Musical Reflections
Exhibition of 5th solo collage paintings
@ Yala Maya Kendra, Patan Dhoka
10 – 14 March 2008
My Views….
For me collage is the perfect medium for intuitive form of expression. I love to create beautiful collages and spend several hours experimenting with it. I make use of a number of materials within my collages such as papers including lokta and materials such as jute. Since 2000 I have been working in this collage media with different styles. However, this time, it is a great pleasure for me to present a new series of collage paintings (acrylic on plastic jutes) which I consider are quite unique due to its textures.
These paintings in the exhibit are the result of my 3 month’s long effort based on the theme of “Musical Reflections”. During the past nine years my art has shifted to focus on collage more than other mediums. These collages also involve an elaborative process that transporms old scrap objects into a totally new art form.
All these paintings came about through the sheer joy of playing with colors and melodies of inner music. I enjoy processes for their own sake, and the ways in which process inform images. My work continues to be influenced by ideas related to music and abstraction. I work in a completely visual manner and the very act of creating my art is a participation in this struggle. It is my belief that art is a metaphor for life and creating collages give me the freedom to express myself in a uniquely different manner.
Musical Notes on Canvas
The Himalayan Times – March 12, 2008
If you have any old newspapers, fabric or jute lying around the house, give it to artist Gaurav Shrestha, he will make colourful creations out of them.
Known to give meanings to useless materials, this time Shrestha has fused music to plastic jute with acrylic paint. He unveiled his fifth solo collage-painting exhibition called Musical Reflections on March 10 at the Yala Maya Kendra.
Since the theme is music, the opening of the exhibition opened with a flute performance and statements by cultural dignitaries like Satya Mohan Joshi.
Shrestha said he picked plastic jute because he wanted to work with something new and liked the texture of the material. “I really wanted to do innovative work,” said Shrestha. “Creating collages gives me the freedom to express myself in a uniquely different manner.”
This music-themed collage collection is made with fabric, jute and various papers (in some instances you can actually read the newspaper articles in the paintings). He said collage type of art is not popular at among artists in Nepal. He hopes other artists will follow suit, as it’s a completely different medium and very freeing.
Before discovering painting, Shrestha’s passion was music. He said that passion never went away even after being diverted by his painting career. This time he combined the two passions in this collection. All the paintings such as Tunes of Romance, Jamming, Symphony of the East, portray music in its abstract form. “Sometimes I used to listen to music while painting, sometimes it’s the inner music (on the canvas),” said Shrestha.
The exhibition is on till March 14.
Gaurav’s Musical Musings
The Kathmandu Post – 12 March 2008
Fifth solo collage exhibition by Gaurav Shrestha has kicked off at Yala Maya Kendra, Patan Dhoka from Monday. The exhibition was inaugurated by veteran culture expert Satya Mohan Joshi.
“Musical Reflections” as the exhibition is christened, most of the metaphors and symbols in the collages are drawn from musical instruments. Gaurav, who had also been a guitarist for several bands before, misses his “musical” days. “I miss being a guitarist, and its symphony. This exhibition bears testimony for my passion for music,” he puts rather nostalgically.
All fourteen exhibits are executed in acrylic medium on jute canvas. Jute canvas, as Gaurav informs, is quite new medium for Nepali art world. “I’ve always made a point to experiment with new medium. For example, in my last exhibition I’d chosen to paint on cardboard paper. This time, I got jeans and plastic jute.”
Some of the paintings are outstanding, especially in terms of their richness of color and texture. The artist has used the primary colors like yellow and blue to give more symphonic ambience to the paintings. The blue, green and red hues splashing out of the yellow pallets, gives quite soothing in a giant leap for Gaurav in terms of his artistic maturity.
During the past nine years, Gaurav’s works focus more on collages than any other medium. These collages also involve an elaborative process that transforms old scrap objects into a totally new art form.
In his words, “I work in a completely visual manner. It is my belief that art is a metaphor for life and creating collages gives me the freedom to express myself in a unique manner.”
The exhibition will run through March 14. Gallery hours are from 10 AM to 6 PM daily.
Gaurav’s ‘Musical Reflections’
The Rising Nepal – March 12, 2008
Artist Gaurav Shrestha’s paintings on theme the ‘Musical Reflections’, a collage of Jute series are on display at the Yala Maya Kendra, Lalitpur. The exhibition was inaugurated by culture expert Satya Mohan Joshi.
After inaugurating the exhibition Joshi said that creativity never dies and if one is motivated and encouraged then one can do better in the coming days.
“He further said that a painting ‘Symphony from the East’ reminded him the Mridanga, a Nepal musical instrument, which is on the verge of being extinct. ‘Mridanga Music’ was originated from the petals of lotus flower,” he said.
Gaurav has played with colours, jute, papers and plastics to reflect the ‘Musical Reflections’. As the theme of the exhibition was the music, a flutist breathed euphonious tunes while inaugurating the event.
Gaurav said that he visualizes his paintings in his imaginations before starting any of his works. “Art is a metaphor of life and creating collages gives me the freedom to express myself in a unique manner,” he said.
Including this, this is Gaurav’s fifth painting exhibition in a row. His first solo exhibition was organized in 2006 and he has already participated in five group painting exhibition since 2002. This exhibition of his will continue till 14th of March.
गौरवको कला प्रदर्शनीमा
Annapurna Post, 14 March 2008
कलाकार गौरव श्रेष्ठको पाँचौं एकल चित्रकला प्रदर्शनी ‘म्युजिकल रिफ्लेक्सन’ शीर्षकमा हाल पाटनढोकास्थित यलमाया केन्द्रमा भइरहेको छ। कोलाज चित्रहरूको निर्माणमा विभिन्न प्रयोग गर्न रुचाउने कलाकार गौरवले यस पटक आफ्ना चित्रहरूमा जुट, लोक्ता, क्यालेन्डर, जिन्सलगायतका सामाग्रीको प्रयोग गर्नुभएको छ। प्लास्टिकका जुटमा एक्रेलिक माध्यमबाट बनाइएका चित्रहरू निकै आकर्षक छन्। उँहाका चित्रहरूमा कालो र नीलो रङको बढी प्रयोग भएको पाइन्छ। गौरवले लामो समयसम्म विभिन्न सांगीतिक ब्यान्डमा गितारवादकको रूपमा काम गरेकाले प्रदर्शनीमा राखिएका चित्रहरूमा संगीतप्रतिको झुकावलाई अभिव्यक्त गर्नुभएको छ। प्रदर्शनीबाट दर्शकको राम्रो प्रतिक्रिया पाएको कलाकार गौरव बताउनुहुन्छ। प्रदर्शनीमा जम्मा १४ वटा कलाकृतिहरू राखिएका छन्। जसको मूल्य पाँच हजारदेखि ३५ हजार रुपैयासम्म राखिएका छन्। प्रदर्शनी आगामी शनिबारसम्म चल्नेछ।
म्युजिकल रिफ्लेक्सन – कोलाज अनि गौरव श्रेष्ठ
Nepali Patra,14 March 2008
युवाहरू सिर्जनशील भएको मन पर्दछ। भोलिको नयाँ नेपाल उनीहरूकै काँधमा जानेछ। देश अहिले संविधानसभाको चुनावमय भएको। सबै उत्साहित भएका छन्। कलाकार गौरव श्रेष्ठ पनि जागेका छन्। कोलाज चित्र बनाउँछन्। नेताहरूले झुठो आश्वासन दिएर जनतालाई ठगेका कुराहरू छापामा छापिन्छन्। पढ्नेले सरर पढ्दछन् अनि रद्दीको टोकरीमा फ्याल्दछन्। तर, कलाकार गौरव श्रेष्ठ ती कागतहरू सम्हालेर बटुल्छन्। गम्भीर भएर सोच्छन् । अनि फेविकल लगाएर छ्याम्प क्यानभासमा ती कागतहरू टाँसेर जीवन्तता दिन्छन्। उनको यो शैली कोलाज हो। दोस्रो विश्वयुध्दका तस्बिरहरू टाँसियो क्यानभासमा। त्यसरी टाँस्ने प्रचलनलाई कोलाज भनियो। कोलाज टर्म विश्वव्यापी भएको छ। वस्तुहरू जे पनि प्रयोग गर्न सकिने भयो। पिकासोले तारका टुक्रा, हड्डी, कागत, प्लास्तिक, गिटार जे पनि प्रयोग गरे। अरूअरूले के के प्रयोग गरे लेखेर साध्य छैन । तर, कलाकार गौरव श्रेष्ठले यसपटकको म्युजिकल रिफ्लेक्सन कोलाज प्रदर्शनीमा प्लास्टिकको जुट, लोक्ता कागज, क्यालेन्डर पत्रपत्रिकाहरू टाँसेर चित्रहरू बनाए। उनका चित्रहरूबाट घनवादी कलाको स्पष्ट प्रभाव दिखिन्छ। शैलीगत धारणामा उनी केही घनवादी भएका छन् त कही अर्धअमूर्त अनि कतै मूर्त पनि छ। वाद र शैलीबारे उनको आफ्नै धारणा छ। मनमा फुरेका कुराहरू टाँस्दै बनाउँदै जान्छु। कुराहरू फुर्न संगीतको प्रेरणा लिन्छु। म एक संगीतकार पनि हुँ। संगीतलाई एकापट्टी थन्क्याएर विमुख हुन नसकिने रहनेछ। ‘संगीत त एक मनभित्रको प्रभाव, दर्पण बनेर यसपटकको प्रदर्शनीमा देखापरेको छ,’ उनी हाँस्दै सुनाउँछन्।
तीन महिनाको अथक प्रयासपछि जन्मेका कोलाजहरू विगतको कामभन्दा निकै फरक छन्। एकाएक यत्रा परिवर्तन कसरी भयो भनी प्रश्न गर्दा उनी भन्छन्, ‘ यो सबै इन्फिनेटी ग्रुपको आर्ट फ्रिडम मोभमेन्टका अवसरमा पलाएको कन्फिडेन्सको उपज हो।’ त्यस मोभमेन्टमा कलाकार किरण मानन्धर, रमेश खनाल, फ्रान्सका कलाकार क्रिस्टियन सार्ल्जबल्गर र इन्फिनेटी ग्रुपका साथीहरू रमेश केसी, विनोद गुप्तासँगै बसेर अनुभव सेयर गर्न पाए। त्यस बखत मैले रङ लगाउने तरिका पनि केही सिके । र, मलाई लाग्यो, अब म परिवर्तन हुनुपर्दछ। परिवर्तनका लागि मैले आफूभित्र नियाल्दा संगीत नै विषय रोजे। संगीत मेरो प्रिय माध्यम हो। उनका चित्रहरु मैले उनको निवासमा नै हेरें। हिजोको परम्परालाई निरन्तरता दिँदै, अलिक परिवर्तन भएका चित्रहरू जब मैले एकाएक गरेर हेरेँ तब उनलाई हात मिलाएर बधाई दिएँ। उनका चित्रहरुमा संगीतका तारहरू गुञ्जिएको सुनिन्छ। गिटारले मन लोभ्याएको प्रतीत हुन्छ। रङहरू आफ्नै आँखामा, संगीतको आवजमा नापेझैँ लाग्दछ। कहीँ पहेँलो, कहीँ कालो, कहीँ नीलो, कहीँ हरियो र कहीँ सेता रङ कयानभासभित्र सम्प्रेषित भएको देखिन्छ। कहीँ शास्त्रीय संगीतलाई तादाम्यता गर्न खोजेझैँ लाग्दछ।
‘कोलाज चित्र बनाउँदा म पूर्ण स्वतन्त्र छु भन्ने बोध हुन्छ। अचेत अवस्थामा एकपछि अर्को चित्र बनाउँछु, भन्छन् गौरव। गौरवले व्यवस्थापनमा स्नातक गरे। फोटोग्राफीमा डिप्लोमा, कम्प्युटर फन्ट डिजाइनको तालिम लिन बेलायत पुगे। कोलाज बनाउन आफैँ प्रेरित भए। सन् २००० देखि कोलाजैकोलाजमा पाँचवटा एकल कोलाज कला प्रदर्शनीहरू आयोजना गरीसके।
अगाडि अझ परिमार्जित भएर आउने प्रयास गर्नेछु। आफूभन्दा सिनियरहरूसँग अन्तरक्रिया गर्न रुचाउँछु। साथीहरूबाट सल्लाहको आशा गर्दछु,’ भन्छन् गौरव।
नेपालमा त्यस्ता प्राय: सबै कलाकारले कलायात्राको अभियानमा केही न केही कोलाज चित्रहरू बनाइरहेका छन् तर गौरवजस्तो कोलाज नै सम्पूर्ण भएर अगाडि कोही देखापरेका छैनन्। जस अर्थमा उनी एकल कलाकार भएका छन्। मनग्गे उत्साह र ऊसँगका साथ जीवनयापन गरिरहेका युवा कलाकार गौरव मदन पुस्तकालयमा काम गर्दछन्। एकपटक गौरवका नवीन सिर्जना हेर्न मदन पुस्तकालय पाटनछेउमा रहेको यलमाया केन्द्रमा नर्बिर्सीकन पुगौँ।
Musical Reflections
ECS – April, 2008
Gaurav Shrestha’s fifth solo collage painting exhibition was held at Yala Maya Kendra, Patan Dhoka, from 10 to 14 March. The artist used mixed media like papers including lokta, and materials such as jute, to reflect on life and to discover an outlet to express himself. He loves to experiment and it was the fruit of hours of experimentation with different media and the minute unfolding of his intricate thoughts that conceived the collection of paintings under the theme ‘Musical Reflections’. Creating a whole out of unbridled thoughts and materials is what Gaurav is best at. The acrylic paintings on plastic jute under the captions: ‘Jamming!’, ‘The Opera’, ‘Tunes of Romance’, ‘The Jazz Bar’ and ‘Religious Enchantments’ were unique due at their unprecedented textures. They unfailingly brought forth Gaurav’s influence by music and abstraction on the canvas. Watch out for more of his experiments in future.