed with pillars and enhances airflow and also acts as a design element at the top.

The water tanks rest on a structure and holds 4500 liters of water. The terrace provides a resting space as well as the views from there can be enjoyed particularly during the morning and evening time. Thus it acts as a platform for some time out from your busy schedule. ď Ž

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station BBQ Text : Ar. Shivendra Patrabansh

Station BBQ was not designed merely as a restaurant – it was meant to be an experience. A residential building to be converted into a thriving restaurant brought in many challenges, as well as opportunity to amalgamate the coziness of a home to a retail dining experience.

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I N T F O E R C IUOS R

To break the monotony of wood, the lounge ceiling was made from gypsum combined with dried nigalo sticks, which formed a diffusely lighted ceiling.

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I N T E R I O R

Taking a step further into recycling, old bottles were hung in the bar ceiling with small LED lights to form an array of lights.

were used to veneer a part of upper terrace walls. Other wood were used to create artificial dalins in various parts of the restaurant. The scrap pieces of wood were used for making lighting fixtures.

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An understated 2 storied brick building with a spacious Pomelo tree garden provided a canvas, which was to be themed Earth and Nature as per the owner’s request.

The requirements were simple – warm environment, cost efficient, outdoor BBQ, bar lounge, family spaces.

The first choice was use earthy materials which provided a warm look - undoubtedly wood. With the cost of wood skyrocketing, the only choice was to recycle – and recycled it was. An owner’s friend was dismantling a very old building from where windows, doors, and dalins were brought in. The doors were remodeled into doors for the house. The windows were hung in their original conditions as décor on the boundary walls. Dalins were used to make the furniture and latticed pergolas over the terrace and entrance. Some oddly shaped sheets of wood

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As a more manageable material was to be used for flooring, most of the internal floors were tiled. The parquet removed to place the tiles was assembled to create a pattern in the wall. Some old wooden sheets were cut into colored squares which formed a lobby area ceiling along with lokta paper cladding.

To break the monotony of wood, the lounge ceiling was made from gypsum combined with dried nigalo sticks, which formed a diffusely lighted ceiling. Taking a step further into recycling, old bottles were hung in the bar ceiling with small LED lights to form an array of lights.

To match the overall feeling of the house, the walls were textured with jute bags impressed over the Plaster of Paris and painted in different earthy shades. Old used and discarded printing blocks were used to stamp on block prints and textures in the walls which gave some ethnic touch to the interiors. The exterior and the boundary walls were also painted in mud color to match the interiors.

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AS A MORE MANAGEABLE MATERIAL WAS TO BE USED FOR FLOORING, MOST OF THE INTERNAL FLOORS WERE TILED. THE PARQUET REMOVED TO PLACE THE TILES WAS ASSEMBLED TO CREATE A PATTERN IN THE WALL.

To match the overall feeling of the house, the walls were textured with jute bags impressed over the Plaster of Paris and painted in different earthy shades.

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Besides a bar lounge, an additional lounge, 2 family rooms, terrace seating and a garden BBQ arrangements were provided. The hub of the restaurant, the garden was paved with stone sheets forming grids with grass to give a solid surface as well as provide a garden environment.

All the Pomelo trees were kept in their original condition with seating arranged around them. The outdoor tables were designed with a discreetly placed BBQ grill, so that each table could enjoy their own BBQing experience.

The grill fire also worked as a warmer during the winter.

Garden was moderately lit through hidden lights placed within the trees, which provided privacy between the tables. A section of the garden was raised to create a platform for seating which at times worked as a performing stage for musical events.

The final product - an old red brick residence is now converted to an earthy restaurant building with warm interiors embraced within a beautiful paved Pomelo garden, mostly made from recycled materials. ď Ž Designed by: Seed Private Limited, Heritage Plaza, Kamaladi.

Phone 4169180. Email: info@seed.com.np. spacesnepal.com

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A R C H I T E C T U R E

NICK SIMONS

INSTITUTE Text : Ar. Bibhuti Raj Pradhan

The material usages in the building have its influences from Nepalese architectural style. To enhance the vernacular character in the building, fair faced brick faรงade and the wooden members have been extensively used. Some walls are clad with stone to break the monotony of fair faced brick. These stone clad walls are adorned with wooden carved windows, which are again the decorative feature concealing the aluminum window sections behind. Sloped roof and skirt roofs are other feature to complement the Nepalese architectural style.

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NSI was operating its activities through a rented building at Jhamsikhel since its establishment. In the year 2009, NSI planned to build its own head office in Sanepa. To achieve this goal NSI first conducted a design competition between few of the reputed architectural firms based in Kathmandu.

John Sanday Associates Pvt. Ltd. (JSA) was one of the selected architectural firms for the design competition. JSA won the design competition and was therefore awarded the design and supervision contract.

The design reflected the Nepali Style building accommodating the requirement of modern office facilities. The spaces were planned to accommodate the extensive requirements that included offices, meeting rooms, a training hall and a courtyard space in addition to other associated services like basement parking, roof top dining

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and kitchen and so on. However, the building mass was organized to refrain from making the building look massive.

The material usages in the building have its influences from Nepalese architectural style. To enhance the vernacular character in the building, fair faced brick faรงade and the wooden members have been extensively used. Some walls are clad with stone to break the monotony of fair faced brick. These stone clad walls are adorned with wooden carved windows, which are again the decorative feature concealing the aluminum window sections behind. Sloped roof and skirt roofs are other feature to complement the Nepalese architectural style.

The courtyard space is paved with flagstone and features a dhugge dhara. The courtyard is surrounded by walkways decorated with carved wooden posts and spacesnepal.com

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H IRMCAHLI ATYEACNT U A T RR AE I L S

November September - December - October 2011

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Main Entry

Main Gate

FINAL SITE PLAN

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wooden battens. This walkway acts as the prime connection between the main office building and a training hall.

The landscape includes the terraced garden at the south end of the site. The terrace garden is an adaptation of terrace farming which is a common feature in the hilly regions of Nepal. The open area in front portion of the site is comparatively smaller as the building is located towards the front (north) of the site to enable the users to have a view of Chundevi at South end.

(4570 x 2334)

CARPET OVER NCP

PREP./STORE ROOM

-1950

-200

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flower bed

+ 150

+150 Dn

NCP

BED ROOM

(3578 x 4350)

One layer gypsum board with 25 mm styrofoam insulation HOM. TILE

(3570 x 4350)

KIT/DIN

HOM. TILE

NCP

(4657 x 5649)

LADIES TOILET

HOM. TILE

CARPET OVER NCP GENTS TOILET

HOM. TILE

EXTRA OFFICE ROOM (4074 x3025) -450

± 000

Future Extension Room TELIA TILE

EURO GUARD fOR DRINKING WATER

± 000

brick wall

Up

Up (5037 x 8120)

CARPET OVER NCP

FOR EXPANSION JOINT REFER DWG NO.

BOARD MEETING

Dn

Up

PLANS

40mmØ ms pipe

TRAINING HALL

CARPET OVER NCP

Stone cladding

(14040 x 7590)

240 X 255 COLUMN

Up TIMBER

ADMIN. CHIEF

( 4695 x 3195 ) MARBLE

(4450x 3470)

RECEPTION WAITING

Up SH

S A/12

HOM. TILE

G. TOIL.

HOM. TILE

Elec.

Duct

L. TOIL.

TIMBER

SH

ADDITIONAL (5045 x 2840) OFFICE

TIMBER/MARBLE

(6050 x 5320)

TIMBER

(4540x 3335)

± 000 G Store

HOMOGENOUS TILE

S. STAFF PANTRY

(3022x 2584)

HOMOGENOUS TILE

EURO GUARD fOR DRINKING WATER

(3070 x 4308)

TELIA TILE

Main Entry

450

Ramp

ADMIN. STAFF

The building covers approximately 19,500 square feet of built area. The building features environment friendly features like rainwater harvesting, cavity walls with insulation and double glazed exterior windows for thermal comfort inside the building in addition to the insulated roofs with false ceiling.

The project also features the use of pressure system for water distribution and filtration plant for water treatment. There is a full load generator back up in the building. The construction of the building was started in November 2009 and completed in June 2011.(an addition to the article submitted to SPACES on 9th August)

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ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY FEATURES USED IN THE BUILDING The building uses environmental friendly features like cavity wall with insulation, insulated roofs and rainwater harvesting. The thermal comfort inside the building was achieved by using features like external cavity wall with insulation and double glazed exterior windows. Two layers of 120mm brick wall with 80mm cavity gap forms the exterior skin of the building. The cavity gap incorporates 50mm thick ‘Extruded Polystyrene Thermal Insulated spacesnepal.com

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Board’ (Styrofoam Board) for additional thermal comfort.

To increase the efficiency of insulated cavity walls, the openings on walls which include the exterior doors and windows have double glazed glass panels. These features were introduced to keep the building warm during winters and cool during summers without having to use any energy source for it. Likewise the ceilings in the rooms that have open terrace above are also insulated.

The building also uses the rain water harvesting. The rainwater is collected in two HDPE tanks of 5000 Litre

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capacity each. This rainwater is used for the gardening purpose as the project features an extensive garden and landscaped areas.

The construction works was carried out by Himalayan Builders and Engineers Pvt. Ltd. (HBE) The project team includes the following key personnel.

Mr. Fred Langworthy Project Coordinator, NSI Mr. Bibhuti Raj Pradhan Project Architect, JSA Mr. Prabin Bajracharya Project Engineer, JSA Ms. Ramita Tamrakar Asst. Architect, JSA Mr. Jagat Khanal Contractor Representative, HBE ď Ž

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A C C E S S O R I E S

The Rhythm of

The Rhythm of

WOOD… spacesnepal.com

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WOOD‌ Text : Ar. Sushmita Ranjit

Beauty lies in simplicity they say. But to what extent and how is always a matter of concern. What would you call if simple furniture is adorned with meticulous carvings that affect our eyes mind and body? Well of course you would still say it is beautiful. The art of making things simple yet beautiful by only highlighting the necessary is indeed a challenging job.

Playing with the rhythm of wood, the managing director of CRAFTMAN Mr. Ronesh Das Shrestha delves into the business of furniture and wooden accessories with the background of interior knowledge which lasts more than three decades. Few eminent interior projects accomplished are Hotel Manasalu, Hotel Radission and Potala Lounge bar, Ealing Broadway, England.

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The wood craft ranges from bed, sofa, couch, TV board, coffee table, corner table, mirror table, cupboards, dining table, decorative ceiling light fixtures, wall hung artworks and many more, all as per your room size and design, which is also called as the custom design furnishing work.

With this sort of work range, CRAFTMAN still does not own its showroom. The MD believes that the vision of the company will be best practiced only when the mission is satisfactory and well appreciated. He further elaborates that even though he started with a single design unit

His vision is to serve his clients with best possible detailing in furniture. This adds a typical class to whatever he makes out of a well seasoned shesham wood. His workshop at Sitapaila, Kathmandu has in-house carpenters, skilled Newari craftmen from Kritipur, and other supporting staff to manage the day to day activities. He also has the team that works on site with architects and engineers.

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of furniture, he is now setting a trend of doing the complete interior work for his desired clients. He adds, that the work no matter what should start from a ‘part’ leading it to a ‘whole’. The wholesome satisfaction is achieved once there is good coordination in work and activities.

Mostly the clients that CRAFTMAN has are all appointed clients rather than the walk in client. Therefore the work is more specific, value based and time consuming as per the heavy detail carvings in the furniture. This work nature preferably demands no showroom facility for display, which is indeed a challenging nature of work where marketing and exposure to the larger group of customer is vital for business growth. However, MD believes in quality of work rather than the quantity which is indeed a genuine philosophy for better business than more business. 

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I N F O C U S

Design

Excellence Text : Ar. Sushmita Ranjit

Mr. Trilokesh SJB Rana, an accomplished individual in the field of furniture design. Beginning from his school days where he won the ‘Best Craftsman’ award in 1992, Mr Rana has since gathered several awards including winner at the woodworking show at Olney Central College in 1997, the First National Bank Southeast Award in Fine Arts Festival of Rockingham County in 1999, and also bagging first place at the American Society of Furniture Designers, David Kline Memorial Scholarship 2003. He has in his career so far worked with companies like Contract Chair England, Christian Liagire England, Castlebrook Funriture & Design Ireland, Model Shop Assistant USA, Office Suites Inc Illinois USA to name a few. He is now based here in Nepal.

Mr. Rana says he has a strong passion for exploring art, craft and conservation, and would like to bring in a new dimension to his work environment where both design and skill are better comprehended. He says “As a designer, utilization of the most technologically advanced materials and processes is a key to expanding the horizons of design and further establishing a more personalized and functional existence with the material world.” In his working style, he describes himself as a ‘hands on’ person who likes to understand things from seeing and touching, rather than reading about it. He is a believer in the practical learning process and design utility and says, “I define my work as a reaction to our ever-changing world. Like the world, my ideas and concepts are in a state of constant metamorphosis. I view design as the art of reducing stress and bringing enjoyment to the user’s experience of an object.”

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I N F O C U S

Mr. Rana completed his high school from St. Paul’s School, Darjeeling, India, and then went on to study woodworking in Olney Central College, Illinois, USA – which he completed in 1998. In 1999 he enrolled in a course for Associate in Applied Science in Fine & Creative Woodworking at Rockingham College, NC, USA. On completing this course, he felt it was not comprehensive enough for his needs, so he went on to acquire a bachelor degree in fine arts in the field of Interior/ Furniture Design from Kendall College of Art and Design, Grand Rapids, MI, USA in 2003.

Though satisfied with his education in the field so far, he says he is still learning in his field of design, where skill, according to him, takes a life time for an artist to improve on. He remarks, with a smile, that a lifetime of learning would probably still not be enough!

He feels that the art that we have inherited from our predecessors in the field of woodwork and architecture here in Nepal are an extraordinary quality that is found nowhere else on earth. Woodcraft and architecture are highly developed here, he says, and that we should be proud of it and preserve it. He takes inspiration from this tradition of craftsmanship and says that mentorship learning would be good, but better if done under professional teachers. Asked about his inspiration in the world of western art, he gives credit to people like Henry Spencer Moore (an English sculptor and artist best known for his semi-abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art), Charles and Ray Eames (American designers who worked in and made major contributions to modern architecture, furniture and who also worked in the fields of industrial and graphic design, fine art and film).

Mr. Rana likes to works with a theme, and gets inspired with a story or a piece of history. He says that every creation is the outcome of daily interactions with the world around us and with our ingenuity, we should learn to be aware of the obvious things that surround us, and can get inspired with endless ideas from experience in every moment of interaction. As a furniture designer, he not only fills in spaces, but interacts with volume and objects. He defines these objects as “the material things surrounding us that evoke emotions, memories, and mood.” He elaborates further to say that individuals interacts with an object in their own unique way and that subconsciously or consciously, an object’s function and aesthetic value impacts our cultures and individual identities. “In a way, objects themselves take on individual identities as one views and interacts with the entity”, he says.

Mr. Rana has a long term vision for the establishment of an international non-government organization (INGO) to work for conservation of art, architecture and various

artisan skills, so that it can be adopted and appreciated by generations in the future.

He has had a lot of opportunities to stay abroad and work with reputed companies and high end clientele, but he says he sees more potential for his work in Nepal than elsewhere in the world, and so is here to stay. One hopes that this view of working with and promoting one’s native art and architecture will lead contemporary arts and design to much better heights.

From designers sketch book Birth of KOSI TABLE (Winning furniture piece at a free competition organized by - American Society of Furniture Designers- David Kline Memorial Scholarship 2003) Inspiration: The early Japanese bridges of Shintoism influenced his design for a Kosi Table. The name ‘Kosi’ itself is coined from the name of the Kosi river in Nepal.

Design Concept: The design of the Kosi table works visually from all angles of view demonstrating proficient design ability, complex forms, and excellent joinery. The two supportive arches and elegant compound curves create a pleasant rhythm in structural organization and has an airy spatial definition. Its simplicity has a mass appeal, and could easily be redesigned for the readyto–assemble market.

Although appearing light and fragile, the Kosi table has an inherently strong structure as the weight is evenly distributed on the arch, giving structural solidity. The walnut and maple spline effect is distinctive to the piece, providing a pleasing symmetry. Kosi is as pleasing to our senses as a sculpture.

The wonderful interplay of horizontal rectilinear and vertical curvilinear elements successfully combines the elements of form, function and aesthetic quality producing visual harmony.  November - December 2011

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A R T

Nepali Art

has ugly faces - too

Text : Madan Chitrakar

In the past, endowed with vast medieval wealth - Nepali Art had many reasons to be proud and to be admired.

For centuries, the traditions of Painting and Sculpture in particular, have remained so remarkable it could narrate innumerable stories of diverse imaginations, styles and beliefs in its expressions. The achievements also provided reasons to wonder how in spite of the harsh geographical adversity and the days of isolation then the ancestors managed and were able to create cultural marvel. Indeed amazing it may seem today, it underscored a singular fact – honesty, dedication and ingenuity of Nepali artists then!

But these are the things of the past. But today in view with the emerging not so pleasant developing culture amongst our artists brethren, a question troubling us today is whether we are carrying this legacy with equal honesty and dignity? Not really. It seems it is really a high time one should have the guts to expose and let the people know what has always been superseded by the high noise of fallacies.

To begin with let’s fast forward the beginning of modern era in Nepali society and see whether we were able to stay in tune with the call of the time in the recent past. In the genre of Painting, for sure, Nepal did not remain far behind when modern thoughts and modes of expressions when it just began to appear in the British-India. Two Nepali art students (Tej B. Chitrakar and C.M.Maskey) already for the first time in Nepali history had graduated from the British modeled art schools in colonial India as early as mid twenties of last century– thus ushering a new era of modernity spacesnepal.com

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in ‘Nepali Art’. It proved to be the earliest but a sturdy foundation for more modern and liberal expressions to come later.

And then it leads us straight to the early sixties when Nepali painters began to transform from the recognizable forms to the modern expressions. It was during these historic times, masters of modern art in India like Raza, Husain, Ara and other avantegarde painters were ruling the crest of art waves in independent India and thanks to the liberal grants of Govt. of India then, Nepali artists could learn and express beyond the known norms and break the established practices at such an early stage. And add to it the knowledge of graphic communications – absolutely a new genre in Nepali context but already well developed in India was introduced in Nepali art and social fabric. By all means, these early efforts did remain highly commendable and by every reason, were path breaking exercises.

Almost simultaneously, as if to add more feathers to these early feats, it was followed by some meaningful events like establishment of a first ever establishment of Nepal Association of Fine Arts (NAFA). Established as an independent state entity, NAFA honestly speaking, came into being as a result of the personal interest and initiative of the then crown prince late Birendra himself.

It was meant to function as a state agency to look after every aspect - to develop, promote and nurture the artistic expressions of every kind and the people. As it was meant to promote and preserve all genres of art in existence, it proved a timely- morale booster. As a

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result, waves after waves of younger generation of artists began to practice and get attracted to forms either with academic undertones or with unconventional forms with modern ideas. It all sounded impressive and seemed doing all with honesty: and it seemed Nepali Art was then really poised for a great leap and hoped optimistically it would soon take on the international arena.

And as intended, for good reasons changes were really taking place. Nepali society in general and the intelligentsia in particular began to witness a vast sea change in people’s attitude and perception towards art. Common people began to find they are no more bewildered and perplexed looking at ‘modern’ works in display. As if to recognize or reward these honest efforts of Nepali Artists then, exactly during this early period one of the member artists from the SKIB, Batsa Gopal Vaidya managed to win the coveted Gold in the Asian Art Biennale held in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It all seemed surreal then that Nepali Art was taking such fast strides within a very short time. Moreover, an establishment of a permanent gallery – Birendra Art Gallery in the premises of NAFA, during this early period indeed offered a great hope to many that at long last there is going to be a place which would truly chronicle and narrate the growth and history of Nepali Art! Symptoms of dark sides But unfortunately, as the law of nature has it not always everything would go as intended. Darker sides always follow. So not long after, signs of ugly faces began to emerge in Nepali Art as early as seventies or even earlier. Firstly, the liberal thoughts offered by the modern expressions in painting and sculpture were interpreted by many opportunists as short circuit to name and fame. As a result, not soon after, Nepali Art began to witness many charlatans masquerading as avant-garde painters and many mediocre works began to appear as ‘modern art’ in Nepali Art scene. And secondly, as the creation of NAFA – the Nepal Association of Fine Arts, offered prestigious jobs like Member Secretary as the Executive Official and the posts of ‘Academicians’ representing Fine Arts in the then Royal Nepal Academy (RNA), never-ending powerstruggles began to take place unabated amongst a set of power-hungry artists. To these select few, the ‘posts’ remained the matter of paramount importance rather than search for creative explorations. To them, the need for self-respect and dignity soon vanished. Sycophancy and lust for coveted jobs in NAFA and RNA remained the catch word - so unbecoming of a true artist! Objectively speaking, beginning with the earliest appointment of any artist as a member of ‘Academy’ to all the MemberSecretaries of the then NAFA, without any exception, have remained the end result of this perverted attitude and the phenomena of sycophancy. Apparently, to the incumbents it always seemed the amount of the allocated budget

remained their primary concern. The poor state of Nepali Art remains strong testament to all the inefficiencies and the open testimony of the inept performances. Beginning with the appointment of Lain Singh Bangdel in 1962 circa (and incidentally, his entire tenure in various capacities in the then Royal Nepal Academy coincided with the advent and the demise of much reviled Panchayat rule in Nepal) to the latest activities of present incarnation of NAFA which continues to carry the same legacy.

An Eye Opener A stark example of the complete wastage of time and money thus spent in the past is made when a simple request made by a foreign art-enthusiast to advise him on a book on ‘contemporary Nepali Art’ – preferably written in English. It is a pity that no such material ever existed or even attempted. For sure, a common curiosity of a foreigner unintentionally ridiculed the concerned institutions and the entire intelligentsia how distressfully unprepared and intellectually shallow the state of Nepali Art and the artwriting is in. It made a shameful example of intellectual poverty of those artists who always sought power in the name of art: and it makes one more angrier and sick of the fact that as stated earlier ‘Fine Arts’ always remained included as a genre of equal concern in the Charters of the then Royal Nepal Academy since its very inception in 1962.

The task should have been commenced by the Academy as an ongoing project a long time back!

So then where did the fault lie? Always appointed on the strength of sycophancy, to none of the consecutive incumbents throughout, ever occurred to them a need to engage in academic exercises. So no wonder that those six decades of state budget and endemic perks went down the drains and resulted in a blank zero. In comparison, the efforts and achievements made by Bangladesh – a country of similar size but with a larger population to feed, put us in great shame. An independent entity only since 1971, Bangladesh – today hosts a large international art event every two years since 1979 - leave aside the volumes of art publications every year!

The Art infrastructures Now let’s see the state of infrastructures of the Nepali Art, we have today. It is indeed a matter of shame that to this very moment Nepal – a sovereign country and we take so much pride of our rich with cultural heritage, do not have a venue we can describe as a modern art gallery- with amenities of international standard. The incumbents of the NAFA or the then Royal Nepal Academy or the concerned ‘Member’ throughout this long period had never thought of renovating the existing antiquated physical conditions of the so called exhibition halls in the premises of Bal-mandir. Thoughts of creating a new ultra-modern ‘Art-Complex’ apparently not only remained a far away dream but it never occurred to them.

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Thanks to the initiatives of late king Birendra that a permanent ‘Gallery’ was mercifully created then. Birendra Art Gallery- a place envisioned to be a central repository of all historic and modern works of meaningful consequences was provided with adequate budget to make purchases of monumental works every year. However without any prejudice, it makes one really sad to note that what really happened to this institution with such noble objectives is a story of despicable acts. On many occasions the incumbent members of the Academy, did succeed in transforming the provision into a virtual cash cow to purchase own or the works of the cronies with arbitrary price tags. A unique example is set- it is really sad to note, by Uttam Nepali while he was in the chair. He managed to compile as many as seventeen of his own works in this prestigious place and pocket the funds into the pocket. Similarly, quite a few of his cronies each has minimum ten to fifteen works sold to NAFA as historic pieces while many many works of historic consequence remain grossly ignored and dismissed.

Nothing can be more disgusting show of utter disregard for the declared objectives of the Gallery. Today if one chooses to make a surprise visit to the ‘Gallery’- it would not be really far from the descriptions made here. One would findleave aside a system of proper display and the supporting literature, it would leave an art lover literally cry at the sight of gross negligence and mismanagement. One has to see to believe the state of disorder and dilapidation in the creaky dust ridden ‘Gallery’!

The other visible casualty of the recent times is the increasing degeneration of innovation, honesty and the sense of dignity in Nepali Art. True that advent of modern forms has brought a visible change in the perception of Nepali art. But it is also understood by many imposters as an easy refuge to make a quick name – or a convenient camouflage to brand oneself as a ‘contemporary or modern artist’. People from different walks of life as diverse as physical fitness trainers to men least familiar with even the basic rudimentary knowledge about art began to emerge as artists or art writers. Most of them continue to make ‘Shows’ at every interval with mediocre works calling it modern or ‘abstract’. Such flagrant abuse of modern thoughts only helps create misunderstanding about essence of art in the minds of the people.

Recent dramas and antics Yet another ugly phenomenon seen these days is the rise of antics, hypocrisy and the use of gimmicks in the name of art-primarily to draw attention of the power centers and the public. A glaring example is made in the recent past when someone known for gimmicks, created funny antics by dropping bundles and bundles of cloth down the balcony of Bhimsen tower (Dharahara) for no good reasons. With meaningless random scribbles painted over it, bundles of cloth rolled down the balcony and it was described as an ‘art’. What a shameless way of fooling simple Nepali spacesnepal.com

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people. Thanks to the simplicity and ignorance of Nepali people, they had to swallow it as if it is a real work of art. It was by all means an outright bluff of a highest order and a ridiculous stunt. Can anyone explain to this date what purpose did this senseless and meaningless act served to the cause of art- except to make noise? The traders who may have donated the cloth bundles should know it better.

Rise of Opportunism, sycophancy and Greed In 2006 circa, the country witnessed an epochal upheaval politically: suddenly the country got transformed into a republic. Expectations were raised high and everyone remained euphoric that bad days are over for good. So did the art and the art fraternity. But the first thing to happen in the art fraternity was to witness a set of super-jealous artists seeking to offer themselves as the art-wings or the art-cadres of the chosen political parties. The only reasons behind doing so were the greed, to gain close access to the power centers and then avail themselves of the rewards for doing so. Primarily driven by greed and partly to compensate their own academic short comings needed to acquire prestigious posts- such acts so unbecoming of true artists, remained the general pattern of their ‘Lalit-kala Abhiyan’ or the campaign for Art. So unfortunately after 2006, the state of chaos and bluff in Art for sure, nosedived from bad to worst. In short, it was as if a kind of vicious viral disease was spread amongst the artists. No wonder that today each major political party has bunch of artists serving as sister -organizations in art– in par with labor or peasants’ groups.

The coming of ‘Nepal Academy of Fine Arts’ in place of earlier Nepal Association of Fine Art in April, 2010 –now independent with more clout and hefty budget is the most visible and glaring example of a wrong decision made in complicity with such vice groups as stated above. By the term ‘Academy’, one understands it is a place where a group of wise and learned scholars from respective genres or fields sit together to steer and provide the leadership on the strength of their knowledge and past experiences. In a normal circumstance, the state decision makers always make a serious thinking on choosing the very right people to man such an august institution – never on the strength of continuous lobbying and caving in to such petty groups.

Unfortunately, it is really a matter of shame that the present ‘Art Academy’ remains an out right end-result of such constant pestering and lobbying made by one of those vice-groups seen in the Nepali Art today. The present Academy is led by and all the Office holders have all remained the cadres of similar groups. The result is open and for everybody to see. It is a motley crowd of people from extreme opportunists, monarchists to just anarchists or with disparate back grounds. Most of the ‘Academicians’ are not only members of sister organizations, about half of them are also still enrolled as regular students in TU to this very moment. And paradoxically, some members have

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never seen a face of an art institution in their lives. It is not that one should have qualms on being a political cadre but the primary issue is one should have proven ability to accomplish the noble academic tasks as enshrined in the given statute. Imagine a scenario if people doing Bachelors or Masters in Science are appointed the honorable members of an academy of science or technology? This is what precisely happened in Nepali art today and thanks are entirely due the culture of extreme political meddling and the desire of the leaders to reward their henchmen.

Now it is more than one and half years, the ‘Academicians’ have been appointed and since then enjoying from the state funds - the hard earned tax-money paid by the poor Nepali people. So it is also time to expect some ‘academic’ works in return. But the returns are hard to find. Agreed that the period is too short to make tangible long term works but it is too long enough to at least chart out an outline of future course of actions to come. The accomplishments made so far it seems limited to purchase glossy limousines, make elaborate refurbishment of office cabins : and to exhaust the given state given budget and wait for another budget to come.

And a defensive argument may come that a ’National Art Exhibition’ has been organized. But it may well be noted

that it remains a poor continuation of an old ritual initiated by late king Birendra some forty five years ago with a meager budget. What the people expect from an ‘Academy’ is academic works. No less!

Forget ‘academic‘ research works, instead a recent news coming out from the ‘Academy’ in public says ‘Academicians’ are now at each other’s throat over the issue of commission spoils coming out of the new car purchasesamounting millions. On 16th this July, with a liberal display of ‘Khukri’ and followed by ransacking of office premises, the so-called ‘academy’ unveiled its true face before the world making the entire art-fraternity of Nepal’s head bow low.

For these acts of shame, the ‘Academicians’ are not to be blamed for what had happened -because they are known for that. The blame and fault entirely lies in the poor judgment of the members of the Selection Committee albeit they remain of questionable integrity and the political decision maker who wanted to reward his henchmen above the principle of right men in right place.

Unfortunately in short, the present constitution of present set –up would sure to go down in the annals of Nepali Art history not only as an absolute mockery of meritocracy but also as an intentional affront to the people who had helped shape a modern face of Nepali Art. 

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