The theme of the IPEP India 2022 edition is ‘One World’, a concept that determines the individual milieu, and within that, actions of independence and of personal and collective conscience. For humans, it is a celebration of freedom of speech and a space of one’s own. Moreover, this one world has diverse layers of experience and understanding including the ecology and environment, socio-cultural structures, political and economic complexities and various other matters that link us.
Somewhere in the midst of the discussion, it seems important to engage in an anti-war movement to bring about a dialogue; a gesture of intimacy among all humankind. We feel disconsolate with conflicts happening in different parts of the world. The international politics of war has often become the preconceived loot to the gate-keepers of the world, intensifying a power game by the killing of one another. Control makes it more demanding and their actions delve into the path of injustice and violence.
Once Life exists, it is predefined with enormous struggles, even as joys go side by side. As humans, we respire our first breath in the hope of having a quality life. In essence, we are spiritual beings, despite complex intelligence humanity is divided into fragments with greed and egotism.
One world is an attempt to bring about a feeling of connected human nature, human dignity, and human perceptions. This theme, while not new, is being deliberated upon to renew a cross-cultural, multi-racial dialogue to act upon and realize the fact of our presence in the world, its meaning and responsibility. Art can always offer healing, and bring change in our livelihood and fractured interactions. Art becomes a tool of sensitivity, and is a voice of community, a predetermined notion of righteousness shared with the world.
The objective of this edition is to extend consciousness on contemporary disconnected patterns of social behavior, and to come to a harmonious space. One of the objectives through an exchange of prints is to reinforce the possibility of an optimistic society. War diminishes hope. As creative practitioners, we can reject gestures of prejudice and bestow the energy of self to the invincible universal source instead. This dialogue is a silent protest, an awakening towards restoring balances. Regardless of borders and distances, who or where you are, this is to bring all the different norms, values and expressions into one forum, to share artists’ expressive ideologies.
In conclusion, it is love for one planet, one world.
Manish Lal Shrestha, Nepal
Curator, IPEP India 2022
Manish Lal Shrestha is a multidimensional visual artist and curator based in Kathmandu, Nepal. After graduating from Sir J. J. School of Art, Mumbai (2001), his unique style established him as one of the pioneers to explore Postmodern Tendency in Nepal. He depicts Bells and Shells to represent positive vibration against bad energies in his art. These powerful metaphors have worked pertinently in expressing his inner feelings in order to bring forth the current issues of Nepal. His artworks are an ideal paradigm that spread the sounds of hope, harmony, peace, intimacy and fraternity in people. It is a comment on the ongoing global political turmoil, senseless violence, communal riots and brutal affairs and he further affirms that love, care and positive attitude are the constructive solutions to these human agonies. His deep creative tranquil nature constantly helps him formulate new thoughts. His works are a beautiful example of exceptional masterpieces that manifest only through a Natural Artist.
Manish has had 19 solo exhibitions, several workshops and residencies internationally in Holland, Switzerland, France, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, India, USA, South Korea, Taiwan, China and Nepal. He was part of Kathmandu Triennale 2017, Nepal; Busan Biennale Sea Art Festival 2019, South Korea; Today’s Documents 2019, A Stitch in Time, Today Art museum, Beijing, China. He has curated several art events in Nepal and abroad including Himalayan Art Festival 2018, Nepal Art Council; National Exhibition of Fine Arts 2021 at NAFA, Nepal and co-curated First Yanjiao Biennale 2020, China. He also curated an international experimental video art project “Made in Mind series II” in 2019. Among other accolades, he won the National Fine Arts Award from Nepal Academy of Fine Arts in 2011.
Manish is a founder, director and curator at “Gallery Mcube” and contributes to art education as a visiting faculty at the Srijana College of Fine Arts, Nepal.