An art exhibition titled Sacred Survival kicked off on Friday at the Siddhartha Art Gallery in the Capital. Curated by Michael Gordon, an artist and a Fulbright Researcher, the show was inaugurated by Tom Robertson, Executive Director of Fulbright Nepal.

Sacred Survival is a collaborative exhibition of seven contemporary Thangka and Pauba artists—Lok Chitrakar, Muna Moktan, Tenzin Norbum, Bhim Thapa, Sonam Dolma Gurung, Tularam Lama and Karma Rinchhen Gurung. The exhibit focuses on promoting Thangka and Paubha paintings by creating an economically-viable environment for the up-and-coming generation of artists and helping preserve the centuries-long values of the intricate paintings techniques.

Speaking about the exhibit, Michael Gordon, the curator of the show said, “Sacred Survival examines the practices of seven contemporary Thangka and Paubha painters working and living in the Valley. Their stories reveal the tension between an art market fuelled by mass consumption and an artistic practice striving to maintain its lineage. The craft of Thangka and Paubha painting maintains an unbroken lineage of cultural and spiritual ancestry. For all of them, the paintings are a means of ‘sacred survival, rewriting the terms of authenticity to reflect an ever-changing present,” he added.

According to Gordon, the aim of the exhibit is to promote the culture and values of Thangka and Paubha paintings, which are special, and uniquely intricate. He further mentioned that the artists have formed a strong alliance to promote Thangka paintings and wish to combat the exploitations artists suffer from the sales dealers.

The exhibit will be on display at the SAG until May 21.