Celebrating Moods & Expressions

Exhibition of 1st solo collage paintings

@ Buddha Gallery, Thamel
16 – 20 March 2006

Words of best wishes

Manuj Babu Mishra, Senior Artist
I have found this young artist Gaurav Shrestha as a profound, still a restless enthusiast towards artistic creativity. Since art-work is always judged by the standard of clarity of expression and newness of creativity, regardless of media and materials selected for this. Gaurav has discovered COLLAGE and colour on packing board to be the best and the simple-most way for moulding the inner visions into visual forms. Collage for him is no more a pas-time pleasure of amateur artists, as used to be taken. With this technique he has interestingly created unique figurative forms maintaining harmony, balance, depth, occasionally rendering mosaic illusions.

I believe, if prosecuted further in this line, he can achieve new dimensions in the arena of creative art. With hearty congratulation, I convey my best wishes for his future career as an artist.

Moods & Expressions in different media

Ramesh Khanal, Chairman – Artists’ Society of Nepal / Fine Art Critic Society
He has always created something unique with new styles and different from other artist. The young, self taught artist Gaurav Shrestha is celebrating moods and expressions in his First Solo Exhibition of Collage Art.

Last year when I saw Gaurav’s collage during their group exhibition at Park Gallery many art lovers had admired his collage. He was sharp, smooth and fine in his collage art creation.

His collage namely ‘City in Chaos’ is a replica of present Nepalese situation. It reflects the struggle for survival in the big city, which comes with many troubles problems for bed and butter.

‘Hope – Life’ is another collage, it is a stage of life. ‘Blessings’ which has been done in oil on Carton box, is also quite impressive. Similarly Enlightenment, Fragments of life, Motherly Love, Astonished, Pleasant Surprise, Swoyambhunath in a veil of mist, Umanga – The Excitment and many other collages are quite impressive and expressive. He has used many mixed media such as carton box, white sack, card board and calendar while creating expressive collages.

Since 1994 he has participated in different painting exhibition and workshop. In my opining he has sincerely, successfully expressed his different moods using different media in collage.

Life’s collage

The Himalayan times – 18 March 2006
“I use collage to liberate myself from confining ideas of what art should be like, to create total new art forms.”

This is what Gaurav Shrestha has to say about the art form he has taken up to express himself. His exhibition of solo collage paintings opened in the Capital at Buddha Gallery on March 16. Titled ‘Celebrating Moods and Expressions’, the exhibition is truly a journey of moods and expressions.

Shrestha’s works will make you walk ‘Rage’ to ‘Love’ to ‘Hope-Life’ to ‘Party’ to ‘Mixed Reactions’.

‘City in Chaos’ is a collage of shreds of calendar, with dribbles of red paint and a sheen finish giving one the sense of looking at a top sheet of a city that is in total chaos. ‘Anyol’ is a subtle yet tangible representation of dilemma. ‘The Life’ will take you through the 12 months of the year with Shrestha’s own interpreations of what each month stands for. And it is of no surprise to anyone that for this artist too, December is a month of ‘reflections’.

The exhibition is on till March 20.

Gaurav Shrestha’s Moods and Expressions

The Kathmandu Post – 19 March 2006
Self-reflection of the moods and expressions of the artist has been the subject of many canvases. But there aren’t many of them around today who bring forth their feelings in this particular creative form of art: the COLLAGE.

So the first solo collage exhibition of Gaurav Shrestha that opened at the Buddha Gallery on March 16 marks the beginning of the emergence of collage making which is relatively new in the Nepali art scene.

Kiran Manandhar, a veteran artist, inaugurated the exhibition in attendance with Ramesh Khanal, Chairman of Artists’ Society of Nepal/Fine Arts Critic Society and Gopal Krishna Shrestha, Chairman of Raktakali Education Foundation.

“I wanted to do something new; and with this vision, to be outstanding and break free from conventional Nepali paintings. So I’ve used collage as a medium to express myself”, explains Shrestha.

Shrestha’s exhibition, entitled Celebrating Moods and Expressions, showcases 23 collages. Apart from using the traditional collage materials such as magazine and newspaper cutouts, Shrestha has also made use of other unconventional mediums such as calendar, cardboard and rice sacks. He has taken much advantage of the mediums he has used, thus creating compositions and textures that are distinct and very much bohemain.

It seems Shrestha is inspired by pretty much everything. His compositions are on subjects that range from landscapes, meditation and enlightenment to deities, current affaris and love. He says it takes him on average five to 12 hours to complte a composition.

Looking at his works, it is hard to believe that he has never studied art.

The exhibition continues at the Buddha Gallery, Thamel until March 20.

About the artist
Gaurav Shresha is a management graduate from TU. Born in Kathmandu on july 10, he is a self-taught artist.

He has participated in many competitions and exhibitions and is an active participant in the annual National Art Exhibition.

Solo Collage Paintings

Nepal Travel Trade Reporter – 20 March 2006
“Celebrating moods and expressions” an exhibition of first solo collage paintings by Gaurav Shrestha has started at Buddha Art Gallery from March 16-20, 2006. This is for the first time in the field of art that collage paintings has been introduced.

A total of 23 paintings have been kept for exhibition cum sale, ranging from NRs 4,500 to 10,000. “With a vision to create something new and outstanding and to break free from conventional Nepalese paintings, I have used collage as an innovative media to express myself.

I use collage to liberate myself from confining ideas of what art should be like to create total new forms. Collage is different from other art forms, as it does not dictate a particular style,” says Gaurav.

He further added, “My style of collage is by patching together materials such as magazine clippings, carton boxes, sacks, calendars etc.”

“Celebrating Moods and Expressions”

ECS – April 2006
Gaurav Shrestha exhibited his art works at the Buddha Gallery from the 16th to 20th March 2006. He is a young, talented artist who is in a joy-ride seeking new forms of textures and motifs. This exhibition consisted of his collage works and paintings on carton cardboard. His collage works are creative and Gaurav composes landscapes with the medium. His art on carton cardboard are mostly semi abstract with flat bright colors but the grooves and bumps of the cardboard provides all the texture needed. A good show for an artist so young.

Celebrating Moods and Expressions

INFOTISER – March/April 2006
The solo painting exhibition of Gaurav Shrestha was held at Buddha Gallery on March 20. The event showcased 23 collage paintings from Shrestha drawn in used materials like newspapers, white plastic bags, calendars etc. Through his attempts Gaurav tried to depict the shadows of temples, figurative forms, sceneries and masked structures. Speaking at the occasion, he said, “I always try to include some creative difference in my paintings. That’s why I tried my hands on collage paintings.”

Celebrating Moods and Expressions

SPACES – May/June 2006
According to Gaurav Shrestha, “I use collage to liberate myself from confining ideas of what art should be like, to create total new art forms.” 16th March 2006 was a big day in his life and his first solo exhibition at the Buddha Gallery displayed 23 of his collage paintings. Now it is for others to judge whether the artist has done justice to his ambitious goal. No doubt, Gaurav’s limitations, if any, can be easily forgiven considering that this is his first solo exhibition, and perhaps, one must regard his use of cartons and paper clippings as one of the novelties.

गौरव, कला प्रदर्शनी

Gorkhapatra – 17 March 2006
काठमाडौं, चैत ३ गते । स्वअध्ययनबाटै रङ्गसँग खेल्न थालेका युवा कलाकार गौरव श्रेष्ठको पहिलो एकल चित्रकला प्रदर्शनी ‘सेलिब्रेटिङ मुड्स एण्ड एक्सप्रेसन’ आजबाट बुद्ध आर्ट ग्यालरीमा सुरूभयो ।

प्रदर्शनीको उदघाटन गर्दै वरिष्ठ कलाकार किरण मानन्धरले कलाशिल्प पुस्तामा हस्तान्तरण गर्दै जाने परम्पराले नेपाली कलालाई संवृद्ध पार्ने बताउनुभयो ।

विदेशमा पढ्दैमा या कलाको डिग्री लिँदैमा कलाशिल्प हुन्छ भन्ने भ्रमलाई युवा कलाकार गौरवले तोडेको प्रसङ्ग उल्लेख गर्दै वरिष्ठ कलाकार मानन्धरले कला क्षेत्र गुरुकुल परम्परामै फस्टाउने विधा हो भन्नुभयो ।

एउटा कलाकारमा एकाग्रता, इच्छुकता, गुरुशिक्षा ग्रहण गर्ने धैर्यता हुनुपर्ने बताउँदै वरिष्ठ कलाकार मानन्धरले पेन्टिङको आकारमा ध्यान दिनुपर्ने र कोलाजको गुणलाई कायम राख्नुपर्ने सल्लाह कलाकार गौरवलाई दिनुभयो ।

नेपाल कलाकार समाजका अध्यक्ष रमेश खनालले कलाको महत्त्वपूर्ण माध्यम कोलाज पनि भएको उल्लेख गर्दै कोलाज कलाभन्दा त्यसमा दिइएका शीर्षकले गहन अर्थ र महत्त्व बोकेको धारणा व्यक्त गर्नुभयो ।

युवा कलाकार गौरवले कोलाज माध्यमबाट तयार पारेका चित्रहरूले समयको रक्तरञ्जित अनुहार मात्र होइन, नेपाली सांस्कृतिक धरोहरका विम्ब र कलाकारभित्र विभिन्न समयमा उद्वेलित अनुभूतिहरू समेटेको छ । पत्रपत्रिका, जुट बोरा, प्याकिङ्ग बक्सका कागज, क्यालेण्डरलगायत फालिएका सामग्रीको कलात्मक संयोजनमा कलात्मक कला प्रस्तुत गर्न सफल कलाकार गौरवले यसपटकको प्रदर्शनीमा जम्मा २३ वटा चित्र राख्नुभएको छ ।

एक दर्जनभन्दा बढी सामूहिक चित्रकला प्रदर्शनीमा भाग लिइसकेका कलाकार गौरवका चित्रकला नेपाल, भारत, इजरायल, बेलायत र अमेरिकामा सङ्कलित छन् ।

कोलाज र स्वतन्त्रता

Kantipur – 20 March 2006
स्वतन्त्रताबिना कलाकर्म सम्भव छ? नेपाल कलाकार समाजका अध्यक्ष रमेश खनालको भनाइ छ- ‘कलाकार सधैं स्वतन्त्रताभित्र देश समय र जीवन छामेर आकृति उतार्छन् उनीहरू ।’

बुद्ध ग्यालरी ठमेलमा अर्को प्रयोग गरेका छन् गौरव श्रेष्ठले । उनले कागज, पत्रपत्रिका, कार्डबोर्डलगायतको टुक्राबाट आकृति जोडेर कोलाज निर्माण गरेका छन् । दुरुस्तै तस्बिर उतारेझैं ।

उनका कोलाजमा दृश्यचित्र, मखुन्डोजस्तो लाग्ने ध्यानमग्न आँखा र आकृति छन् । नाम दिएका छन्- ‘सेलिब्रेटिङ मुड्स एण्ड एक्सप्रेसन’ । ‘स्वतन्त्र शैलीमा केही नयाँ गरौं भन्ने सोचको प्रतिफल हो यो,’ आफ्ना कोलाजबारे उनी भन्छन् ।

कोलाज कलामा गौरव

Times of Kathmandu – (23 – 29 March 2006)
पुराना कागज, किताबका पानाहरू वा प्याकिङ गर्ने कार्टुन बक्सका स-साना टुक्राहरुलाई झिकि टाँसेर कलाकार गौरव श्रेष्ठ कोलाज कला बनाउँछन् । कला क्षेत्रमा निकै दुर्बल मानिएका कोलाज झन्झटिलो र बढी समय लाग्ने कला हो । आफूले रचना गरेका कलाहरुलाई गौरवले गतसाता बुद्ध ग्यालरीमा प्रदर्शनी आयोजना गरे । प्रदर्शनीमा दर्शकहरुले नौलो कलाको अनुभूति गरेको उनी बताउँछन् ।

सानैदेखि कला भनेपछि हुरुक्कै हुने गौरवले कलाको खासै शिक्षा लिएका थिएनन् । तर पनि कलामा आफूलाई पृथक् देखाउनुपर्छ भन्ने उनलाई थाहा छ । त्यही फरकपन वा मौलिकताको खोजी हो, कोलाज कला । मूर्त दृश्यदेखि अमूर्त आकृतिसमेत उनी बनाउँछन् । मठमन्दिर, प्राकृतिक दृश्य र मुहारचित्र उनले रचना गरेका छन् । त्योबाहेक जीवनका विविध अनुभूतिहरुलाई अमूर्त ढंगबाट पनि प्रस्तुत गरिएको छ ।

कोलाज कला रचना गर्न हप्तौं र महिनौं दिनसम्म पनि लाग्न सक्दछ । यसका लागि धैर्य आवश्यक छ- उनी भन्छन् । गौरवका अनुसार, पछि कोलाज कस्तो हुने हो भन्ने बारे पहिल्यैदेखि तयार गर्नुपर्दछ । विभिन्न रंगका कागजहरुलाई मसिना टुक्रा पारेपछि आवश्यकताअनुसार, गमको माध्यमबाट टाँस्दै कला रचना गर्नुपर्दछ । कहिलेकाहीं भनेजस्तो कागज नपाएपछि भने इच्छाअनुसारको कला रचना गर्न सकिँदैन । कलाकारी जीवनभर कोलाज माध्यमलाई अँगालेर आफ्नो परिचय स्थापित गर्नुका साथै कोलाज कलालाई उच्चकोटीको कला हो भन्ने मान्यता स्थापित गर्ने गौरवको इच्छा छ ।

गौरवको कोलाज

Himal Khabarpatrika – (29 March – 13 April 2006)
ठमेलको बुद्ध आर्ट ग्यालरीमा युवा चित्रकार गौरव श्रेष्ठ को पहिलो सोलो कोलाज पेन्टिङ प्रदर्शनी ३-७ चैतमा सम्पन्न भयो । सेलिब्रेटिङ्ग मुड्स एण्ड एक्सप्रेसन नाम दिइएको प्रदर्शनीमा राखिएका मठ-मन्दिर, समय र विभिन्न परिवेश समेटिएका २३ मध्ये अखबारको टुक्राहरू समेटिएर बनाइएको कोलाज, बोरा र काटुर्न कागजमा बनाइएका पेन्टिङहरू नौला थिए । १२ वर्ष अघिदेखि चित्रकारितामा सक्रिय गौरवले यस्तो कोलाजको प्रदर्शनी नेपालमै पहिलो पटक गरेको बताए ।