Art in the 21st century has advanced beyond the significance of the aesthetics. A well-trained artist is capable of painting a beautiful flower, or a realistic portrait; but a well-trained artist in this era is also expected to explore outside of the conventional box of, say, painting a bowl of fruits, or crafting a perfectly proportional nude sculpture.[BREAK]
Lasaana, established as a trust in 2007, is one such autonomous organization which seeks to create an alternative art space outside of the box in Nepal’s contemporary art arena.
Founded and headed by artist Ashmina Ranjit, Lasaana has been holding regular workshops since its inception that focus on the development of conceptual art through research and dialogues, and encourages experimentation in diverse mediums, from digital art to installations.
“We’re trying to challenge the conventional definition of art and artist in Nepal, which is usually limited to a painter or a sculptor,” asserts Ranjit, who completed her Masters of Fine Arts (MFA) degree from Columbia University, USA, in New Genre Art.
She continues, “Art has the potential of being an instrument of socio-political change. Activism and art are parallel in today’s context, and what we’re trying to do through Lasaana in essence is ‘artivism.’”
Lasaana’s ongoing project entitled ‘Kalakarko Ankhama Bhumi’ (Land in the eyes of an artist) has brought together 27 artists, two poets, and 10 experts on land to discuss and interpret the social, cultural and political significances of land.
“There are several issues surrounding land in Nepal from the Nepal-India borders to property rights of women; but our focus has been more on the gender aspect,” says Ranjit, who is known for her feminist works of art.
Lasaana’s Land Project began in April 2009 with a five-day residency program for participating artists. In the past seven months, a total of nine discourses have been held.
“The goal of these workshops isn’t production of final works of art but to create an environment for artists to come up with concepts, and diversify their perceptions of not only land but various issues,” explains Ranjit.
“Prior to this workshop, my views on land were limited, and I regarded it as an economical asset,” says Jupiter Pradhan, 31, one of the participants. “This workshop is very research-oriented, and I’ve come to learn about the implications of land policies, and the situation of bonded laborers and refugees, and the meaning of land in their contexts.”
Pradhan completed his MFA from Dhaka in Bangladesh, and although he studied painting, he has been working on a video installation for this project.
“Alternative art is everything outside of the canvas, which includes everything from installations, performances, video and sound art,” he puts in.
Starting Monday, October 26, Lasaana is holding an exhibition of artworks of the participants produced in the last few months at the National Association of Fine Arts (NAFA). There will be nearly 50 works of art on display, comprising sculptures, paintings, video installations, digital prints, and poems.
“We also have two performance pieces which will be showcased at the opening on Monday,” informs Ranjit, who is one of the performers.
When asked about the contemporary art scene of Nepal, Ranjit honestly opines, “Organizing a weeklong workshop to produce a handful of paintings with complicated titles can hardly be considered an achievement.
“If artists want to make an influence through their works and bring about change, their perspectives need to be widened,” she believes. Ranjit hopes that Lasaana will one day become an alternative art institute, but not like Nepal’s art institutions that limit students to a rigid syllable.
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