The Himalayan Light Art Scholarship was established by senior Chinese artist Zhao Jianqui, to foster and promote the creation and production of Nepal’s young artist generation, whose quality of work impressed Zhao greatly during his visit and exhibition to Nepal in 2015. This award intends to encourage young artists to explore deeper into their skills and the myriad of themes in Nepali art and also hopes to create opportunities for more trans-Himalayan artistic exchange in the future.
Kathmandu 1st Awardee of the Himalayan Light Award Co-founder of Bindu, A Space for Artists,2019
I have participated in many exhibitions and received many awards but the Himalayan Light Art award is a different one for me. Different in the sense, I had to create a new body of work for a solo exhibition which proved to be, an extraordinary experience. The award exhibition was titled “Attachment” and was held at the Siddartha Art Gallery. Working with a time frame was a challenging experience for me as I usually work without any deadline when I prepare for a show. This award has helped me to bond with many other artists and art lovers. It has been one of the exciting art journeys for me and I am excited about my contribution to this field in the future.
Gorkha 1st Awardee of the Himalayan Light Award Faculty at Lalitkala Campus, 2019
The Award provided me a unique platform, and opportunity to research and explore the plight of the indigenous Gurung people who live in rural villages scattered throughout the country. I sought to document the uncertainty they face as they grapple with a culture and lifestyle that is fast fading away. Not only did the Award give me a chance to create new artworks, but it also gave me a chance to step outside of my comfort zone and explore something new and effective. I was thus able to create a new body of works with the intention of highlighting the devastating cultural tragedy that is being played out in the rural areas of Nepal and in the indigenous communities. Repurposing my narrative has given my works social and cultural value. The outcome would not have been realized in its visual form if not for the Award. Thus the Award helped me to realize a crucial path towards my creative journey. This path is significant as it is filled with ample inspiration which I will explore for days to come.
I would like to acknowledge the Himalayan Light Art Award and Siddhartha Art Gallery that I was awarded as a young upcoming artist. It helped me to pursue my artistic career in different aspects without any limitation in the skills and technique and in the production level. It gave a platform for me to get interaction and creative discourse through talk series about my artistic practice with the public and helped me to get connected with the people working with different creative generes. It is an important award for the upcoming young artist like me willing to show and have interaction about the artistic practice with the public.
As a fresh graduate, receiving an award like Himalayan Light Art Award has motivated me to focus solely on my art practice. This support has been an opportunity for me to be productive and organized in my art practice. I am truly grateful for the immense support from Himalayan Light Art Award and Ms. Sangeeta Thapa for realizing a solo show for an upcoming artist like me. I believe this opportunity to be a stepping stone for my artistic career.
Lalitpur Co-founder of Ankura Atelier Art Teacher,2021
Himalayan Light Art Award has been one of the greatest achievements I had so far. I was fresh out of the university after graduating and quite unsure about which way to proceed. I had my doubts on how to continue working on my own projects without the proper financial and emotional support.
Being recognized for all the hard work and getting the financial help as motivation to continue working is something every young artist dreams of. It has encouraged me to great extent on focusing primarily on creating my works. My works have always been quite personal and consistent which may have discouraged me to continue on the same platform at one point but the people Like Ms. Sangeeta Thapa and Mr. Justin Zhao identified my potential as an artist and gave me an opportunity to explore more.
I am grateful to the Himalayan Light award and Siddhartha Art Gallery for this award. Himalayan Light Art Award is important for upcoming artists for furthering their artistic practice and creating new artwork without any creative conditions. This award supports me in creating new art pieces. For me as a young upcoming artist, it's very important to get an award for my art practices and get support for towards an artist career.
