National Fine Arts Exhibition 2082 to Showcase Creative Diversity from All Seven Provinces of Nepal
Kathmandu – Bringing together creative talents from across the country, the National Fine Arts Exhibition 2082 is set to take place from Jestha 15 to 30 (May 2 to June 13) at the premises of Nepal Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA) in Naxal, Kathmandu.
Organized by NAFA, the event was formally announced during a press conference held on Monday. This year’s exhibition will feature 606 artworks by 571 artists representing all seven provinces of Nepal, making it the largest fine arts festival in the country.
The exhibition includes a diverse range of art forms such as Nepali painting, sculpture, traditional and contemporary crafts, folk and architectural art, photography, and multidimensional creative works. The aim is to promote, preserve, and foster the rich artistic heritage and contemporary expressions of Nepal.
The artworks were selected from the Provincial Fine Arts Exhibitions 2081 and brought to the national level for wider visibility. This format was first introduced in 2078 BS.
This year’s contributions by province:
- Koshi Province: 82 artworks
- Madhesh Province: 98 artworks
- Bagmati Province: 183 artworks
- Gandaki Province: 55 artworks
- Lumbini Province: 66 artworks
- Karnali Province: 41 artworks
- Sudurpaschim Province: 39 artworks
In addition to these, 78 non-competitive artworks are also on display.
Diverse Artistic Representation
- Contemporary painting: 208 works by 201 artists
- Traditional painting: 73 works by 72 artists
- Modern sculpture: 52 works by 51 artists
- Traditional sculpture: 18 artworks
- Architectural and folk arts: 88 works
- Handicrafts: 79 pieces
- Photography and multimedia arts: 59 works
- Installation art: 9 pieces
- Cartoons, caricatures, digital and expressive arts: A Significant number of entries
Awards and Honours to be presented
The exhibition will also include the announcement of prestigious awards. Araniko National Fine Arts Honour (NPR 150,000) will be presented to Dr. Seema Sharma Shah and Mangal Lama.
Meanwhile, National Fine Arts Awards (NPR 60,000 each) will be awarded in various categories:
- Traditional Painting: Binamra Dangol
- Contemporary Painting: Krishna Lama
- Contemporary Sculpture: Chandramani Magar
- Traditional Sculpture: Suresh Lavat Tuladhar
- Handicrafts: Raj Kumar Shilpakar
- Architecture and Folk Art: Jyoti Kumari Sapkota
- Photography: Safal Prakash Shrestha
Emerging Talent Recognition awards
- New Talent Award: Bhim Bahadur Bik
Provincial Emerging Talent Awards include:
- Koshi: Bhawana Gurung
- Madhesh: Nirupam Jaiswal
- Bagmati: Suprina Ghalan
- Gandaki: Dhawa Dorje Gurung
- Lumbini: Rukaiya Banu
- Sudurpaschim: Nishant Sunar
Additional Recognitions in the event
– Fine Arts Writing Award: Saroj Bajracharya
– Journalism Awards:
- Shiva Tamang (Gorkhapatra Daily)
- Hemant Gautam (Nepal Television)
– Fine Arts Promotion Award:
- Nepal Handicraft Federation
- Artist Pratima Pandey
– Best Provincial Artist Awards: One artist from each province will receive NPR 50,000 and a certificate of honour.
Memorial Awards
- Martyr Artist Anil Lama Memorial Award: Asmina Ranjit
- Baburam Lama Memorial Award: Gangadhar Saru
* Each award carries a cash prize of NPR 50,000.
Exhibition Jury and Curation
The exhibition is being evaluated by a distinguished jury including Dr. Seema Sharma Shah, Radheshyam Mulmi, Uday Charan Shrestha, Purna Prasad Yozu, Tara Prasad Ojha, Ram Narayan Mahto, Prabin Shrestha, Dharmaraj Shakya, Erina Tamrakar, Navendra Limbu, and Pratima Thakali.
The official exhibition logo was designed in 2080 BS by artist Pradeep Shakya, who also serves as this year’s curator.
This grand event is being organized in collaboration with Nepal Academy, Cultural Institutions, Provincial Social Development Ministries, local governments, artists’ associations, and media partners including the National Photo Journalists Group.
At the press conference, Vice Chancellor Naradmani Hartamchhali, Deputy Vice Chancellor Lalkaji Lama, Member Secretary Devendra Kumar Kafle, and departmental heads Palsangmo Lama, Pradeep Adhikari (Susant), Saurganga Darshandhari, and Aruna Hingmang emphasised the transformative power of art in society.
