Paintings that help the artist meditate too

IF traditional Nepalese art of Paubha interests you, you must visit Gallery Latitude 28 at Lado Sarai. The gallery is showcasing works of eight contemporary artists from South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal). The artworks are a result of their collaboration with traditional Paubha artists of Nepal.  

Paubha is a traditional religious art made by the Newar people of Nepal. These paintings are specifically used to help the practitioner meditate. “The project was conceived after a phone call from a friend wherein they decided to commence the project in the picturesque valley of Nepal owing to its natural beauty and conducive ambience,” says artist M Parvat.

Titled Nowhere, the exhibition has on display diverse works with each artist exploring the theme that is of immediate concern to him/her  viz history, mythology, memory, power etc but at the same time all these works are connected to each other through the Paubha art.Bangladeshi artist Mahbubur Rahman draws his inspiration from iconic leaders of the world, particularly the South Asian ones. His gold leaf sketches on paper feature Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Mohd Ali Jinnah, Kim Jong Un etc. Maria Waseem’s artworks are a fine blend of her tryst with photography in the city of Kathmandu. Prithvi Shreshtha’s water colours are a result of his reactions to the people of South Asia as well his own shadow while Seema Kohli has deployed pen, ink, water-colours and 24-carat gold leaf on paper to create some mesmerizing art drawn from Indian mythology.

Begum Tayeba Lipi has used the veil or the metallic mask as a metaphor to portray the subjugation of women through her pencil and gold and silver leaf creations on paper while Sauraganga Darshandhari has chosen to reinforce intimate moments from her life by a technique so deeply rooted in spirituality.

The eight participating artists

Mahbubur Rahman (Bangladesh),M Pravat (India), Maaria Waseem (Pakistan), Prithvi Shrestha (Nepal), Saurganga Darshandhari (Nepal), Seema Kohli  (India), Tayeba Begum Lipi (Bangladesh) and  Waseem Ahmed (Pakistan)